Former Haapala partner named Contra Costa County commissioner

Gina Dashman was appointed a court commissioner in Contra Costa County.

After she is sworn in, Dashman will split her time between the courthouses in Pittsburg and Martinez, said Matt Malone, the court's public information officer.

Dashman was a partner at Haapala, Thompson & Abern LLP. She handled insurance defense, personal injury and real estate matters at the firm for 11 years.

"I look forward to being able to listen and service the public in a way I really have not been able to do in private practice," she said.

Dashman learned of her bench appointment in mid-March, around the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The feelings were so much a mixture of happiness and fear about the pandemic," Dashman said. "I think I was feeling every emotion possible at that time."

Originally from New Jersey, she's lived in the Bay Area since 1980 and in Contra Costa County for 24 years.

Prior to Haapala she was counsel at Stein, Rudser, Cohen & Magid LLP from 2002 to 2009, an associate and partner at Buresh, Kaplan, Jang & Feller (now Beckman Feller & Chang PC) from 1988 to 2002 and an associate at Epstein Becker & Green PC from 1986 to 1988.

She was president of the Women Lawyers of Alameda County from 2018 to 2019.

Dashman graduated from The George Washington University Law School in 1986.