August 4, 2007
Boccaccio's Restaurant, Westlake Village, CA
VCAABA hosted the first ever Ventura County Judicial Diversity Luncheon at Boccaccio's Restaurant on the lake in Westlake Village on August 4, 2007. This event featured distinguished jurists from the Los Angeles County Superior Court: Hon. Michael Hoff (Supervising Judge of the Van Nuys courthouse), Hon. Susan Speer (Van Nuys courthouse), and Hon. Cynthia Loo (Referee of the Eastlake Juvenile Delinquency Court and organizer of the Multi-Cultural Bar Alliance's Judicial Mentorship Program). Despite invitations sent to a number of judges in Ventura County, unfortunately there was no representation by the Ventura County bench at this event. The local attorneys in attendance were: VCAABA president Mark Fang; VCAABA treasurer Leah Gasendo; VCAABA founder & immediate past president Dien Le; VCAABA past board member Kevin Suh; VCAABA member Melissa Suttner; MABA past president Barbara Macri-Ortiz; MABA past president Michael Rodriguez; MABA member Gilbert Romero; VC Black Attorneys Association president Alvan Arzu; San Fernando Valley Bar Association immediate past president Richard Lewis; and Loyola Law student Billy Hoang. The discussion among this intimate group was very interactive and interesting. Attendees really opened up about their concerns with the judicial appointment process, and shared ideas about increasing diversity on the bench. We gained a lot of insight from the judges, including the following great tips: (1) whether you like it or not, the process is very political; (2) candidates must get over the hesitancy of asking others (e.g., bar associations, judges, movers & shakers) for endorsement letters; and (3) persistence is the key. We hope to make this an annual event.
