California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso (Ret.)

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Nash

Former Speaker of the Assembly Robert M. Hertzberg

Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Robin B. Shakely

Attorney Thomas V. Girardi, Esq.

Concerned Lawyers Executive Director Kent Y. Mouton



Cruz Reynoso
California Supreme Court Justice

EDUCATION
A.B., Pomona College, Claremont, 1953
L.L.B., UC Berkeley, 1958

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1994-present
Special Counsel, Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler, 1988-present
Professor, UCLA School of Law, 1991-2001
Associate Justice, California Supreme Court, 1982-87
Associate Justice, Third District Court of Appeal, 1976-82
Professor of Law, University of New Mexico, 1972-76

AWARDS
2000 - Hispanic Heritage Foundation Award in Education
2000 - Presidential Medal of Freedom
1978 - State Bar of California Loren Miller Award

Cruz Reynoso is the inaugural holder of the law school's Boochever and Bird Chair for the Study and Teaching of Freedom and Equality.

He is recognized for his leadership in civil rights, immigration and refugee policy, government reform, the administration of justice, legal services for the indigent and education.

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Michael Nash
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge

EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate (JD): Loyola School of Law - 1974
B.A. Political Science: U.C.L.A., 1970

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Appointed Los Angeles Superior Court Judge - 1989; Re-elected 1990, 1996, 2002
Appointed Los Angeles Municipal Court Judge - 1985; Re-elected 1988
First Judge to hear cases in new Hollywood Branch Municipal Court - 1986-1989
Deputy Attorney General, California Attorney General's Office - 1974-1985
Co-Prosecutor in notorious Hillside Strangler Trial - 1981-1983, Longest criminal trial in American history which resulted in conviction of the defendant; multiple appearances before California Supreme Court on behalf of the State of California.

AWARDS
2003 - Professional Achievement Award, UCLA Alumni Association
2002 - Francis M. Wheat Community Service Award, Alliance for Children's Rights
2000 - Named one of Los Angeles Most Powerful Judges by Los Angeles Business Journal, February 7, 2024
1999 - Fairfax High School of Los Angeles Hall of Fame
1999 - Pathfinder Award, California First Amendment Coalition
1997 - Commitment To Children Award, Free Arts for Abused Children
1997 Judge of the Year, Juvenile Court Judges of California (JCJC)

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Robert M. Herzberg
Speaker Emeritus of the California State Assembly

As Speaker Emeritus, Robert M. Hertzberg served as the Assembly's lead negotiator during talks that led to passage of two multi-billion dollar school construction bonds, including November's $13.05 billion Proposition 47. He is also the architect of a historic expansion of Cal Grants to allow virtually every needy high-school graduate who qualifies to pursue a college education. As Speaker, Hertzberg served as a member of the University of California's Board of Regents, and as a trustee to the California State University system. A product of the K-12 public school system, the Democratic Assembly Member is a resident of Sherman Oaks.

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Robin B. Shakely
Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney

EDUCATION
B.A., Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara, 1975
J.D., University of Santa Clara, 1979

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento County, 1979-present
Specializing in cases involving child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse and child homicide. He is currently in my second tour of duty in our Homicide Unit.

Child Homicide Prosecutor for the Sacramento District Attorney's Office, 1994-1999
Specializing in cases involving fatal child abuse with special expertise in forensic medical markers.

AWARDS
1996 - Commissioner's Award from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for leadership and service in the prevention of child abuse and neglect
1998 - Doris Tate Award for leadership in advancing victims' rights
1991 - Outstanding Victim Service Award

LEGISLATION
He wrote the legislation that became SB333, sponsored by Senator Escutia and signed into law by Governor Davis in November of 2001 authorizing the formation of and sharing of confidential information by multidisciplinary Elder Death Review Teams.

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Thomas V. Girardi, Esq.
Attorney

EDUCATION
B.S., Loyola University of Los Angeles
LL.B., Loyola University of Los Angeles
LL.M., New York University
S.J.D., New York University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Specializing in medical malpractice, products liability law, toxic torts and bad faith cases. He was the youngest member ever to be admitted to the International Academy of Trial Layers, an organization limited to 500 lawyers in the world, and currently serves on their Board of Directors. In addition, he is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an organization limited to 100 lawyers in the country who have obtained the largest verdicts in the United States.

MEMBERSHIPS
Mr. Girardi is a member of Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County, and served as national president of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 1999. He is widely recognized as one of the finest practicing trial lawyers in America.

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Kent Y. Mouton
Executive Director

Kent Y. Mouton is a partner in Kulik, Gottesman & Mouton, an AV-rated twelve-person firm located in Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles), which specializes in real property finance and development, litigation, entertainment and general business law.

He graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics (Dean's List, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and received his law degree in 1978 from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is rated AAV@ by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest proficiency rating afforded by that advisory service.

Mr. Mouton specializes in real estate law, primarily in the areas of real estate lending and finance, joint ventures, land use, acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, development and construction, common interest subdivisions (condominiums and planned unit developments) and real estate brokerage. He has represented numerous insurance companies, lending institutions, developers, brokerage companies and investors in their real estate transactions.

Mr. Mouton is an active member of the bar associations of the State of California and Los Angeles County and participates in numerous real estate related committees sponsored by these bar associations. He has been an Adjunct Professor of real estate law at the UCLA Extension since 1979, and speaks frequently before real estate industry trade groups on a variety of real estate topics.

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