Workers' Compensation
2024 Special Recognition Award Recipients
New Lawyer Award: Francisco Rodriguez
Mr. Rodriguez attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Language, Culture & Society (Linguistics). He went on to The Colleges of Law in Santa Barbara and has been practicing workers’ compensation law since earning his Juris Doctor in 2020. In his spare time, Mr. Rodriguez likes to attend concerts and sporting events, root for the Los Angeles Lakers and San Francisco 49ers, spend time with his family, and go on hikes with his Great Pyrenees, Maverick.
Defense Attorney of the Year: Jamilla Harris
Ms. Harris, Managing Partner in the El Segundo office, continues her duties following her promotion from Managing Attorney. A Bar-certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation, she is responsible for the daily operations of the El Segundo office. Her duties include overseeing the caseloads and work product of the other attorneys, as well as handing a significant caseload of her own. Before her promotion, she was a Supervising Attorney, overseeing the work of junior attorneys, and handling her own caseload of workers’ compensation defense files from inception to resolution. As an Associate Attorney for the firm, Jamilla represented insurance carriers, self-insured employers and public entities in all aspects of workers’ compensation defense.
Before joining Michael Sullivan & Associates, she served as In-House Counsel at the Law Offices of Halas & Muhar in Orange, where she represented Liberty Mutual Insurance in workers’ compensation cases before WCABs throughout Southern California. In addition to analyzing complex legal issues and devising case strategy, she negotiated settlements and evaluated the liability and exposure of worker claims. She conducted depositions, analyzed medical and personnel records and maintained relations with clients, opposing counsel and co-defendants.
As Adjunct Professor at her alma mater, Western State College of Law in Fullerton, Jamilla used her legal experience to teach the next generation of attorneys about California workers’ compensation law. She also volunteered at the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law in Los Angeles, where she counseled the nonprofit’s low-income clients, who often were victims of domestic violence, in financial and criminal matters, enabling them to represent themselves in court.
Before beginning the practice of law, Jamilla gained valuable legal experience as Judicial Assistant/Courtroom Clerk for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. She managed the operations of a high-volume courtroom where both misdemeanor and felony cases were heard. She worked with attorneys and litigants, and served as liaison between judicial officers and court staff. She was responsible for keeping various government agencies apprised of the court’s procedures and its rulings.
Jamilla received her Juris Doctor degree from Western State College of Law in Fullerton, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Online profile: https://www.sullivanattorneys.com/jamilla-harris
Applicants’ Attorney of the Year: Christel A. Schoenfelder
Ms. Schoenfelder graduated from the University of La Verne College of Law and has been practicing workers’ compensation for 21 years with Rose, Klein & Marias. She is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation with the State Bar of California. Ms. Schoenfelder is the Managing Partner for the Ontario and San Diego offices of Rose, Klein & Marias. She is a Past President of the California Applicant’s Attorneys’ Association (CAAA), Greater Inland Empire Applicant’s Attorneys’ Association (GIEAAA), and University of La Verne College of Law Alumni Association.
Ms. Schoenfelder is a Co-Founder and Co-Chair of CAAA’s Women’s Caucus and has drafted legislation, testified at Senate and Assembly Committee hearings, and spoken to California State Democratic Party committees regarding gender bias in the California workers’ compensation system. She is a Board of Directors member and Vice-President of the Scholarship Committee for Kids’ Chance of California, an organization dedicated to providing scholarships to children of workers who have been fatally or seriously injured on the job. Ms. Schoenfelder provides annual workers’ compensation training to union staff and members and has been a presenter on numerous speaking panels including CAAA, the State Bar, defense attorneys’ association, and the California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery (CSIMS). She has entered the Los Angeles County Fair’s Tablescaping competition for over 25 years and has won numerous ribbons. Ms. Schoenfelder is a cast member in the award-winning documentary Set! which was chosen as The Today Show’s November 2021 Documentary of the Month. She is a proud single mom to her son Gable.
Judge of the Year: Simon Hovakimian
Simon Hovakimian was born and raised in Southern California. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA in 2000 graduating in only three years. From there, he obtained his Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles in 2003 with a heavy focus on Criminal Law. Although he tried his hand at Criminal Defense and Family Law, in 2006 he was given the opportunity to work at the State Compensation Insurance Fund.
While at State Fund, he earned a reputation for being able to settle cases but what also ready to go to trial if needed. He earned 10 Bravo Awards and the PACE Award for being apart of the Surgery Center Lien Project where over $100 million in liens were resolved.
In 2011, he left SCIF to be an associate at the Law Offices of McDermott Clawson but this would not last long as in 2012 he became a Workers’ Compensation Judge at the Long Beach District Office. He has conducted close to 350 trials and is well-liked by applicant attorneys, defense attorneys, and lien claimants because of his demeanor towards the parties and his ability to get unsettleable cases to settle. He was elected to the Conference of California Workers’ Compensation Judges in 2015 has been President since 2018. In 2021, he was elected to the Board of Directors for CASE, the Union which represents over 5000 California state attorneys, judges, and hearing officers and was Co-Chair of the Bargaining Committee which negotiated the current contract. He has been married to his wife for 14 years and has three wonderful children that he cannot be more proud of. When he is not pontificating the wonders of workers’ compensation, he enjoys travelling with his family, is a big fan of theme parks, and tries really hard not to hurt himself while playing lower division slow-pitch softball.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Clifford D. Sweet, III
Clifford D. Sweet, III was the founding shareholder of Heggeness & Sweet from 1974 through January 2015 where he earned a Statewide reputation as a preeminent lawyer prior to becoming Of Counsel to Pearlman, Brown & Wax out of their San Diego office. Since 1981, he has been a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Cliff has expertise in workers’ compensation law including related civil actions, appellate law and workers’ compensation fraud investigations.
- Recipient of the Warren L. Hanna Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 for his lifetime commitment to the California Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys’ Association, the entire Workers’ Compensation community, and to California employers and their insurance companies. “This award is presented to you by your colleagues, peers and friends for all important contributions that you have made in the forefront and behind the scenes to the Workers’ Compensation community.”
- First Recipient of the Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorney of the Year by the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of California in 2005.
- Rated A-V Preeminent (highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards) by Martindale Hubbell for over 30 years.
- Assisted in writing important workers’ compensation legislation and regulations, including the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Act.
- Received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (cum laude) from the University of California, Los Angeles with a major in Swedish Political Science.
- Received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.
- Member of the State Bar of California and the San Diego County Bar Association.
- Member and twice President of the California Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys’ Association.
- Assists refugee resettlement as a volunteer through the Jewish Family Service of San Diego.