Milton Marks Conference Center, Lower Level
455 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco

Considering a Career on the Bench?

One Hour of Elimination of Bias Credit 

Join the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association for Pathways to the Bench on June 7, 2024 at the Milton Marks Conference Center in San Francisco! Immerse yourself in insightful discussions and gain vital information about becoming a judge in state or federal court. Hear directly from those involved in the selection processes. Learn from judges about their experiences with the application process. Engage in a special roundtable with panelists and others. Earn one hour of elimination of bias credit. Register today to begin navigating your own Pathway to the Bench!

Program Host: Erik Silber, Chair, Litigation Section 

Meet Our Speakers

• Hon. Suzanne Bolanos, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco 
• Hon. Tracie L. Brown, Justice, California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Presiding Justice, Division Four
• Luis Céspedes, Governor Newsom’s Judicial Appointments Secretary
• Hon. Linda Colfax, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Hon. Beth Freeman, Judge, U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.
• Hon. Brenda Harbin-Forte (Ret.), Judge, Alameda County Superior Court
• Hon. Teri L. Jackson, Justice, California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Presiding Justice, Division Five
• Chhaya Malik, 2024 JNE Commission Chair
• Hon. Anne-Christine Massullo, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Hon. Lori Pegg, Judge, Superior Court of Santa Clara
• Louise Renne, Chair, Senator Butler’s Judicial Selection Committee, Northern District
• Hon. Russell Roeca, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Daniel Suvor, Statewide Chair, Senator Padilla’s Judicial Evaluation Com
• Claudia Vetesi, Chair, Bar Association of San Francisco’s Judiciary Committee
• Hon. Kandis Westmore, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.

Moderators

• Terrance J. Evans, Partner, Duane Morris; Vice-Chair, California Lawyers Association
• Jenn French, Partner, Lynch Carpenter; Chair, Litigation Section’s Federal Courts Committee
• Mary McKelvey, Partner, Polsinelli; Immediate Past Chair, Litigation Section 
• Megan A. Rowe, Partner, Daponde Simpson Rowe

Schedule

11:00 – 11:30 | Check-in, pick up boxed lunch

11:30 – 11:45 | Opening Remarks with Hon. Anne-Christine Massullo, Presiding Judge, San Francisco Superior Court 

• Hon. Anne-Christine Massullo, Presiding Judge, SFSC

11:45 – 1:15 | Pathway to the State Court Bench

• Hon. Tracie L. Brown, Justice, California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Presiding Justice, Division Four
• Luis Céspedes, Judicial Appointments Secretary
• Chhaya Malik, 2024 JNE Commission Chair
• Claudia Vetesi, Chair, BASF Judiciary Committee
• Hon. Russell Roeca, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Terrance J. Evans, Partner, Duane Morris, Vice-Chair of CLA (Moderator)

1:30 – 3:00 | Pathways to the Federal Bench

• Louise Renne, Chair, Senator Butler’s Judicial Selection Committee, Northern District
• Daniel Suvor, Statewide Chair, Senator Padilla’s Judicial Evaluation Com
• Hon. Beth Freeman, District Judge, U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.
• Hon. Kandis Westmore, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.
• Jenn French, Partner, Lynch Carpenter, Chair, CLA/Litigation Section Federal Courts Committee (Moderator)

3:15 – 4:15 | Rising to the Challenge: Overcoming Obstacles and Challenges on the Path to the Bench

• Hon. Teri L. Jackson, Justice, California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Presiding Justice, Division Five
• Hon. Suzanne Bolanos, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Hon. Brenda Harbin-Forte (Ret.), Judge, Alameda County Superior Court
• Hon. Linda Colfax, Judge, Superior Court of San Francisco
• Mary McKelvey, Partner, Polsinelli (Moderator)

4:20 – 5:00 | Breakout Sessions

Interact with our panelists, get your questions answered, engage with judges about various pathways to the bench. A unique opportunity for informal—and informative—discussion! Select which breakout session you’d like to attend:

• A Deeper Dive into the Superior Court Appointment Process 
• Getting to the Federal Bench
• A Unique Resource: The Judicial Mentor Program
  • A special breakout session that will discuss the Bay Area’s Judicial Mentor Program (JMP). The JMP is a statewide effort designed to advance the goal of creating a truly inclusive and diverse judiciary. The program helps demystify the judicial application process and pairs applicants with judicial mentors. This session will provide all necessary information about applying for a mentor through the JMP and will discuss the JMP for applicants to both the Superior Court and the Appellate Court benches. Superior Court judges welcome!
  • Featuring: 
    • Hon. Teri L. Jackson, Presiding Justice, Div. 5, 1DCA; former Chair and Co-creator, California Judicial Mentor Program–Appellate
    • Hon. Linda Colfax, Judge, San Francisco Superior Court; Chair, Judicial Mentor Program
    • Hon. Lori Pegg, Judge, Superior Court of Santa Clara County 

5:00 – 5:30 | Pathways Reception

Pricing

Lunch and Refreshments Mixer Included

• $95—Litigation Section Member
• $125—Non-Section Member
• $50—Government, Non-Profit, Students, New Lawyers and Panel Attorneys

Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Non-Monetary

• California Affinity Judicial Association Coalition (CAJAC)
• LGBT-JOC

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This event may be recorded. By attending this event, you consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded, and to any use, by the CLA, of your likeness, voice, and name in any and all media including social media. If you do not want your name or photo to be used, please let us know in advance. We cannot, however, honor requests to opt out of the use of your image or voice if you choose to ask a question during one of the event sessions.