Los Angeles County (Downey)
Career Highlights: Appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, July 16, 2009; deputy county counsel, Los Angeles County 2006-09; deputy alternate public defender, Los Angeles County, 2001-06; deputy public defender, Los Angeles County, 2000-01; associate, Astor & Phillips, 1990-2000
Law School: Western State College of Law, 1990
Career Highlights: Appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, July 16, 2009; deputy county counsel, Los Angeles County 2006-09; deputy alternate public defender, Los Angeles County, 2001-06; deputy public defender, Los Angeles County, 2000-01; associate, Astor & Phillips, 1990-2000
Law School: Western State College of Law, 1990
By Pat Alston
Daily Journal Staff Writer
DOWNEY - Gary Tanaka was honing his sales skills at a jewelry store in Torrance in the mid-1980s when a chance encounter changed the direction of his life.
"'Have you ever thought about going to law school?'" a prospective customer asked the eloquent, young salesman.
Law school never had occurred to Tanaka, who had dropped out of college before his senior year. The only person in his fami... (continued)
