Civil Litigation Practice Reunion

Civil Litigation Practice Reunion event on September 26, 2024 from 6-9 p.m.

Thank you for attending!

Photos from the event are available to view and download on Flickr.

Where Are You Now?

If you would like to be featured in the Where Are You Now series - a virtual rolodex - that will be shared at the Reunion as well as featured on the CLP Instagram Page please fill out this online form.

The Honorable Michael L. Stern served as a judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court from 2001 until he retired in March 2024. He conducted more than 400 civil jury and numerous non-jury trials involving business disputes, contracts, personal injuries, employment, civil rights, real property, defamation, toxic tort, and other types of civil lawsuits. He also served on various court committees, including serving as Chair of the Historical Committee and on the Rules and Diversity Committees.

Prior to his appointment to the court, Judge Stern distinguished himself as a lawyer in private practice, public service, and public interest, including serving as a Senior Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, a Deputy Defender for the Federal Defender’s Office in the Central District of California, and an attorney with California Rural Legal Assistance where he represented farm workers.

Judge Stern also devoted countless hours to teaching and mentoring, including teaching as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School and an instructor for National Institute of Trial Advocacy training programs, and serving as a mentor for the Mexican American Bar Association, the East Los Angeles College Prelaw Program, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association Inner City High School Mentoring Program.

Judge Stern is a prolific writer, having written countless articles on various topics, including judicial and trial practice, California legal history, and Abraham Lincoln.

Judge Stern has been recognized for his extraordinary contributions by receiving numerous awards, including, among others, the Distinguished Service Award from the Los Angeles County Law Library, Trial Judge of the Year from the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Judicial Excellence Award from the Mexican American Bar Association 2012, and the Extraordinary Service Award from the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Judge Stern is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School and has an LL.M with an emphasis on legal history from Berkeley Law School.