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Jul. 20, 2026
ASCDC honors Kwan, Morgenstern and Chang at Hall of Fame awards
The Association of Southern California Defense Counsel honored Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, defense attorney Robert A. Morgenstern and trial lawyer Deborah Chang at its 2026 Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing their contributions to California's civil justice system through judicial service, advocacy and professional leadership.
ASCDC's 2026 Hall of Fame award recipients: Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP
2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Stephen I. Goorvitch, Los Angeles Supervising Civil Judge Lawrence P. Riff and David M. Axelrad of Horvitz & Levy LLP
Paul R. Fine of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Edith R. Matthai of JAMS
ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP and Jonathan R. Gerber of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc., Superior Court Judges Jessica C. Kronstadt, Maria Jhai, Daniel M. Crowley, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Judge Mary Ann Murphy
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc. and Superior Court Judge Karine M. Mkrtchyan
Superior Court Judges E. Carlos Dominguez, Janet E. Hong, Karine M. Mkrtchyan, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Lawrence P. Riff, Jana M. Seng, Wendy Segall and Jessica C. Kronstadt
ADR Services Inc.’s mediator Stacie L. Feldman Hausner and Founder and President Lucie A. Barron; ASCDC’s “Civil Advocate” Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP and mediator Steven M. Sepassi of ADR Services Inc.
Michael J. Franco of Winston Taylor LLP and Celeena B. Pompeo of Wilson Elser
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc., Superior Court Judge Jessica C. Kronstadt, ASCDC’s “Civil Advocate” honoree Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP and ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP
Diana Choe of Rockport Healthcare; Stefani Freeburg, Regional Sales Manager at Lexitas and Rick Merrill of Merrill
(Ret.) Judge Zaven V. Sinanian of Signature Resolution, Gary A. Dordick of Dordick Law Corporation, ASCDC’s “Hall of Fame” honoree Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Christa H. Ramey of Ramey Law PC, Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy, (Ret.) Judge Gregory Keosian of ADR Services Inc. And Superior Court Judge Randolph M. Hammock
David M. Axelrad of Horvitz & Levy LLP and Kevin C. Mayer of Logan Mayer LLP
Superior Court Judges Linda L. Sun, Elaine Lu and Jessica C. Kronstadt
ASCDC President Alice L. Chen Smith of Yoka Smith LLP with honorees Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP; and Christa H. Ramey of Ramey Law PC
Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Victor L. George of Law Offices of Victor L. George
Lisa Payne, Business Development Manager of ARC Alternative Resolution Center; mediator/arbitrator Anthony S. Khoury of Westlake Village, Andrew O. Smith of Andrew Smith Mediation and Marjorie Luna, Chief Financial Officer or ARC Alternative Resolution Center
Walter M. Yoka of Yoka | Smith LLP and Drew E. Pomerance of Roxborough Pomerance Nye & Adreani
Amy K. Jensen of Hanover Law Office; Timothy Kidd, Client Executive at Esquire Deposition Solutions LLC and Michelle Williamson, Director of Business Development at Lexitas
(Ret.) Judge Patricia M. Schnegg of Judicate West and Linda B. Hurevitz of Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt LLP
Scott L. Hengesbach of Signature Resolution and Randy K. Jones of JAMS
2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Stephen I. Goorvitch and Superior Court Judge Jessica C. Kronstadt
YA Group’s Case Analyst Victor Rangel and Senior Managing Accident Reconstructionist David Daren
Skane Mills’ Aaron Arellanos, Senior Partners Heather L. Mills and Robin L. Diem
Sevy W. Fisher of The Simon Law Group, Michael N. Schonbuch of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Kjar McKenna & Stockalper’s Catherine R.T. Schiff, Chaena B. Dade and Patrick E. Stockalper
David M. Samuels of Signature Resolution and Joshua J. Molchan of Dordick Law Group
Dordick Law Corporation’s Mark J. Leonardo, Kacie Huntsman and Danielle S. Dhari
(Ret.) Judge John M. Pacheco of Signature Resolution, Michael N. Schonbuch of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Stephen C. Grebing of Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP and (Ret.) Judge John M. Pacheco of Signature Resolution
Superior Court Judges Stephanie Story and Upinder Kalra
Superior Court Judges Stephanie Story, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Jana M. Seng and Karine M. Mkrtchyan
JAMS' Senior Vice President Brian Parmelee and mediator Donna D. Melby, and Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy
Superior Court Judges Lauren A.R. Lofton and Ian C. Fusselman, and (Ret.) Judge Carlos R. Moreno of JAMS
Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP's summer clerk Mia Sher and ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley, and Mayra A. Fornos of ADR Services Inc.
Lisa J. McMains of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP, Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP’s summer clerk Mia Sher and Kathryn P. Canale
Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, Michelle Williamson of Lexitas and Kathryn P. Canale of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP
LOS ANGELES -- The Association of Southern California Defense Counsel honored Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, defense attorney Robert A. Morgenstern and trial lawyer Deborah Chang at its 2026 Hall of Fame Awards dinner Wednesday at Hotel Indigo in downtown Los Angeles.
The annual event recognized the three for their contributions to California's civil justice system through judicial service, trial advocacy and professional leadership.
Chang, a partner at Chang | Klein LLP, received the Civil Advocate Award. A video tribute praised her work in complex civil cases and described her as "fearless in the courtroom, relentless in her preparation and unwavering in her advocacy."
Chang, who began her career as a defense lawyer, said the adversarial system succeeds because attorneys on both sides are committed to their clients and the rule of law.
"Something just magical happens when you're in the courtroom, in the greatest system of justice this world has ever seen," Chang said. "We resolve our conflicts not through a show of power, but through the rule of law and the jury system."
Kwan received the organization's Judge of the Year Award. Colleagues praised her fairness, intellect and decades of mentoring lawyers and judges.
In accepting the award, Kwan reflected on immigrating to the United States as a teenager, experiencing racial prejudice and learning from her mother, who had been sold as a concubine as a child.
"Despite these and other challenges, I never lost faith in the humanity of the people that I've encountered in life," Kwan said.
Morgenstern, founder of Morgenstern Law Group APLC, received the Hall of Fame Award. Attorneys from both sides of the bar credited him with demonstrating that zealous advocacy and civility can coexist.
Morgenstern called the honor "a humbling experience" and credited ASCDC with helping him build lasting professional relationships during his 46-year career.
"I've met some amazing people," he said. "All the people who came before me on this Hall of Fame list are both my great colleagues and my great friends."
Ricardo Pineda
ricardo_pineda@dailyjournal.com
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