Introduction

In 2009, after 24 years of service, Judge Judith Chirlin retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she has handled law and motion, civil trials and MSC's. Prior to her appointment, she practiced business and employment litigation and represented airlines in a variety of business matters including disputes with airports over landing rights.

Judge Chirlin was also a law instructor at U.S.C. for 18 years through the Judicial Administration Program. Attorneys who have appeared before her over the years praise her judicial demeanor, intelligence and fairness. One attorney commented, "Judge Chirlin is one of the best judges in Los Angeles county. She truly believes that all litigants should be treated fairly, she was courteous and respectful to all parties and that's how she always ran her courtroom". Another attorney commented, she is flexible but firm in arbitartion and is extremely prepared."

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Professional Malpractice
• Employment
• Entertainment
• Business/Commercial Matters

Hobbies & Interests

Judge Chirlin enjoys horseback riding, traveling and court reform

Testimonials

"Judge Chirlin is great! One of the very best."
- Attorney, Los Angeles County, CA

Legal Career

• Judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court (1985-09)
• Instructor In Law, "Legal Issues in Judicial Administration", Univ. of Southern CA, Judicial Admin. Program (1975-97)
• Partner, Darling, Hall & Rae, Los Angeles (1983-85); Associate (1981-82) Business Litigation
• Attorney, Cohen & Ziskin, Los Angeles (1979-80) Business and Employment Litigation
• Attorney, Keatinge, Pastor & Mintz, Los Angeles (1974-79) Business and Employment Litigation
• Chair of the CEELI/MENA Advisory Board, American Bar Association (2005 – Present)
• Member, The International Advisory Board of the CEELI Institute, American Bar Association (2007-Present)
• Member, The Board of Rule of Law Initiatives (“ROLI”), American Bar Association (2008-Present)
• Past chair of The Board of Directors, American Judicature Society (Chair 1997-99; Immediate Past Chair 1999-01)
• Member, American Judicature Society (1974-present), Board Member (1984-Present), Executive Committee (1987-93, 1997-2002), Vice-President (1989-91), Secretary (1991-93), Chair of the Board (1997-99), Immediate Past Chair of the Board (1999-2001)
• Member, American Bar Association (1974-Present)
• Member, National Association of Women Judges (1985-Present), International Director (2003-05)
• Member, International Association of Women Judges (1992-Present), North American Director (2003-06)
• Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers (1975-Present), Board Member (1994-96)
• Member, California Judges Association (1985-Present), Ethics Committee (1987-88)
• Co-chair, Committee on Public Information and Education (1991-92)
• Member, California Women Lawyers (1979-Present), Judicial Appointments Chair (1983-86)
• Member, Constitutional Rights Foundation (1974-Present), Program volunteer (1974-2005), and Member, Board of Directors (1982-88)
• Member, Women Lawyers Assoc. of Los Angeles (1974-Present), Board Member (various positions, various years)
• Member, LA County Bar Assoc. (1974-Present), Exec.Committee of the Litigation Section (1991-97) (2002-06)
• Member, West Los Angeles Business Litigation Inn of Court (1992-Present), Counselor (1995-Present)
• Member, U.S.C. Legion Lex Inn of Court (1983-00), Founding Bencher, Counselor (1983-88)
• Member, International Academy of Trial Judges (1989-94)
• Member, Cowboy Lawyers Association (1991-Present)

Education & Professional Affiliations

• J.D., University of Southern California (1974)
• M.A., Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Eagleton Institute of Politics, New Brunswick (1970)
• B.A., The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1969)

Achievements & Awards

• Judge Chirlin has been the recipient of numerous awards including Joan Dempsey Klein Outstanding Jurist Award in 1998 by the California Women Lawyers, Distinguished Service Award in 1998 by the National Assoc. of Women Judges, Trial Judge of the Year award in 1999 by Consumer Attorney’s Assoc. of L.A.’s, Distinguished Service Award in 1999 by The National Center of State Courts, Ernestine Stahlhut Award in 2002 by The Women Lawyers Assoc. of Los Angeles, and the Professionalism Award for the Ninth Circuit in 2008 by The American Inns of Court. Judge Chirlin was designated by the Los Angeles County Bar Assoc. as “Outstanding Trial Jurist of the Year” in 1996-97.
• Throughout the years Judge Chirlin has spoken on various panels for the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Southern California Defense Bar Association, Santa Monica Bar Association, Women's Trial Lawyers of Los Angeles, and The American Bar Association on subject matters including employment law, jury selection, law and motion, a judges perspective, and insurance bad faith. For over 30 years, Judge Chirlin has traveled to Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, Russia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, The Czech Republic, Serbia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Oman, and Ecuador for special programs designed to educate students, lawyers, judges and government committees on areas such as Judicial Independence, Human Rights Law, and Public Outreach.

Legal Experience

• Personal Injury
• Professional Malpractice
• Employment
• Entertainment
• Business/Commercial Matters