Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tapped a litigation partner with Newport Beach-based Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth to fill one of three openings on the Orange County Superior Court bench.
Randall Sherman, 50, is the first Stradling, Yocca partner to become a judge.
“I’ve been practicing law for 25 years and I am ready to take it to the next level by being a judge,” Sherman said. “I intend on being a judge for the rest of my career.”
Donald Hamman, head of Stradling, Yocca’s litigation department, said that he hates to lose Sherman but supports the move.
“The governor has chosen well,” Hamman said. “Randy will be a great credit to our strong judiciary in Orange County.”
Sherman joined the law firm in 1979 as an associate. He was named partner in 1985. A democrat, Sherman graduated from University of Southern California law school after earning an undergraduate degree from University of California, Los Angeles.
Stradling, Yocca is set to sponsor a reception when Sherman officially becomes a judge in mid-July. The governor’s office announced the appointment two weeks ago.
Sherman was one of three Orange County judges the governor appointed. He joins fellow appointees Newport Beach Mayor Steven D. Bromberg and Orange County Superior Court commissioner Erick Larsh.
Judge appointments usually are drawn evenly from the private and public sectors, Sherman said
Sherman competed with some 80 applicants for the position.
“You file a 20-page application with the governor’s office,” Sherman said.
Lawyers and others applying are asked to provide details of 10 to 15 cases they’ve handled. They must list the judges and opposing counsel in those cases.
The governor’s office then asks those judges and attorneys what they think of the applicant.
After narrowing the list of applicants, the governor’s office then asks the state Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission and, in Sherman’s case, the Orange County Bar Association, for their input.
Finally, the governor’s judicial appointments adviser flew Sherman and the others to the governor’s office in Sacramento for an interview. The evaluation process started in earnest late last year because of vacancies, Sherman said.
The move, while a big honor, will mark a pay drop for Sherman. The median salary for an Orange County Superior Court judge is about $150,000,less than the typical corporate partner earning several hundred thousand dollars.
Orange County Superior Court has 109 judges and 34 commissioners in all at nine courthouses. Sherman’s first posting is expected to be in Westminster or Fullerton, he said. Judges typically start on cases involving “misdemeanors, small claims and traffic,” Sherman said.
