CA Judicial Mentor Program - North Bay
Welcome
In partnership with the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, the Superior Courts of Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties offer a regional judicial mentor program to support the recruitment and development of a qualified, inclusive, judicial applicant pool that reflects California’s diversity.
Judicial mentors provide eligible attorneys information about the application and vetting process, and make recommendations on how to improve suitability for judicial appointment. Attorneys considering a judicial career in local trial courts are encouraged to participate.
About the Program
This regional judicial mentor program is led by the following workgroup members:
- Hon. Monique Langhorne, Napa County Superior Court (Executive Committee Liaison)
- Hon. Christine Carringer, Solano County Superior Court
- Hon. Chris Honigsberg, Sonoma County Superior Court
- Hon. Andrew Sweet, Marin County Superior Court
Participation in the mentor program as an attorney mentee is not a guarantee of appointment. Eligible candidates for this regional program include those that:
- Have at least 8 years of experience as a lawyer in California and be licensed in California for at least 8 years;
- Have not submitted a Judicial Application to the Governor's office;
- Are in good standing with the Bar; and
- Are committed to public service
Those from legal backgrounds and communities underrepresented in the judiciary are particularly encouraged to apply.
If you are interested in being an attorney mentee, complete the form and email with any relevant attachments to info@cajmentor.com
- A mentor judge provides information and feedback to demystify the judicial application and vetting process
- The role of a mentor judge is not to select or recommend candidates
- A mentor judge will be provided orientation to the objectives and parameters of the mentorship program
- Mentee's will be assigned for a maximum period of 12 months
If you are interested in being a mentor judge, complete and send the application to info@cajmentor.com
This program works with all sectors of the legal community, including bar associations, public interest organizations, government attorneys, private law firms and solo practitioners to:
- Inform members of the legal community of the program
- Provide consistent information regarding the Governor’s judicial criteria
- Request that judges assist in identifying potential judicial candidates
- Encourage judges to become volunteer mentors
If you are interested in being an attorney mentee or a mentor judge, please complete the respective application form and email with any relevant attachments to info@cajmentor.com
Attorney Mentee Application Form Mentor Judge Application Form
Judicial Mentorship Program Application Forms
If you are interested in being an attorney mentee or a mentor judge, please complete the respective application form and email with any relevant attachments to info@cajmentor.com
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Attorney Mentee Application
Here is the link for the Attorney Mentee Application Form
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Mentor Judge Application
Here is the link for the Mentor Judge Application Form
FAQs
The Governor’s Office wants to expand the pool of qualified judicial applicants from diverse legal backgrounds and diverse communities. It believes that this program may help encourage prospective applicants to complete the application process, particularly those who may self-select out of the application process.
The program will pair the attorney mentee with a mentor judge. The mentor judge will help demystify the judicial appointment process, answer questions about the judicial application, and may suggest new experiences to improve the mentee's skills.
You must apply by completing the Judicial Mentorship Application Form and submit the form along with your resume to: info@cajmentor.com
No. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
A mentee must:
(1) have at least 8 years of experience as a lawyer in California and be licensed in California for at least 8 years;
(2) be in good standing with the Bar; and
(3) be committed to public service.
Those from legal backgrounds and communities underrepresented in the judiciary are particularly encouraged to apply.
Pairings will be based on common areas of legal practice, affinity bar memberships, and other factors. Although the program has interest in doing so, there is no guarantee that a particular attorney mentee will be assigned a mentor judge whose interests closely align with theirs.
Not necessarily. Attorney mentees will be assigned based on the availability of judicial mentors.
No.
Each mentor judge and attorney mentee will be formally matched for a maximum period of 12 months.
The program is not intended to supplant any existing program or previous relationship but, instead, should complement those efforts.
You will receive an email from the California Judicial Mentor Regional Program
No. The program is designed to help in your career development and in preparing an application. It is not designed to give certain applicants an inside track. Applicants who do not participate in this program are not disadvantaged.
Yes. Members of the Governor's Judicial Selection Advisory Committee (JSAC) will not serve as mentors.
Email info@cajmentor.com