June 9, 2007
by Leah Gasendo, VCAABA Treasurer
The NAPABA Regional Conference on Diversity in Justice 6/9/07 - - Empowerment in the Community - - was well worth the drive from Ventura to San Diego. I am a better person for having attended the Conference because it became apparent, as I attended each breakout session, that Asians are no longer the silent minority and that there are major advances being achieved. This gratified me because at some point, because of the efforts of our peers, we will achieve diversity on the bench sometime in the near future so that if this generation does not necessarily see the immediate benefits, we can be sure that the next generation will. It was also evident from the professionalism of the presenters and the organization efforts spearheaded by Marty Lorenzo that NAPABA is a major force for change now and in the future.
What I gained from the experience was that there is a solid base of support for the appointment of female judges and judges of color, and much of that support is being provided by those APAs who have already been appointed to the bench. Those who were particularly memorable were the following Judges: Lillian Lim; Dana Makoto Sabraw; George Wu; Kathryn Doi Todd; Steven Suzukawa; Patricia Yim Cowett; and Lawrence Cho. These judges were accessible and candid about their experiences in the judicial appointment process and actually had some pragmatic tips on the application process, e.g., what questions were asked by the vetters; and don’t nag the Appointments Secretary with constant inquiries, but do update your application as you gain new achievements so you stay on her radar.
The attendance by Bill Kopeny, Chair of the California JNE Commission, and the new Judicial Appointments Secretary, Sharon Majors-Lewis, further evidenced Governor Schwarzenegger’s commitment to achieving diversity on the bench. Ms. Majors-Lewis’ most recent judicial appointments have been to the San Bernardino and Riverside County Superior Courts. No mention was made of the Ventura County Superior Courts.
The consensus among the panelists was that there was no ready formula for the maximum amount of time in which an applicant can expect to have his application evaluated by JNE. The minimum amount of time is nine months. Ms. Majors-Lewis is open to re-reviewing those applications previously reviewed by her predecessor. She has generated a new on-line judicial application that covers more areas than previously addressed, and those who have previously submitted their applications can re-apply using the new form. There is no requirement to do so if one already has submitted an application.