Jill James Hoffman was born in Kansas City, Missouri, where she attended
University of Missouri-Kansas City for both undergraduate studies and law
school. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History in 1985, and her
Juris Doctor degree in 1989. She was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1989.
During her last week in law school she was commissioned in the United
States Navy, Judge Advocate General's Corps. She served on active duty for six
years, primarily as a defense counsel representing service members at
courts-martial. Her duty stations included Naval Station Treasure Island,
in San Francisco, California, and Naval Support Activity, Naples, Italy.
Upon separating from active duty in 1996 she was admitted to the
California Bar and has been practicing in San Francisco, California. She is a past
member of the Board of Governors of the Lawyer's Club of San Francisco and
is currently Legal Counsel for the Board of the Golden Gate Breakfast
Club.Her principal areas of practice include civil litigation, personal injury,
products liability, toxic tort, and negligence law.