PRESS RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA, July 25, 2013 - The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) applauds Judge Rupa Goswami's historic appointment to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. On July 12, 2013, Governor Edmund G. Brown appointed Judge Goswami to be the first South Asian woman judge in the State of California.
Judge Goswami is eminently qualified for the state judiciary. She has both an MBA from the University of Chicago and a JD from the University of California, Los Angeles. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the last 12 years - including separate stints as the Deputy Chief of General Crimes, and of Domestic Security and Immigration - she has prosecuted cases involving cyber-crimes, immigration, terrorism, organized crime, the sexual exploitation of children, environmental crimes, and other criminal matters. "Judge Rupa Goswami has had an exemplary career as a federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney's Office, and we are very proud of her," stated
André Birotte Jr., the United States Attorney for the Central District of California. "I know that her success will continue forward, and that the people of California will be greatly enriched by her presence and performance on the bench."
"Governor Brown is making important and necessary strides to appoint well-qualified minority applicants that reflect California's rich diversity," proclaimed Michelle Sugihara, APABA President. "Judge Goswami has been a steady leader and strong presence within the Asian Pacific American community, especially for the underrepresented South Asian community." Judge Goswami was Co-President of the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California (SABA-SC) at the time of her appointment, and she had been a board member of SABA-SC and is a current member of APABA.
Before becoming a federal prosecutor, Judge Goswami clerked for the Honorable Nora Manella in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, and the late Honorable Terence T. Evans in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. "Through APABA's vetting process, we came to know Judge Goswami as an intelligent, hard-working and well-respected figure in the legal community," stated Christina Yang, Co-Chair of APABA's Public Appointments and Judicial Endorsements Committee. "Her legal acumen, public service, mentoring and community involvement are just some of the reasons why APABA enthusiastically endorsed her for appointment to the bench." A former civil litigator at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom, Judge Goswami has served as a commissioner with the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission, Superior Court Judge Pro Tem, teen court moderator, and adjunct professor at Loyola Law School.
Judge Halim Dhanidina, the first Muslim American judge appointed in California and a former APABA board member, applauded the appointment: "Judge Goswami is a dedicated public servant who possesses the acute intellect and calm demeanor that make her an ideal fit for the bench. As a South Asian woman, her appointment reflects the diversity of the community she serves as a bench officer, making her a role model to many - including my own daughter. The Los Angeles County Superior Court is lucky to have her."
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