Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Note: Gov. Jerry Brown appoints people to various state committees and commissions nearly every business day. Usually the appointees span the political spectrum. On Thursday, Brown filled vacancies on superior court benches throughout the state; most appointees were Democrats, but there were a few Republicans and independents, as well. All of those appointed to judgeships in L.A. County are registered Democrats.

[Gov. Brown] – Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Lori R. Behar, Daniel L. Brenner, Robert B. Broadbelt III, Patrick A. Cathcart, Annabelle G. Cortez, Robert S. Draper, Marc D. Gross, Joseph R. Porras, Tony L. Richardson, Michael J. Shultz and Lynne Hobbs Smith to judgeships in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Behar, 59, of Manhattan Beach, has served as a court commissioner for the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2006. She served in multiple positions at Haight Brown and Bonesteel LLP from 1977 to 2006, including partner, associate and law clerk. Bejar earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Marjorie S. Steinberg. Behar is a Democrat.

Brenner, 61, of Washington, DC, has been a partner at Hogan Lovells LLP since 2009. He was senior vice president of the law and regulatory department at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association from 1992 to 2009. Brenner served as of counsel at LeBoeuf Lamb Greene and MacRae LLP from 1990 to 1992 and was acting professor and director of the Communications Law Program at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law from 1986 to 1992. He served as senior advisor to the chairman at the Federal Communications Commission from 1979 to 1986 and was an attorney at Wilmer Cutler and Pickering from 1977 to 1979. Brenner was a law clerk for Judge William Matthew Byrne Jr. at the United States District Court for the Central District of California from 1976 to 1977. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford Law School and a Master of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University. Brenner fills the vacancy created by the conversion of commissioner position on January 1, 2012. Brenner is a Democrat.

Broadbelt, 53, of Palos Verdes Estates, has served as of counsel at Leader Counsel LLP since 2011. He worked at Browne Woods George LLP as a partner from 2009 to 2010 and as an associate and then partner from 1986 to 2007. Broadbelt was a partner at Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP in 2008 and an associate at Musick Peeler and Garrett LLP from 1984 to 1985. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Maral Injejikian. Broadbelt is a Democrat.

Cathcart, 67, of Pasadena, has served as a shareholder at AlvaradoSmith APC since 2008. He was a partner at Cathcart Collins LLP from 2005 to 2008 and a partner at Hancock Rothert and Bunshoft LLP from 1979 to 2005. Cathcart was an associate at Morrison and Foerster LLP from 1977 to 1979 and a law clerk for Judge Spencer Williams, United States District Court for the Northern District of California from 1975 to 1977. Cathcart earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Judith L. Champagne. Cathcart is a Democrat.

Cortez, 43, of Glendale, has been an attorney at the Administrative Office of the Courts since 2007. She worked as western regional counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund in 2007. Cortez served in multiple positions at Marcos Camacho Law Corporation from 1995 to 2007, including managing attorney, attorney and law clerk. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. Cortez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John P. Shook. Cortez is a Democrat.

Draper, 70, of Pacific Palisades, has served as an attorney at the Law Offices of Robert S. Draper since 2005. He worked at O’Melveny and Myers LLP as a litigation partner from 1976 to 2005 and litigation associate from 1968 to 1976. Draper earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jacqueline A. Connor. Draper is a Democrat.

Gross, 56, of Los Angeles, has served as an attorney and principal at Gross and Gross PC since 1982. He was an associate attorney at Rifkind and Sterling Inc. from 1981 to 1982. Gross earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Peter D. Lichtman. Gross is a Democrat.

Porras, 40, of Whittier, has been a deputy district attorney in the Hardcore Gang Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1999. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on July 31, 2011. Porras is a Democrat.

Richardson, 57, of San Marino, has served as a litigation and arbitration partner at SNR Denton US LLP since 2010. He was a litigation partner at Reed Smith LLP from 2008 to 2010 and an associate and partner at Kirkland and Ellis LLP from 1990 to 2007. Richardson was an associate at Gronemeier Barker and Huerta from 1989 to 1990 and an associate at Hufstedler Miller Carlson and Beardsley from 1985 to 1989. He was a law clerk for Judge David W. Williams at the United States District Court for the Central District of California from 1984 to 1985. Richardson earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael A. Latin. Richardson is a Democrat.

Shultz, 47, of Los Angeles, has served as superior court commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2009. From 2005 to 2009, he was a clinical professor of law at Loyola Law School and clinical director at the Loyola Law School Center for Juvenile Law and Policy. Shultz was a panel appellate attorney at the California Appellate Project from 2005 to 2009 and served as a deputy public defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 1991 to 2005. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Martha E. Bellinger. Shultz is a Democrat.

Smith, 47, of Los Angeles, has served as a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1995. She was a solo practitioner from 2007 to 2008 and an associate attorney at Brobeck Phleger and Harrison LLP from 1994 to 1995. Smith was an associate attorney at Paul Hastings Janofsky and Walker LLP from 1992 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the Columbia University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College. Smith fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Burt Pines. Smith is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $178,789.