CWL is thrilled to award Judge Michelle Williams Court the 2023 Joan Dempsey Klein Award.

The Joan Dempsey Klein Award recognizes a Southern California judge whose groundbreaking public service and record of professional accomplishment inspires women lawyers throughout California. Judge Court was appointed to the bench by Governor Jerry Brown in 2011 after a distinguished career in the public and private legal sectors. She is the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court Civil Division.

Judge Court’s record of community and professional leadership is expansive. She is the current Chair of the Los Angeles Superior Court Technology Committee and is Vice President of the Los Angeles Law Library Board of Trustees. She has served on the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Executive Committee, as an advisor to the California Courts Judicial Council, as a member of the Commission on the Future of California's Court System, the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee, the Language Access Implementation Plan Taskforce, the Probate Conservatorship Taskforce and the Technology Tactical Plan Update Workstream.

Prior to joining the court, Judge Court was vice president and general counsel at Bet Tzedek (2002-2011). Her other previous roles include senior associate at Milberg LLP (2000-2002); community builder fellow and civil rights specialist of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (1999-2000); litigation associate at Litt and Marquez (1995-1999); project attorney at ACLU (1994-1995); and an associate at Gilbert Kelly Crowley and Jennett (1993-1994).

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