Speakers: Hon. Pamela Pulley and Judge Alicia Hawthorne

Hon. Pamela Pulley
Judge Pulley has been the presiding judge in Santa Ana since 2015. Before that, she was a Workers’ Compensation Judge in both Santa Ana and Long Beach. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1987 and the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1990. She was the 2019 CLA Judge of the Year and has been recognized as a “Legendary Leader in Justice” by the California Association of Black Lawyers’ Judicial Section.

Judge Alicia Hawthorne
Currently, Judge Hawthorne is a WCJ in San Diego at the WCAB and has been since November of 2018. Prior to that, Judge Hawthorne worked at the Santa Ana Board from November of 2015. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Hawthorne served as Chapter President for the San Diego Chapter of the California Applicant’s Attorney Association from September 2013 to September 2015.

Judge Hawthorne represented injured workers from 2000-2004, then State Compensation Insurance Fund from 2004-2011, and returned to representing injured workers from 2011-2015.

Judge Hawthorne has written a primer on California Workers Compensation Law.  Previously, Judge Hawthorne presented at a Statewide Teleconference on California Updates to Workers Compensation.  She has presented at DWC conferences, at CAAA chapter meetings as well as the previous Latino Workers’ Compensation Conference. Judge Hawthorne has received the Pro Bono Publico Distinguished Service Award from the San Diego Volunteer Law Program for her over 500 hours of volunteer time in one year.  

Judge Hawthorne obtained her undergraduate degree from University of California, San Diego and her Juris Doctorate from City University School of Law, Queens College, New York.  She and her husband have 4 boys.