FEATURE ARTICLE
Pathways to the Bench: A Judicial Perspective By Misha D. Igra
Judge Judy Holzer Hersher (Ret.)
O
n April 9, 2021, the Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association hosted a virtual event, Pathways to the Bench: A Judicial Perspective. The program was moderated by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Judy Holzer Hersher (Ret.), and featured presentations by Luis Céspedes, Judicial Appointments Secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom, the Honorable David Rosenberg, Judge of the Yolo County Superior Court, the Honorable Garen Horst, Judge of the Placer County Superior Court, and the Honorable Steven Gevercer, Judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court. Secretary Céspedes conveyed the Governor’s inclusive vision
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Misha D. Igra is the President of the Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association. She can be contacted at jsacbar@gmail.com.
Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Céspedes
Judge Steven Gevercer, Sacramento County Superior Court
for the bench. He shared data about recent appointments, and information about jurists with varying backgrounds, experience, and professional paths. Secretary Céspedes advised that the appointment process involves several stages of review before a candidate is presented to him, and it can be a lengthy endeavor. He encouraged those who are interested in a judicial appointment to do their research, put their best foot forward in their judicial applications, be patient, and refrain from contacting his staff while an application is pending. The three judges who followed Secretary Céspedes’ presentation explained their unique pathways
to the bench and imparted advice to the assembled Zoom audience. Judge Rosenberg described his lengthy career in public service, including serving as Mayor of the City of Davis, Chief of Staff to Governor Jerry Brown, and a Senior Advisor to Governor Gray Davis, who appointed Judge Rosenberg to the Yolo County bench in 2003. Judge Rosenberg discussed the importance of having a somewhat thick skin, and how he learned from Governor Davis’s gracious and dignified demeanor amid a rancorous recall election. Judge Horst described his own pathway to the bench, which necessitated hard work, patience, and a rare opportunity. Judge
SACRAMENTO LAWYER | Summer 2021 | www.sacbar.org
