Sacramento, CA…Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of 10 California superior court judges, which include: One in Calaveras County; 4 in Los Angeles County; one in Orange County; one in San Francisco County; one in Santa Barbara County; one in Santa Clara County; and one in Sonoma County.

Calaveras County Superior Court

David M. Sanders, 63, of Pioneer, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Calaveras County Superior Court. Sanders has served as a commissioner at the Calaveras County Superior Court since 2015. He was a supervising attorney at Field and Sanders from 2009 to 2014 and at King Warwick and Sanders from 2002 to 2009. Sanders was an associate at Pagliero and Associates 1996 to 1999 and a partner at Pagliero and Sanders from 1999 to 2002 and a sole practitioner from 1993 to 1996. He was an associate at Johnson, Pagliero and Schachter from 1990 to 1993 and at Bullen, McKone, McKinley, Gay, Keitges and Pach from 1987 to 1990. Sanders earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Grant V. Barrett. Sanders is a Democrat.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Robert G. Chu, 38, of Valencia, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Chu has served as a deputy public defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office since 2006, where he has held several positions, including a supervising deputy public defender. He was an associate at Masry and Vititoe in 2006. Chu earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Southwestern Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on March 1, 2018. Chu is a Democrat.

Maria Puente-Porras, 49, of Cypress, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Puente-Porras has served as a commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2015. She was a sole practitioner from 1998 to 2015 and of counsel at the Law Offices of James M. Hodges from 1999 to 2005. Puente-Porras earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William P. Barry. Puente-Porras is a Democrat.

Gary D. Roberts, 59, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Roberts held several positions at Fox Entertainment Group from 1993 to 2017, including executive vice president of Fox Group Legal and senior vice president and vice president of employment. Roberts was an associate at Munger, Tolles and Olson LLP from 1985 to 1993 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit from 1984 to 1985. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Christian University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael M. Johnson. Roberts is a Democrat.

Emily S. Garcia Uhrig, 53, of Oakland, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Garcia Uhrig has been a professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law since 2006. She served as a staff attorney at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 2001 to 2006 and as a deputy federal public defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California from 1997 to 2001. Garcia Uhrig served as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel from 1995 to 1996 and was an associate at Hogan and Hartson from 1993 to 1995 and from 1991 to 1992. She served as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry Pregerson at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1992 to 1993. Garcia Uhrig earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Pennsylvania. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge C. Edward Simpson. Garcia Uhrig is a Democrat.

Orange County Superior Court

Nhan T. Vu, 47, of Fullerton, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Orange County Superior Court. Vu has served as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2014. He was a partner at Willenken, Wilson, Loh and Delgado LLP from 2006 to 2014 and an associate professor at the Chapman University School of Law from 2004 to 2006, where he was an assistant professor from 2001 to 2004. Vu was an associate at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher from 1999 to 2001, at Russin and Vecchi from 1997 to 1999 and at Latham and Watkins from 1996 to 1997. He was a law clerk for the Honorable Alex Kozinski at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. Vu earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Thomas M. Goethals to the Court of Appeal. Vu is a Democrat.

San Francisco County Superior Court

Rita F. Lin, 40, of San Francisco, has been appointed to a judgeship in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Lin has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California since 2014. She was a partner at Morrison and Foerster LLP from 2012 to 2014, where she was an associate from 2004 to 2012. Lin served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Sandra Lynch at the U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit from 2003 to 2004. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ksenia Tsenin. Lin is a Democrat.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court

Von T. Nguyen Deroian, 43, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Nguyen Deroian has served as a commissioner at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court since 2017 and has been an adjunct professor at the Santa Barbara College of Law since 2013. She served as a deputy district attorney at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2017. Nguyen Deroian was an associate at Hardin and Coffin LLP in 2006, where she was a paralegal from 2003 to 2006. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Barbara College of Law and an Associate of Arts degree from Allan Hancock College. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rogelio R. Flores. Nguyen Deroian is a Democrat.

Santa Clara County Superior Court

Evette D. Pennypacker, 47, of Sunnyvale, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Pennypacker has been a partner at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart and Sullivan LLP since 2007, where she was an associate from 2003 to 2007. She was an associate at Fenwick and West, LLP from 1999 to 2003. Pennypacker earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mary Ann Grilli. Pennypacker is a Democrat.

Sonoma County Superior Court

Barbara Phelan, 57, of Glen Ellen, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Sonoma County Superior Court. Phelan has served as a judicial staff attorney at the First District Court of Appeal since 2003. She was an associate at Lanahan and Reilley from 2001 to 2003 and served as a judicial staff attorney at the First District Court of Appeal from 1991 to 2001. Phelan was an associate at Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP from 1987 to 1991. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Raima H. Ballinger. Phelan is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $200,042.

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