Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 

Page 1

 

Governor Names Six, Including Three Commissioners, to Court

 

By KENNETH OFGANG, Staff Writer

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday named Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioners Mitchell Beckloff, Graciela Freixes, and John Ing, along with Deputy District Attorneys David Gelfound and Kathryn A. Solorzano and Torrance lawyer Edmund W. Clarke Jr. to Los Angeles Superior Court judgeships.

Beckloff, 45, has served as a commissioner since 2001.  Previously, he served as a referee for the court from 1998 to 2001 and in private practice from 1994 to 1999. 

In addition, he was a staff attorney for Auxillary Legal Services from 1992 to 1994 and an attorney with Pillsbury Madison and Sutro from 1989 to 1992. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School and UCLA. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Judson Morris. 

Beckloff is a Democrat. 

Freixes’ Qualifications

Freixes, 51, has served as a commissioner since 2005.  Previously, she was an associate with the law firms Agajanian, McFall, Weiss, Tetreault & Crist from 1998 to 2005 and Hagenbaugh & Murphy from 1995 to 1998. 

She began practice as an in-house defense attorney for Farmers Insurance Group and spent the bulk of her career in medical malpractice defense. Freixes earned her law degree and Loyola and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge. 

She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Philip Gutierrez, who was appointed to the federal bench.

Freixes is a Republican. She has taught part-time in the UCLA Attorney Assistant Training Program.

Ing’s Background

Ing, 53, has served as a commissioner since 1997.  Previously, he served as a referee for the court from 1989 to 1997 and was a deputy district attorney from 1979 to 1983 and in private practice from 1983 to 1997. 

He is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law with an undergraduate degree from USC.  He fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Otis Wright, who was appointed to the federal bench.

Ing is registered decline-to-state.

Gelfound, 43, has served as a deputy district attorney since 1994.  Previously, he served as an associate with the law firms Mischel, Trock & Associates from 1993 to 1994 and West & Miyamoto from 1992 to 1993

In addition, he was an associate with Leonard & Sanchez from 1991 to 1992 and the Law Offices of Oskar Stark from 1989 to 1991.  His work in private practice included insurance defense and construction litigation..

He joined the District Attorney’s Office in 1994, did misdemeanor cases in Newhall, then worked in juvenile delinquency in Pasadena, felony trials in Van Nuys, and the hardcore gang division in San Fernando.

In July 2000, he was transferred to the hardcore gang division downtown and pro- secuted gang-related murders. He ran for the Superior Court in 2002, losing a runoff to Paul Baciagalupo.

Gelfound earned his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.

He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Victor Person. 

Gelfound is a Republican.

Solorzano, 46, has served as a deputy district attorney since 1990. While at the District Attorney’s Office, she has specialized in felony litigation including domestic violence, sex crimes and hardcore gang prosecutions. 

Solorzano earned her law degree from Loyola and her undergraduate degree from UCLA. She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge George Wu. 

Solorzano is a Democrat.

Clarke, 56, has been a partner with the law firm Stark & Clarke since 2005 and its predecessor firm Stark, Rasak & Clarke from 1992 to 2005.  His practice focuses on medical malpractice, products liability, and personal injury cases.

Previously, he was a partner with the law firm Baker, Silberberg & Keener from 1987 to 1992 and an associate and then partner with the law firm Kirtland & Packard from 1981 to 1987.  Prior to that, he served as a deputy public defender from 1977 to 1981. 

His bachelor’s and law degrees are both from UCLA. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Schacter. 

Clarke is a Republican. 

The compensation for each position is $171,648. 

 

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