Judge Landau joins ADR Services

Today's DJ has Retired Contra Costa County judge joins ADR Services -- Judge Leslie G. Landau held several assignments throughout her judicial career, eventually serving as the supervising judge of the Family Law department. Before becoming a judge, Judge Landau was an appellate practitioner at McCutchen, Doyle in San Francisco (chairing the firm's appellate group from 2000-2003) and a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Judge Landau brought her appellate expertise to the Superior Court, serving as a longtime member of the Court’s Appellate Division, including several stints as its Presiding Judge. She authored hundreds of Appellate Division opinions, on issues arising out of criminal cases, limited civil matters and writs.

“Being an appellate lawyer required me to be a quick study. I came into cases after judgment, usually adverse to my client. I had to master the facts of the case and the substantive legal issues that would be raised on appeal, sometimes in the areas in which I did not have a lot of expertise. The experience of appellate work uniquely served me on the court. As judges on a court of general jurisdiction, Superior Court judges must be intellectually nimble. Over the course of a career, a superior court judge may have assignments in all different areas of the law and will have to master the law anew in each new area.”