SAN DIEGO, Calif.; Jan. 23, 2019 – Judicate West, one of California’s leading providers of private dispute resolution services, welcomes retired San Diego County Superior Court Judge Joan M. Lewis to its roster of neutrals.

“Judge Lewis established an exceptional track record in the San Diego community during her two decades on the bench. Her experience presiding over a wide range of civil and family law matters with deference, compassion and toughness will be a tremendous asset for our clients statewide,” said Mark Kaufman, Executive Vice President with Judicate West.

During her time on the bench, Judge Lewis spent five years in the Family Law division, and for the last 15 years until her retirement, she presided over a Civil Independent Calendar. Throughout her time on the bench, she handled a multitude of settlement conferences in both the Civil and Family Law divisions. Prior to her appointment, Judge Lewis tried civil cases in private practice for 10 years, focused on representing health care professionals in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Judge Lewis has been consistently active in leadership positions on judicial committees, including serving on the court’s Executive Committee and as chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee. She also sits on the Judicial Advisory Board of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL) and is a Master in the Wallace Inns of Court. Judge Lewis is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Friend of the Community Award by the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association in recognition of her commitment to LGBTQ rights, and most recently, the Witkin Award for excellence in the practice of law and advancing access to justice.

Judge Lewis received her J.D. from the California Western School of Law (1987) and her B.S. from Arizona State University (1980).