On Tuesday, March 22, Justice Patricia Guerrero made history when she became the first Latina and the first Lawyers Club member confirmed to the California Supreme Court. 

Guerrero is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from the Mexican state of Sonora, and her father picked crops and worked in feedlots in California. Her mother worked as a babysitter. 

Guerrero’s background in the law is nothing short of impressive. She worked to put herself through the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated at the top 4% of her class, and earned her Juris Doctor  from Stanford Law School. She worked as an attorney at Latham and Watkins LLP, and thereafter was appointed to the San Diego Superior Court bench. Guerrero now joins the California Supreme Court from the Fourth Appellate District, where she worked alongside Lawyers Club Founding Mother Presiding Justice Judith McConnell. The State Bar Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation found her exceptionally well qualified for the state’s highest court.

“As I’ve tried to express, this is not just about me, or really even just about my parents, but it’s about so many others just like us,” Guerrero said. “This is a story of the American Dream, the belief that with hard work, perseverance and opportunities, anything is possible. And for that I am thankful.” 

Lawyers Club applauds Justice Guerrero’s confirmation, as well as the increased diversity on the bench. Congratulations, Justice Guerrero!