Judicial Fellow Alum: Belen Flores

Belen Flores, Judicial Fellow, Class of 2018-19

As a recent college graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., I was thrilled to return to my home state of California and begin my first job with the Judicial Fellowship Program.

California’s Judicial Branch was an amorphous entity that I misunderstood because of my family and love one’s negative interactions with courts. The Judicial Fellowship, however, provided me with a holistic understanding of the Judicial Branch, which both challenged my biases and strengthened my resolve to protect and advance the rights of acutely vulnerable populations seeking justice. 

I was placed in the Community Relations Office in the country’s largest court system: Los Angeles Superior Court. I assisted judicial officers in implementing their community outreach and diversity programming with community members. Additionally, the other fellows and I met monthly for seminar and engaged in robust dialogue on topics such as language and literacy access, equal access to justice, diversification of the judiciary, and the evolving role of technology in the courtroom. 

After the Judicial Fellowship, I did a short stint in New York City Government through the Urban Fellowship Program. I’ve recently returned to Los Angeles as a community organizer. I’m working on the Justice Campaign with Community Coalition in South Los Angeles, a vibrant community fighting against decades-long social, political, and economic disinvestment. 

The Judicial Fellowship colored my view of government and how it can serve as a conduit for equity. I plan to eventually go to law school and continue the fight for equity using the skills and immeasurable knowledge the fellowship taught me. 

” The Judicial Fellowship gave me indispensable professional skills, lifelong friendships, and incredibly supportive mentors. ”

Judicial Fellow Alum Profile: Melissa Lee

Melissa Lee is Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. She studies statebuilding, political development, and the international and domestic politics of good governance. Much of her research focuses on the strength and capacity of the state’s administrative institutions.

After graduating from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Political Science, Melissa was a Judicial Fellow (2008-09 fellowship class) in the Orange County Superior Court. There, she split her time between the Planning and Research Division and the Juvenile Justice Division. Her work with Planning and Research involved monitoring legislative issues affecting the courts, ensuring the court remained in compliance with grant reporting requirements, and conducting research on new court initiatives with the Probation Department. At the Juvenile Justice Division, Melissa assisted in the planning for a new Girls Court. Established by Hon. Carolyn Kirkwood, the collaborative court supports young women in the dependency system who have suffered abuse or trauma.

After completing the fellowship, Melissa went on to Stanford University to pursue her Ph.D. in Political Science. Her current appointment as faculty in the Department of Politics and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs allows her to combine her passion for research with her dedication to the public interest and public service.

“My fellowship year allowed me to witness government service `on the ground,’ and in that sense it differed considerably from my previous public service experience in the federal bureaucracy. The courts are one of the first and most important encounters an individual has with government, and my fellowship showed me the vital role that court administration and programming plays in shaping a citizen’s experience with the justice system. Although I could not have anticipated it at the time, that experience influenced my academic interest in studying the capability and effectiveness of government institutions as well as their interactions with society.”

Judicial Fellow Alumni Profile: Sierra Villaran

Sierra Villaran, Judicial Fellow 2011-12

Sierra Villaran was a Judicial Fellow placed at the Alameda Superior Court in 2011-12.  She is currently a Deputy Public Defender with the San Francisco Public Defender Officer. She started as a post-bar clerk with the office in September 2015, after graduating from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is now an attorney in the Felony Unit, fighting for her clients to ensure that their rights are protected and interests represented.

“The Judicial Fellowship was an opportunity for me to explore. After I graduated from college, I thought I wanted to go to law school but wasn’t positive. I wanted to see what other actors in the legal field did — from clerks, to court administrators, grant writers, trial coordinators, to Judicial Officers themselves. It was fascinating and eye-opening. There is no other opportunity like this fellowship to see California Trial Courts in action. Working in Alameda with this Fellowship prepared me for real-world trial work as a public defender.

For example, during my fellowship, I worked on the grant application for Drug Court in Alameda County. I read articles, discussed theory, looked at real graduation statistics, watched court, and spoke with the Judge and administrators in charge of Drug Court.  I saw, first-hand, the difficult decisions that had to be made from the Court Administration perspective. I now appear in Drug Court as an attorney, fighting for my clients.  The experience I gained in the fellowship has a direct impact on my ability to successfully advocate for my clients now. I am very grateful for my fellowship experience”.

