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Hon. Elizabeth White: Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles [By Charisse Dengler] Judge Elizabeth White has her bases covered. Having worked as both a paralegal and an attorney, White is currently a judge with the Los Angeles Superior Court’s South District, which includes Long Beach and San Pedro.
“I have what is called a general jurisdiction
As a paralegal at Loeb & Loeb, White
White’s advice comes from her own
civil assignment, which means I handle
worked in civil litigation on some pretty
experience. Upon completion of UCLA’s
cases which have in controversy $25,000
well-known cases, including the Jack Ryan
paralegal program, she accepted a
or more; so it could be a relatively small
vs. Mattel Toy Company litigation over the
temporary position indexing documents at
personal injury case, or it could be a large
rights to the Barbie doll.
Loeb & Loeb. When the temporary time frame was up, she told one of the partners
construction dispute or a Jones Act case dealing with a seaman who’s been injured or
When it comes to giving advice to paralegal
that she would like to stay with the firm
killed at sea,” she said. “[There are a] wide,
students, White said she thinks students
permanently. In her words, she “took the
wide, wide variety of civil suits.”
should look for opportunities to get
bull by the horns and got the permanent job
experience while they are still in school
out of it.”
White completed the paralegal program at
and try to carry that experience over into
UCLA Extension in 1977 and went on to work
full-time jobs.
White went on to attend Loyola Law School in Los Angeles after getting her feet wet
as a paralegal at Loeb & Loeb for a year and a half. She said the skills she learned
“My advice would be to take an opportunity
in the legal field as a paralegal. After
as a paralegal student and as a working
to participate in whatever internships
graduation in 1981, she practiced law until
paralegal have helped her greatly as both a
are offered so as to just get out there
she was appointed to the bench by Governor
lawyer and a judge.
and meet people and look at the different
Wilson in 1997.
environments-whether it’s a law firm, “I don’t think I would’ve become a judge
whether it’s working for government-but
White applied for the judge position for two
had I not been a good litigator, and I don’t
don’t be afraid to have an unpaid internship
main reasons: she wanted to play a different
think I would’ve been a good litigator had
for a month or two and then try to transition
role in the legal process, and she wanted to
I not learned the organizational skills in
that into something that pays,” she said.
have more freedom in her schedule.
the paralegal program and working as a
Advice to Young Lawyers
“I wanted to see what it was like, as opposed
but being able to find it-having key pieces of
Judge Elizabeth White thinks
observer but still playing a very active role,”
evidence at your disposal and organized in
paralegal training can be
she said. “I had been doing significant
such a fashion that you can present them at
extremely beneficial to someone
numbers of trials, and so the demands on my
the appropriate time.”
thinking of pursuing a career as
time were very, very high; and I had a small
paralegal,” she said. “The key to success in litigation is not only presenting the document
She thinks paralegal training can be extremely beneficial to someone thinking of pursuing a career as an attorney. “I think it’s a good way to test the waters, a)
an attorney. “I think it’s a good way to test the waters, a) so that you know whether you like the field and b)
so that you know whether you like the field
to get the kind of nuts and bolts
and b) to get the kind of nuts and bolts skills
skills that most people don’t get
that most people don’t get in law school so
in law school so that you become
that you become a better lawyer once you’re
a better lawyer once you’re
licensed,” she said.
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licensed,” she said.
to being an advocate, being a more neutral
child, so I wanted to find a way to be able to stay in the courtroom but not have to do all of the homework that was involved.” Even though she admits there are challenges to being a judge, such as dealing with cases that are emotionally draining, White enjoys her job and her new role in the courtroom. “I love the theater of the courtroom,” she said. “I love a good case when it’s well presented. I love to be able to ensure that
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the proceedings are fair, make the litigants
“I think that’s a good thing if people can
feel like they’ve been heard, let them have
resolve their differences and move on with
their day in court. I like participating in the
their lives and not get entrenched in the
Loeb & Loeb
resolution process when asked-in other
process, but I don’t think that we need
www.loeb.com/Home.aspx
words, trying to resolve it so that somebody
to go so far as to say that trials are not
doesn’t have to put all the time and money
necessary,” she said. “Obviously, they are
UCLA Extension
into trying a case if they’re more inclined to
necessary. Not everything can be resolved,
www.uclaextension.edu/
try and resolve it.”
and so judges need to be cognizant of the fact that you’re not going to be able to
Loyola Law School
White said she feels that recently there has
settle every case. And some cases do have
www.lls.edu/
been a trend toward the resolution of cases
to go to trial.”
instead of the trial of cases, and she thinks it’s a positive thing.
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