The LA County Judicial Leadership Academy is a collaboration between LA Forward and La Defensa. The first academy cohort participated in the program in the summer of 2023.

This four-week intensive workshop empowers a new generation of lawyers and community members from diverse backgrounds with the tangible skills necessary to run effective judicial campaigns. Participants learn the nuts and bolts of running a well-organized and ethically compliant campaign, including but not limited to:

• Canons of Judicial Ethics

• Building a campaign plan

• Filing for election

• Fundraising and campaign finance reporting

• Campaign messaging

• Media and communications

• Voter engagement

• Seeking endorsements

This program is available to attorneys who have been admitted to practice law in California for at least 10 years. The 2023 training academy is focused on prospective candidates for the 2024 election cycle, but participants may also be attorneys considering candidacy in future cycles and community members interested in volunteering in judicial campaigns.

The academy primarily focused on attorneys from populations that are underrepresented in the judiciary, including but not limited to LGBTQIA+, migrant, racially diverse, and gender marginalized folks. Ideal participants have dedicated their careers to advocacy in the public interest within public defense, legal aid, criminal justice, civil rights, immigration, housing, family, labor, or environmental issues.

Read more about our Judicial Leadership Academy in this article from LAist.