Brown appoints 18 superior court judges in 10 counties

Gov. Jerry Brown appointed 18 superior court judges in 10 counties on Tuesday, most of them Democrats with experience in public defense and the private sector, including three who have served as commissioners since 2014.

Each position pays $189,041 annually.

The appointments are:

Alameda County Superior Court

- Lupe C. Garcia, associate general counsel and senior director for global integrity at Gap Inc. since 2006, where she's worked since 1999. She was an associate at Lafayette & Kumagai LLP from 1995 to 1999 and earned her law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Registered as no party preference, Garcia fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Cecilia P. Castellanos.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

- Maria A. Davalos, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney since 2006. Davalos was a deputy city prosecutor in Long Beach from 2000 to 2006 and earned her law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. A Democrat, Davalos fills the vacancy created by John L. Segal's appointment to the Court of Appeal.

- Dean Hansell, a partner at Hogan Lovells US LLP since 2012, where he focused on complex litigation and class actions in consumer protection, insurance and reinsurance, labor and employment, privacy, environmental and government regulation. He was a partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP from 1988 to 2012 after working as an associate for two years, and he served as a commissioner for the Los Angeles Police Department from 1997 to 2001. He has been a prosecutor for the Federal Trade Commission and an Illinois assistant attorney general. A Democrat, Hansell earned his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Arthur H. Jean.

- David E. Hizami, a Los Angeles County deputy public defender since 1993. He earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School. A Democrat, Hizami fills the vacancy created by Luis A. Lavin's appointment to the Court of Appeal.

- Lisa R. Jaskol, the directing attorney of the Public Counsel Law Center's Appellate Law Program since 2007. Jaskol was a partner at Horvitz & Levy LLP from 2004 to 2007 after being an associate from 1991 to 2001. She was directing attorney of Public Counsel Law Center's Homelessness Prevention Law Project from 2001 to 2004, and earned her law degree from Yale Law School. A Democrat, Jaskol fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Owen Lee Kwong.

- Andrew C. Kim, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney since 1999. He earned his law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. A Democrat, Kim fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Leland B. Harris.

- LaRonda J. McCoy, head deputy at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender's Office since 2015, where she's worked since 1996. She was a Los Angeles County deputy public defender from 1990 to 1996 and earned her law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. A Democrat, McCoy fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ronald V. Skyers.

- William L. Sadler, a Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner since 2014. He was a Los Angeles County deputy public defender from 1988 to 2014. A Democrat, Sadler earned his law degree from Loyola Law School and fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Jan A. Pluim.

Orange County Superior Court

- Layne H. Melzer, a partner at Rutan & Tucker LLP since 1994, where he's worked since 1987 and specializes in complex business litigation. A Republican, Melzer earned his law degree from UC Davis School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Linda L. Miller.

- Gary M. Pohlson, owner of Law Offices of Gary M. Pohlson since 2014. He joins his former partners Gary L. Moorhead and Thomas M. Goethals on the bench. Pohlson has been in private practice, focusing on plaintiff personal injury, since 1980 after working as an Orange County deputy district attorney from 1976 to 1980. Criminal defense lawyer Paul S. Meyer praised Pohlson as "the epitome of a great lawyer who will become a great judge. Wisdom under fire. A wealth of experience, it would take several lifetimes to accumulate. A spectacular choice. The entire legal community rises for a standing ovation," Meyer wrote in an email.

A Democrat, Pohlson earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Caryl A. Lee.

Shasta County Superior Court

- Tamara L. Wood, a superior court commissioner since 2014. Wood was superior court general counsel from 2013 to 2014 and a partner at Reiner, Simpson, Slaughter & Wood LLP from 2011 to 2013 and a partner at Maire & Beasley in Redding from 2004 to 2010. Wood was also a Shasta County deputy district attorney from 1997 to 1998 and earned her law degree from Cal Northern School of Law. A Democrat, Wood fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Bradley L. Boeckman.

San Diego County Superior Court

- Frank L. Birchak, director of training, recruitment and career development at the San Diego County public defender's office since 2014. Birchak was a deputy at the San Diego County Alternate Public Defender's Office from 2004 to 2014 and was an adjunct professor and supervising attorney of the Juvenile Defense Clinic at the University of Houston Law Center from 2002 to 2004. He also was associate director at the Southwest Regional Juvenile Defender Center from 2001 to 2004 and was an associate at Guiberson Law Offices in Houston from 1999 to 2001. A Democrat, Birchak earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Thomas P. Nugent.

San Francisco County Superior Court

- Roger C. Chan, executive director at East Bay Children's Law Offices since 2009. Chan was a San Francisco deputy public defender from 2003 to 2009 and from 1999 to 2000. He also worked in the Alameda County public defender's office from 2000 to 2003 and in 1999. A Democrat, Chan earned his law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard A. Kramer.

San Luis Obispo County Superior Court

- Craig B. Van Rooyen, a San Luis Obispo County deputy district attorney since 2007. Van Rooyen was a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP from 2005 to 2007 after working as an associate from 2000 to 2005. He also was a Riverside County deputy district attorney from 1996 to 2000. A Democrat, Van Rooyen earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position in November 2015.

Solano County Superior Court

- Carlos R. Gutierrez, an attorney with Bernheim, Gutierrez & McCready since 1994. He was a sole practitioner from 1985 to 1994. A democrat, Gutierrez earned his law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ramona J. Garrett.

Ventura County Superior Court

- Michele M. Castillo, a superior court commissioner since 2014. Castillo was a Ventura County deputy public defender from 2005 to 2014 and a Fresno County deputy public defender from 2003 to 2005. A Democrat, Castillo earned her law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rebecca S. Riley.

Tulare County Superior Court

- John P. Bianco, owner of the Bianco Law Firm since 1994. Bianco's practice includes plaintiff personal injury work, criminal law and bankruptcy. A Republican, he earned his law degree from Whittier Law School and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Darryl B. Ferguson.

- Nathan G. Leedy, a Tulare County deputy public defender since 2004. A Democrat, Leedy earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lloyd L. Hicks.

meghann_cuniff@dailyjournal.com