Judicial Fellow Alumni Profile: Mark Neuburger

Mark Neuburger, Judicial Fellow 2011-12

Mark is a Legislative Advocate with the Judicial Council’s Governmental Affairs office in Sacramento.  He assesses and estimates the fiscal impact of pending legislation on the Judicial Branch.  He also monitors court- relevant issues in the state budget.

After graduating from CSU Sacramento with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and M.A. in International Affairs, Mark worked in the insurance industry adjusting auto, disability and workers’ compensation claims.  However, Mark was always interested in a public policy career.  In 2011-12 he was accepted to the Judicial Fellows program and was placed at the Placer County Superior Court.  During his time as a Fellow he worked on a variety of projects including court operations, technology projects and budget implementation.  After the Fellowship, he worked for the Department of Fish and Wildlife writing regulations for the state’s oil spill prevention and response program.  In 2014, Mark joined the Department of Finance as a Budget Analyst in the Forecasting, Labor & Transportation Unit.  In this role he managed, oversaw and performed budget control functions totaling $3.5 billion that supported the High-Speed Rail Authority, Department of Motor Vehicles and State Transit Assistance program.  Additionally, he participated in the legislative budget process, including attending pre-hearing meetings with legislative staff and testifying in legislative budget committee hearings.  Mark credits the Judicial Fellowship with providing him with the opportunity to begin his career in public policy:

“The Judicial Fellowship provided me with unique opportunities that are difficult to find in other settings.  Daily, court administrators handle issues created by the intersection of the law with an individual’s life while simultaneously trying to balance the operational and fiscal realities of a public entity.  My placement at the Placer County Superior Court gave me the opportunity to observe how courts handle these issues and allowed me to complete projects that had a meaningful impact.  The experiences and lessons I learned during the fellowship allowed me to start a career in public policy and, most importantly, have remained relevant.”

Judicial Fellows Alumni Profile: Danny Lee

Danny Lee, Judicial Fellow, 2012-13

Danny Lee is a deputy district attorney assigned to the domestic violence unit at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.

Danny graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a double major in legal studies and sociology before serving as a judicial fellow and a court analyst with the Placer County Superior Court. At Placer, Danny worked to improve court operations and expand access to justice. He spearheaded the court’s outreach programs, analyzed local and state legislation and rules of court for impact on the court’s activities. He also led the implementation of various court initiatives. During this time, Danny co-founded the Sacramento Young Democratic Asian Pacific Islander club (SYDAPI), an organization aimed at elevating civic participation and advancing Asian Pacific Islanders’ (API) representation in law, politics, and government. Next, Danny graduated from Loyola Law School; during that time, he externed with a non-profit organization, a law firm focused on employment law and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“I credit the Judicial Fellowship for bolstering my commitment to public service and for shaping my career as a public servant and prosecutor. The mentorship I received and still receive from Placer County’s Court Executive Officer Jake Chatters continues to influence the way I approach life and work. The Fellowship taught me how to navigate the court process, showed me the awesome power of access to justice, and gave me a lifetime of valuable experiences and irreplaceable relationships in ten months of intense learning.”

Judicial Fellow Alumni Profile: Hakop Azatyan

Hakop Azatyan, Judicial Fellow 2015-16

Hakop Azatyan was a member of the 2015-2016 Judicial Fellowship Cohort. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Irvine with a major in Sociology and Conflict Resolution. His past research focused on the Armenian diaspora in Los Angeles where he analyzed factors in settlement, cultural perseverance and return to the homeland. He furthered his research by traveling to Turkey, Georgia and Armenia in the summer of 2014 with the Olive Tree Initiative, a conflict analysis and resolution studies group.

Upon his return, he interned at the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region that is a grassroots political advocacy organization. His involvement in local politics lead him to work in Washington, DC at Congressman Adam Schiff’s office who represents the largest Armenian constituency. After he returned to California, he started Judicial Fellowship Program at the Los Angeles Superior Court working on the Case Management Systems Project. After completion of the fellowship, he joined the California Department of Justice where he works at the Attorney General’s Office in Los Angeles as an Analyst.

