First transgender trial judge, LA county judge to be honored
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will honor California Superior Court judge Victoria Kolakowski with its Stonewall Award during a ceremony from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 1, 2025, at the ABA Midyear Meeting at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.
Named after the New York City Stonewall Inn police raid and riot of June 28, 1969, which was a turning point in the gay rights movement, the award recognizes lawyers who have advanced lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the legal profession and successfully championed LGBT legal causes.
In 2006, Kolakowski became the first openly transgender administrative law judge, and in 2010, she became the first openly transgender trial court judge. Prior to becoming a judge, she was an attorney for 21 years in Louisiana and California. Ensuring and expanding access to justice has been the centerpiece of her career. She is a member of the Judicial Council of California’s Advisory Committee and the California Council of Churches’ appointee to the California Access to Justice Commission.
Kolakowski is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges and the National Association of Women Judges. A global advocate on LGBT and transgender legal issues, she is also a leading educator for the judiciary and the legal community on transgender issues.
Currently, she is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She teaches the class, “Equality and Religious Freedom,” on the intersection of religious freedom and equality rights.
In 2019, she was named the 2019 California Legislative Women’s Caucus “Woman of the Year- 18th Assembly District.” Five years earlier, she was named a “Pioneer in the Law,” by the California Women Lawyers.
Kolakowski has a B.A. from North College of Florida, an M.S. from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans, a J.D. from Louisiana State University and a Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/ 2024/10/stonewall-award-kolakowski/)
The American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will also honor Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge D. Zeke Zeidler with the Stonewall Award.
A longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, Zeidler has led efforts to bring about positive change throughout his extensive legal career. In 2004, he was the first openly gay man initially elected to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. He is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges.
“A big part of judicial ethics is about treating people with dignity and respect and ensuring others are too,” Zeidler said recently. “The court deals with people from every walk of life ...
Understanding the litigants who come before us is a major part of the judicial branch’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.”
Zeidler was appointed as a juvenile court referee in 1998, where he was full time in the Edelman Children’s Court and earlier was senior staff attorney for Dependency Court Legal services, where he represented more than 2,000 children and other parties in Juvenile Dependency Court. He continues to focus on juvenile issues.
He is a member, chair or board member of number of legal, judicial and professional organizations, including the Judicial Council, Center for Judicial Education and Research, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, California Judges Association, California Court Commissioners Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Zeidler was elected to the Redondo Beach Unified School District School Board in 1995 and served as president from 1997-1998. He was reelected to the board in 1999.
Zeidler has a B.A. from California State University, Northridge and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2024/10/stonewall-award-zeidler/)
The American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will honor California Superior Court judge Victoria Kolakowski with its Stonewall Award during a ceremony from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 1, 2025, at the ABA Midyear Meeting at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.
Named after the New York City Stonewall Inn police raid and riot of June 28, 1969, which was a turning point in the gay rights movement, the award recognizes lawyers who have advanced lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the legal profession and successfully championed LGBT legal causes.
In 2006, Kolakowski became the first openly transgender administrative law judge, and in 2010, she became the first openly transgender trial court judge. Prior to becoming a judge, she was an attorney for 21 years in Louisiana and California. Ensuring and expanding access to justice has been the centerpiece of her career. She is a member of the Judicial Council of California’s Advisory Committee and the California Council of Churches’ appointee to the California Access to Justice Commission.
Kolakowski is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges and the National Association of Women Judges. A global advocate on LGBT and transgender legal issues, she is also a leading educator for the judiciary and the legal community on transgender issues.
Currently, she is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She teaches the class, “Equality and Religious Freedom,” on the intersection of religious freedom and equality rights.
In 2019, she was named the 2019 California Legislative Women’s Caucus “Woman of the Year- 18th Assembly District.” Five years earlier, she was named a “Pioneer in the Law,” by the California Women Lawyers.
Kolakowski has a B.A. from North College of Florida, an M.S. from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans, a J.D. from Louisiana State University and a Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/ 2024/10/stonewall-award-kolakowski/)
The American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will also honor Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge D. Zeke Zeidler with the Stonewall Award.
A longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, Zeidler has led efforts to bring about positive change throughout his extensive legal career. In 2004, he was the first openly gay man initially elected to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. He is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges.
“A big part of judicial ethics is about treating people with dignity and respect and ensuring others are too,” Zeidler said recently. “The court deals with people from every walk of life ...
Understanding the litigants who come before us is a major part of the judicial branch’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.”
Zeidler was appointed as a juvenile court referee in 1998, where he was full time in the Edelman Children’s Court and earlier was senior staff attorney for Dependency Court Legal services, where he represented more than 2,000 children and other parties in Juvenile Dependency Court. He continues to focus on juvenile issues.
He is a member, chair or board member of number of legal, judicial and professional organizations, including the Judicial Council, Center for Judicial Education and Research, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, California Judges Association, California Court Commissioners Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Zeidler was elected to the Redondo Beach Unified School District School Board in 1995 and served as president from 1997-1998. He was reelected to the board in 1999.
Zeidler has a B.A. from California State University, Northridge and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2024/10/stonewall-award-zeidler/)
