David Bell

David Bell is an Adjunct Professor at Southwestern Law School and a practicing Assistant Public Defender in the Sacramento County Office of the Public Defender. He specializes in education rights within the juvenile justice system and collaborates with initiatives like the Juvenile Justice Trauma Court.

• BA in Political Science and Letters, Arts, and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University
• Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School with certificates in Legal Writing and International Law

His career spans over six years in the dependency system, including roles as a parent’s counsel and at the Children’s Law Center of California, where he advocated for LGBTQ and CSEC youth. He contributed to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services steering committee on LGBTQ issues and clerked for the Honorable Lance Ito.

As an educator, Bell advises student organizations such as the Gay-Straight Alliance and Pathways to Law School at the Los Angeles Community College District, while teaching Trial Advocacy at the University of LaVerne’s College of Law. His research interests intersect with legal advocacy for marginalized youth, trauma-informed judicial practices, and systemic support for LGBTQ communities.