JUDGE’S PROFILE Questions for Judge Beverly K. Wood Mary Stearns Can you tell me about your journey to become a Judge in the Marin County Superior Court? ”Well it wasn’t a direct route. I worked at a litigation firm in SF for a bit. Then my husband and I represented several international clients who had invested in the US when the S&L fiasco hit. That was really interesting work on so many levels. The financial aspects were right up my alley and the cultural acclimation was fascinating. (Remember this was in the 80’s). It involved a lot of overseas travel, which I loved but didn’t work as well once we started our family. So I worked at Freitas, McCarthy, MacMahon, and Keating in San Rafael from 1993 to 2005 doing more “local” litigation and family law. Great people to work with. My friend Hon. Lynn Duryee urged me to apply to be a Commissioner in 2005. I was selected by the bench and found I really liked the work. After a few years, I applied to a judicial appointment.” Can you share an example of a particularly impactful event in your career that reaffirmed your commitment to the legal profession? “When I was a first year associate my supervising attorney sent me to Alameda County to handle a trial call. “don’t worry, it will not go out, just get a new date”. Well it did. I was on my own for a two week covenant not to compete jury trial. I was representing the plaintiff, who I really felt had been wronged. I remember sitting in a phone booth in the hallway (remember phone booths!) and the partner telling me to do my best. I think I went without much sleep for those two weeks, and it may have been a pity verdict by the jury, but my client prevailed and I felt the taste of justice. Pretty cool. When I was a commissioner I volunteered to handle the Prop 36 (a statutory drug court). It was a tough slog and I tended to run a tight ship, but so many individuals who were in the program would come up to me after they finished (sometimes years later) and thank me. It really made the hard work worth it. I still see some of those folks. It’s a great feeling of community.” Hon. Beverly K. Wood
Your leadership extended to support new endeavors, such as the Marin Community Court. Could you discuss how you navigated the challenges and achieved success in this endeavor? ”There are a lot of endeavors that I am very proud of. Judge Adams and I (mostly Judge Adams) worked together over the years to really improve our family and juvenile courts. They are now more integrated, more holistic, and provide opportunities and services for families that just did not exist. How did we do it? There was a lot of bridge-building between entities and with the help of volunteer attorneys and mental health professionals. MCBA members have been very generous.
THE MARIN LAWYER An Official Publication of the Marin County Bar Association
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