LACBA installs new president, honors judges and legal leaders at annual dinner

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Bar Association held its 2026 Installation & Awards Dinner on Thursday at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

During the event, Theresa A. Leets of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation was installed as LACBA President for the 2026-2027 term, while Martin F. Hirshland of Dykema Gossett PLLC was installed as President of the Barristers.

In her installation remarks, Leets said the legal profession was "at a crossroads" and outlined two priorities for the coming year: preserving rigorous standards for admission to the practice of law and addressing California's growing justice gap. She defended the California bar examination as a safeguard for the public, stating that its purpose is "to protect the public," and highlighted LACBA's statewide Lawyer Referral Service as a tool for expanding access to legal representation in underserved communities. Referencing the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary, she called on lawyers to strengthen the profession, serve their communities and uphold the rule of law.

Hirshland described his vision for the Barristers as "a multifaceted bridge" connecting young lawyers with the judiciary, the broader legal community and the public. He highlighted programs designed to foster relationships between attorneys and judges, encourage collaboration among LACBA sections and expand pro bono and community outreach efforts throughout Los Angeles County.

The association also recognized several distinguished honorees. Mark D. Rosenbaum of Public Counsel received the Shattuck-Price Outstanding Lawyer Award, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Alan B. Honeycutt received the Outstanding Jurist Award, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth L. Bradley received the Philip H. Lam Diversity Impact Award.

Accepting the Diversity Impact Award, Bradley reflected on the influence of her late mother, attorney Elizabeth Franco Bradley, whom she credited with teaching her "all I know about diversity, mentorship, the importance of representation." She thanked colleagues from LACBA, the Mexican American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Unity Bar and the judiciary for their efforts to expand diversity and inclusion within the profession.

Honeycutt, who received the Outstanding Jurist Award for his nearly two decades of service on the Los Angeles Superior Court, used his acceptance remarks to recognize the judges, colleagues, friends and family members who supported him throughout his career. The longtime judicial leader, who helped create the court's award-winning Homeless Court program and has served in numerous court leadership positions, reflected on relationships formed through the Los Angeles County Bar Association and its Criminal Justice Section early in his legal career.

He also praised LACBA's longstanding advocacy on behalf of the courts, recalling how the organization worked alongside judicial leaders during a court funding crisis more than a decade ago. Honeycutt said the association played a critical role in defending the judiciary and preserving access to justice during a challenging period for California's courts.

"It is the Los Angeles County Bar that is the voice of the court," Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt concluded by thanking his wife, Janie, noting that the awards dinner coincided with the couple's 32nd wedding anniversary and crediting her support for helping him become "a better person, a better judge, and a better public servant."

Rosenbaum, Public Counsel's Senior Special Counsel for Strategic Litigation, accepted the Shattuck-Price Outstanding Lawyer Award after being recognized for a career dedicated to advancing civil rights and representing society's most vulnerable populations. Among the cases highlighted during the presentation was his leadership in Powers v. McDonough, a landmark class action on behalf of unhoused disabled veterans that compelled the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore the West Los Angeles VA campus to its intended purpose of serving veterans through housing and supportive services.

In his remarks, Rosenbaum emphasized that the award reflected the collective efforts of colleagues and mentors at both Public Counsel and the ACLU of Southern California, where he spent four decades litigating many of the organization's most significant cases. Reflecting on decades of advocacy involving racial profiling, homelessness, immigrant rights and educational equity, Rosenbaum noted that many of those same battles continue today, including litigation seeking housing and medical services for unhoused disabled veterans.

While acknowledging those ongoing challenges, Rosenbaum expressed confidence in the ability of lawyers and advocates to advance justice through the legal system. "We persist, we expand, and we win the battles for basic rights and human dignity," he said.

Additional awards were presented to Jeff S. Westerman of Ahdoot & Wolfson PC, Cynthia A. Pearson of Overton Lyman & Prince LLP, Harmony R. Gbe of Hogan Lovells, Sarah E. Kelly-Kilgore of Holland & Knight LLP, Claire-Lise Y. Kutlay of Miller Barondess LLP, and Nicholas N. Spear of Susman Godfrey LLP for their contributions to the legal community and the association.