Stephan T. Pastis is an attorney practicing at the law firm of Thornton, Taylor, Downs, Becker, Tolson and Doherty in San Francisco. When he is not practicing law, he enjoys cartooning, creating such strips as The Infirm, Bradbury Road, The Billbo Chronicles, and Pearls Before Swine.

He received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1990 and his law degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1993. He lives with his wife, Staci, and son, Thomas, in Albany, California.