Find out what it's like to work at a court of appeal

The California Judicial Mentor Program (Appellate) will host a virtual information session on Tuesday, April 15, at noon, aimed at demystifying the state's courts of appeal. While judicial positions require at least 10 years of legal experience, program organizers emphasize that early-career attorneys and students can benefit significantly from attending.

The panel, titled "A Day in the Life of an Appellate Court Justice," will feature Justices Dorothy Kim, Marla Miller, and Maurice Sanchez, with Presiding Justice Teri L. Jackson serving as moderator.

"Newer attorneys will find this program engaging, inspiring, and forward looking. Those starting out their careers will hear the struggles and triumphs shared by those who are now appellate justices and learn what it's like to do the job, day in and day out," Justice Shama Hakim Mesiwala, co-chair of outreach for the appellate mentor program, wrote in an email.

The April 15 session will also unpack the role of research attorneys. Earlier events focused on research attorney careers generated significant interest among newer attorneys just a few years into practice, according to co-chair of the appellate mentor program Justice Helen Zukin.

"We found the interest in being a research attorney went up right after that program," Zukin noted in a recent telephone interview. She said that several justices had previously served as research attorneys.

Research attorney roles typically require only a few years of experience, unlike judicial positions, Zukin said. "Research attorneys play such an important role in the process of crafting and producing opinions and working closely with their justices on every single case," she explained.

"The panel will show newer attorneys that there are many different paths to superior and appellate courts," Justice Audra Mori, co-chair of outreach for the program, wrote in an email. "It will also provide them with information about working as an attorney at the Court of Appeal. They will learn what research attorneys do and how they work with different justices. By hearing how the justices assess appeals, attorneys may also learn how to present their cases more effectively."

Justice Charles E. Wilson, co-chair of the mentor program, said in a telephone call that attendees do not need to conduct any preparation to participate in the virtual event.

"Just come with an open mind, willing to learn about what we do in our courts," he said. He added that the event is an opportunity for justices to "connect with our legal community through something other than a written opinion.

"Oftentimes, the only way the community gets to hear from us is through our opinions, and that's obviously our job and our role. But I think it's important for attorneys to hear from us directly about what we do each day," he said.

Launched in July 2021 as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom's California Judicial Mentorship Program, the appellate initiative seeks to assist in recruiting and developing a qualified and diverse applicant pool for service on the state's courts of appeal.

The panel event is free and open to all legal professionals without application requirements. Interested attorneys can register here.

Mentors are available for those who meet the formal requirements of appointment and have not yet submitted to Gov. Newsom's office an application for appointment to the court of appeal.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.