Female court judges discuss careers and challenges for women in law
By Kalyn Norwood
Photos by Maria Iacobo
More and more women have earned law degrees within the past decade, yet the number of women in legal positions continues to pale in comparison to their male counterparts.
At part one of this year’s “Women on the Bench” series, sponsored by the Women’s Law Association and Government Law Organization, female state court judges spoke with students about their careers and gave advice on what it is like to be a woman in the industry.
“We are not where we need to be, but we are moving in the right direction,” Dean Robert K. Rasmussen said in his opening remarks.
Rasmussen shared how USC was the first law school,
among the nation’s top tier schools, to have a female dean. Today, women hold the top position at many universities, such as Harvard, Stanford and UCLA. But, according Dean Rasmussen, there is still work to be done considering the scarcity of women partners in major law firms.
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| From left: Judge Karen Gauff and Judge Lynn Hobbs |
The Honorable Karen Gauff and the Honorable Lynn Hobbs represent women lawyers who have beaten the odds and earned a seat on the bench.
Appointed in 2009, Judge Gauff presides as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge handling drug court and misdemeanor cases in the Compton Courthouse. Judge Gauff once practiced as a solo practitioner and later transitioned to the Department of Justice: Health, Education and Welfare section. Gauff said it was after she volunteered as a temporary judge that she realized becoming a judge was her “divine calling.”
“The first time I put the robe on I felt the responsibility, and I felt the opportunity in it,” Gauff said. “Then I thought, ‘well, okay maybe I could do this for a living.’”
Before her appointment, Judge Hobbs was a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and worked as a solo practitioner. During her childhood, Judge Hobbs watched her grandfather serve as a judge. Judge Hobbs said she always knew it was what she wanted to do. She reached that goal when Governor Brown appointed her to the Los Angeles Superior Court last December; she serves in the Metropolitan Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.
Both women said the court system is so overburdened that people they have convicted are released well before their sentences are complete. As an alternative, they may send those who are convicted to rehab, which they hope will provide benefits and keep the offender from reoffending.
Judge Hobbs said court closures and the increasing number of cases each judge receives affects everyone.
Both judges shared techniques and traits they expect of lawyers appearing before their courtrooms. Gauff stressed the need for lawyers to arrive on time, become familiar with and be respectful to everyone in the courtroom. Hobbs suggested lawyers remember to dress appropriately, almost as if they are “going to a funeral.” She also reminded attorneys to be aware of their egos when they are presenting a case and to not focus on getting the last word.
“Get in, make your point, and get out,” Judge Hobbs said. “It’s almost wise in a trial because too much talking can really sink your case.”
The judges also gave advice on how students can distinguish themselves when looking for mentorships and applying for jobs. Both said it is important for students to identify what area of law interests them and show what classroom experience they have to support their ability to work as interns. They also wholeheartedly stressed the need to pursue an internship opportunity.
“If you want the job, the judges don’t have time to find you,” Gauff said. “So, you make that connection, you send them your information, and you follow up.”
The judges shared experiences they had as women in the legal field. Gauff said she once worked for a judge who didn’t approve of women wearing pant suits in his courtroom, and she hasn’t worn pants to federal court since that day.
Hobbs gave students an idea of what it was like balancing a career with motherhood. She said it was a challenge and that government jobs “offer the flexibility for women to give to their careers as well as have time for family. I never felt as though I was deprived of the opportunity of having a fulfilling career and being a lawyer.”
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