June 2007

Andy Gordon Chair

Welcome to the official website of the Ninth Circuit’s Lawyer Representatives. Lawyer Representatives are chosen to serve three-year terms representing attorneys practicing in each of the Ninth Circuit’s fifteen districts in nine western states and two Pacific Island jurisdictions. Lawyer Representatives play an important role in the administration of justice in the Ninth Circuit.

Currently, 143 Lawyer Representatives work to foster open communications between judges and attorneys, and provide support and advice in the functioning of the courts.  Through the years, attorney support and contributions to the administration of justice in the Ninth Circuit have been invaluable and have resulted in positive changes that have improved the functioning of the courts.

The Lawyer Representatives Coordinating Committee (“LRCC”) is composed of the chairperson or co-chairs of each delegation of Lawyer Representatives from each of the fifteen districts.  The LRCC has three officers:  Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect, and Chair.  During the past year, Chris Latham has served as Vice-Chair, Joe Meier has served as Chair-Elect, and Andy Gordon has served as Chair.

The LRCC acts as a liaison for the Lawyer Representatives to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council’s Conference Executive Committee.  As its name implies, the LRCC also coordinates the activities of the Lawyer Representatives across the circuit.  Along with the individual Lawyer Representatives, the LRCC puts on educational programs during the Conference of Chief Bankruptcy Judges, and the Conference of Chief District Judges.  The Lawyer Representatives also undertake special projects throughout the year.  For instance, the LRCC has conducted a survey regarding the use of Magistrate Judges to conduct trials, has worked with the Circuit to address the backlog of immigration appeals, and sponsors resolutions at the Circuit Conference.  For more information on the activities of the LRCC, click on the link to the LRCC Activities Report.

On a local level, many Lawyer Representatives work closely with the District, Bankruptcy, and Magistrate Judges in their home districts.  Lawyer Representatives sit on various court committees, help plan and present the local District Conferences, and serve as a liaison between the federal bench and practicing bar.  The LRCC also is assisting in implementation of the recommendations of the Ninth Circuit’s Jury Trial Improvement Committee in each district.

On this web site, you will find contact information for the Lawyer Representatives from throughout the Ninth Circuit.  Feel free to contact any of us if you have questions about the operations of the court, the activities of the Lawyer Representatives, or how to become a Lawyer Representative.

Cordially,

Andy Gordon

Chair, Lawyer Representative Coordinating Committee