“All that we learned during the 10-month fellowship period really allowed me to put my career objectives into perspective and helped me tremendously thus far in decision making. Gaining an up close experience of the functionality of our judicial system has allowed me to excel in my current position and create more opportunities going forward. If not for my fellowship experience, I would not have the same level of understanding and passion for the public sector. I am grateful to have been part of phenomenal program alongside bright and motivating cohort members.”

Judicial Fellow Alumni Profile: Sanna Singer

Sanna Singer, 1999-2000 Judicial Fellow

Sanna Singer is Assistant City Attorney for the San Diego City Attorney’s Office.  She runs the Civil Advisory Division of over 50 attorneys who advise the Mayor, City Council, and other city departments on a wide variety of municipal law issues. Her division also publishes legal opinions and drafts local legislation on hot topics, such as electric scooters, marijuana retailers, short-term rentals, and the future of San Diego’s football stadium. In her role as Assistant City Attorney, Sanna sits on the dais with the City Council during their public meetings and works closely with Mayor’s office and other elected officials.

After attending U.C. Berkeley, where she majored in English, Sanna was a Judicial  Fellow working in the Judicial Council Office of Governmental Affairs (OGA) in Sacramento. Sanna’s fellowship experience piqued her interest in law, and in particular, public service. She then went on to U.C. Berkeley Law School, where she was a member of the Moot Court Board and the Berkeley Women’s Law Journal.

After graduating from law school, Sanna practiced general commercial litigation at San Francisco Bay Area law firms Pillsbury Winthrop LLP and Sideman & Bancroft LLP.  She then had an opportunity to return to public service at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office in 2007.  As a Deputy City Attorney, Sanna worked in both the Civil Advisory Division as a Special Projects attorney and in the Civil Litigation Division, where she handled pension litigation and employment law trials.

In 2012, Sanna became a Deputy Attorney General in the California Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Law Section, where she prosecuted health fraud cases for the next five years.  She then returned to the San Diego City Attorney in June 2017 as Assistant City Attorney, where she has broadened her skills as a leader and manager. She credits the fellowship for helping set her course professionally:

“The Judicial Fellowship Program had a profound impact on my professional life. It steered me toward a career path in public service, which has been deeply rewarding for me. It was also the genesis of enriching personal relationships; I am in close contact with several of my fellowship colleagues to this day. I’m very proud of my time as a Capital fellow, and feel honored to be part of this very special group of alumni.”

Judicial Fellow Alumni Profile: Britney Huelbig

Britney Huelbig, Judicial Fellow 2011-12

Britney currently serves as the Deputy Manager of the Civil Grand Jury and Temporary Judge Administrator for the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. In this capacity, Britney oversees the operations and recruitment of the grand jury, and is responsible for the management of the Temporary Judges Program to ensure qualified attorneys are assigned to some of the court’s busiest venues.

After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences, with a minor in Law and Society through the Political Sciences Department, she served as a Judicial Fellow for the Stanislaus County Superior Court as part of the 2011-12 cohort. While completing the fellowship program, Britney assisted with the implementation of the local Traffic Amnesty Program and revised the Jury Division policies and procedures. She was then hired by the Santa Clara County Superior Court in 2012 and applied her experience as a fellow to several different roles, including as a Senior Management Analyst in the Special Programs Division. While working as a Senior Analyst, Britney served as Project Director for over $2.5 million dollars in grant funding and supervised the collaborative court program staff for the Family and Juvenile Dependency divisions. She is grateful for the opportunities she has had to learn, grow, and contribute to the work of the judicial branch, and credits the Judicial Fellowship for providing the guidance and support to shape her work.

“The fellowship experience solidified my commitment to public service and gave me the tools I needed to pursue my goal to contribute to a fair and accessible system of justice. The assignments at my placement that required data analysis, working both as a team member and as an individual, and connecting best practices in court administration to real-world processes instilled in me an appreciation for our complex judicial system and greater empathy for the needs of the community we serve.

