Board of Directors 2025-2026 - In Process of being updated

André Ríos Bollinger was born and raised in Venice, California to Afro-Peruvian parents.  He attended the University of California, San Diego where he majored in Ethnic Studies and worked on various student movements.  Mr. Bollinger's work in social justice led him to become an elementary and middle school teacher. While teaching Mr. Bollinger completed his Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at Loyola Marymount University. After seeing the education system fail his students repeatedly, Mr. Bollinger left teaching and attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.  While in law school Mr. Bollinger helped sue school districts, such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, through the ACLU, and defend juveniles charged with crimes through the Center for Juvenile Law and Policy.  After graduating law school, Mr. Bollinger joined the San Diego County Office of the Public Defender where he handled all manner of cases, from misdemeanors and homicides, in both the adult and juvenile systems, and led the rollout of the Racial Justice Act.  Mr. Bollinger was appointed by the California State Bar Board of Directors as a Commissioner on the prestigious Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE) where he served for three years. He elected to the California Public Defender Association (CPDA), chairing both the Diversity and Racial Justice Committees, and is a past chair of the San Diego County Bar Associations (SDCBA) Criminal Law Section. Mr. Bollinger is a faculty member of the CPDA Basic Trial Skills Institute, and trains attorneys across the state through CPDA, SDCBA, and the California Lawyers Association. In 2022 Mr. Bollinger opened the boutique law firm Rios Bollinger Law, APC where he practices civil litigation and criminal defense across the state. His extensive trial experience is sought after by law firms who bring him to handle their high value trials. Mr. Bollinger is dedicated to ensuring that all of his clients receive personalized, authentic, and zealous representation so that they can achieve exceptional results.