Tom Zellerbach

Tom Zellerbach is the Board Chair of the Zellerbach Family Foundation, which for over 65 years has sought to be a catalyst for constructive social change by initiating and investing in efforts that strengthen families and communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tom was a partner at the international law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP where for 30 years he represented both Fortune 100 and emerging companies in protecting their intellectual property. He also represented individuals and non-profit organizations pro bono in diverse matters ranging from tenants’ rights in San Francisco to appellate work before the Missouri Supreme Court in a case that resulted in a landmark decision allowing gun sellers to face liability for negligently selling firearms. Tom received his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Colorado College.

Before attending law school, Tom worked for eight years at Progress Foundation, a San Francisco non-profit organization helping those experiencing mental illness to effectively maintain their life in the community.

Tom is a fifth-generation San Franciscan whose great grandfather, grandfather, and father all passed down the imperative to give back to the community for the opportunities provided to the family starting when Tom’s great great grandfather emigrated from Germany and arrived nearly penniless in San Francisco in the mid-1800’s.