Retired federal judge joins Judicate West in Santa Ana

Retired U.S. District Judge Andrew J. Guilford is joining Judicate West, an Orange County-based ADR provider he said is "the best platform for the passions that I have."

"All the choices are great. I don't think I could have made a bad choice," Guilford said. "But I really like the way they wanted to use me in things like, patent cases and other sophisticated cases."

He'll be working as both a mediator and an arbitrator.

Judicate West President Alan Brutman called Guilford "a game changer for us."

"We couldn't ask for a better person, all-around great guy. And the fact that he's gong to be the first federal judge on our roster? We're just over the moon right now," Brutman said.

Guilford said he'll start "pretty soon" in his new office at the Santa Ana headquarters. He's taking time off after retiring Friday as a senior U.S. District judge. He spent nearly 14 years on the bench, including nine years as one of six judges assigned to the Central District's patent pilot program.

A former partner at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, Guilford as a judge regularly handled major class actions and multi-district litigation, such as Wells Fargo & Co.'s insurance fraud saga with National General Holdings Corp. He hopes to make those types of cases a regular part of his new job. "They are really suited to using what talents I have to the best end," Guilford said.

Guilford said he wants to continue working with lawyers to keep "my synapses snapping with challenging, interesting cases and people. I really do like lawyers, and I need to continue working with them towards just results. And I'm looking forward to doing just that."

"We'll see if folks think I can help them out," Guilford said.