Hon. Michael A. Latin
Case Manager: Christie Woo
Tel: (310) 201-0010 Ext. 139
E-Mail
Honors & Awards
- 2012 Daily Journal, “California’s Top 50 Neutrals”
- 2012 Constitutional Rights Foundation, Judge of the Year
- Nominee, Civil Trial Judge of the Year, Consumer Attorneys’ Association of Los Angeles, 2010
- California Lawyer of the Year, California Lawyer Magazine, 2003
- Southern California Super Lawyer, Los Angeles Magazine, 2003
- Special Commendation for the Advancement of Victims’ Rights, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 2003
- Featured in Los Angeles Police Historical Society permanent exhibit detailing the history of the Symbionese Liberation Army
Legal & Judicial Experience
2003-2011
Superior Court Judge, Los Angeles, California
2008-2011
Supervising Site Judge, Van Nuys Superior Civil Courthouse
- Presided over jury and bench trials in an unlimited jurisdiction civil court
- Experienced in areas of professional malpractice, labor and employment, product liability, general business/complex litigation, insurance coverage, real estate, fee disputes, health coverage, entertainment, civil rights, commercial contract, computer fraud, construction defect, eminent domain, family law, governmental liability, bad faith, intellectual property, personal injury, and securities
- Successfully facilitated over 200 settlements
- Supervised 7 Unlimited Jurisdiction Courts, 6 Limited Jurisdiction Courts, as well as Probate, Unlawful Detainer and Family Law Courts
Assistant Supervising Judge, Los Angeles
Northwest District Courts
- Supervised approximately 40 civil and criminal judges and bench officers assigned to the Northwest District Courts
2010-2011
Elected to Los Angeles Superior Court Executive Committee
2009-2011
Los Angeles Superior Court ADR Committee
1987-2003
Trial Attorney, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
- Successfully tried over 150 felony jury trials
- Assigned to the elite Major Crimes Division, responsible for handling the District Attorney’s most complex and high profile cases
- Notable prosecutions include: Sara Jane Olson, real estate magnate Bruce Koklich, Judge Albert Garcia, and music producer Phil Spector
1986-1987
Associate Attorney, Littler Mendelson, Century City Office
- Associate Attorney for the nation’s largest labor law firm
- Specialized in wrongful termination, wage & hour, and discrimination claims in State and Federal Courts
Education
- “Handling a Case from Law and Motion to Trial – A Judge’s Perspective”, County Counsel’s Association of California Annual Convention, May 2010
- Invocation and swearing in of new bar admittees, Loyola Law School, May 2010
- LA County Bar Association Litigation Section “Civility in the Civil Courts – How to Kill Your Opponent with Kindness”, March 2010
- San Fernando Valley Bar Association Litigation Section “Civility in the Civil Courtroom”, February 2010
- “Law and Motion – Seeing The Big Picture”, Consumer Attorneys’ Association of Los Angeles Annual Convention, September 2009
- “State of the Courts” San Fernando Valley Bar Association Annual Judges’ Night, February 2009
2011 Advanced Mediation Training, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law
1985 J.D., Loyola Law School
1981 B.A., University of California at Santa Barbara
Lectures and Presentations
Media Appearances
Judge Latin has appeared on 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, 20/20, The History Channel, and was also featured in the documentary movie Reckless Indifference. Additionally, he has been featured in the following publications:
- Los Angeles Times feature article, 2002
- Los Angeles Daily Journal feature article, 2003
- California Lawyer Magazine feature article, 2003
- San Francisco Chronicle, 2002
- Sacramento Bee, 2002
- The Sara Jane Olson Story, book by Sharon Hendry
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