The fellowship experience prepared me to identify and implement initiatives that increase the public’s understanding of the judicial system and has brought me a meaningful understanding of the judicial branch overall. Whether it’s brainstorming how to operationalize a best practice with collaborative court teams or recruiting volunteers for the grand jury, I am thankful for those moments in the fellowship year that led me here.”

Judicial Fellow Alum: Where are they now?

Alex Ponce de Leon, Judicial Fellow Alum

Alex Ponce de Leon is corporate litigation counsel for Google LLC focusing on discovery issues. At Google, he develops and implements innovative and efficient discovery strategies for a wide variety of litigation matters, including complex litigation, arbitration, patent cases, and internal investigations. Alex successfully defends against “discovery-on-discovery” in motion practice. Besides managing his own discovery caseload, he also implements new discovery policies and procedures designed to reduce costs and mitigate legal risk across Google.

Alex was named a “Top 10 30-Something” by the Association of Corporate Counsel and a “Rising Star” by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association in 2015. He was recognized as a 2016 Diversity Leader by the Hispanic National Bar Foundation. Alex is a member of Sedona Conference Working Group 6 on International Electronic Information Management, Discovery, and Disclosure. He currently serves on the Board of the Association of Corporate Counsel San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Alex is also a member of the faculty of the Electronic Discovery Institute. He regularly speaks and lectures on discovery litigation issues.

Prior to joining Google, Alex was a senior litigation counsel at the Intel Corporation where he primarily focused on discovery and general litigation matters. While at Intel he received over a dozen departmental honors and earned a 2014 Intel Achievement Award. Alex began his legal career as an associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman where he worked on large and complex litigation cases.  Before practicing law, Alex was a policy advisor for Assemblywoman Carole Migden. Immediately prior to serving the Assemblywoman, Alex was a Judicial Fellow for the Judicial Council Office of Governmental Affairs. He also previously worked as a management consultant for the government practice of Accenture. He received his BA from Brown University, his MSc from the London School of Economics, and his JD from Northwestern University School of Law.
Quotables:
“Although I had previously worked in government at a variety of levels, the experiences I got as a Judicial Fellow were unparalleled.  I worked closely with my mentor at the Office of Government Affairs and was able to work on some great legislative efforts that impacted the largest legal system in the world.  My time at as a Judicial Fellow has undoubtedly influenced how to approach my legal career.  I enjoyed the fellowship so much that I stayed on an extra year to work at the California State Legislature.  Ultimately, it was the Judicial Fellowship that influenced my decision to return to California after completing graduate school and law school”.    

 

Judicial Fellow Alum: Where are they now?

Gokalp Gurer, 2012-13 Judicial Fellow

Gokalp Y. Gurer is an Associate Attorney with the law firm of Angelo, Kilday & Kilduff, LLP.

Gokalp joined the Judicial Fellowship in 2012 after graduating from Sacramento State with a degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. He was placed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, and worked directly under the Court’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Gokalp’s superiors tasked him with evaluating the Orange County courts in order to determine where efficiencies can be created. This undertaking exposed Gokalp to nearly every aspect of the court system, and while Gokalp already knew he wanted to attend law school post-fellowship, this experience was crucial in that it provided him with a structural landscape on which to learn the law.

After his fellowship, Gokalp studied law at UC Davis, where he focused his studies on business and corporate law. This academic focus lured Gokalp to Silicon Valley right after graduation, where he worked for a prominent business and corporate firm in San Jose. Eventually, Gokalp was drawn back to Sacramento to be near his family and friends. He now represents public entities in litigation, which he finds incredibly fulfilling.

Gokalp’s experience in Orange County was invaluable to his practice as a litigator, as he developed first-hand knowledge of how courts function behind closed doors. As he likes to put it, few attorneys know what really happens to a motion once it is filed with the court and how many hands the papers pass through, but not only do Judicial Fellows know this, they actually have the paper cuts to prove it.

My time in Orange County was a phenomenal learning experience, but its true value was what I gained in professional development. I credit this to my mentors, Teresa Risi (COO) and Alan Carlson (CEO), who showed tough love and fierce mentorship in order to mold me and help me grow. It may sound cheesy, but I entered the fellowship with an “intern” mindset and left as a professional. I am extremely proud to have worked under them and to be a product of the Judicial Fellowship.