Deputy Federal Public Defender Firdaus Dordi

Firdaus Dordi, former Trial Chief of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California (FPD-CDCA), was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court bench by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in December 2016. Firdaus was sworn in by former Federal Public Defender Maria Stratton in January 2017. Firdaus spent 14 years with the FPD-CDCA, starting as a Deputy Federal Public Defender and ending his career as the Chief of the Los Angeles office’s trial unit.

An investiture was held on August 25, 2017, at the United States District Court to honor Judge Dordi.  The ceremony was held in the courtroom of Hon. Virginia Phillips. In attendance were District Court and Magistrate Judges, Circuit Judge Kim McClane Wardlaw with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Los Angeles Superior Court judges, former colleagues and friends with the FPD-CDCA, and friends and immediate family. Guest speakers included Reuven Cohen, Federal Public Defender Hilary Potashner, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas McKnew, and Judge Dordi’s father, Firoze Dordi.

During the ceremony, Hilary Potashner spoke to Judge Dordi and guests:

Firdaus was an absolute institution when he was at the Federal Public Defender’s Office. And it was so bitter sweet when he left the office, because we all wanted the very best for him. . . . Back in January, the federal defense world officially lost one of its very brightest and best to the state bench. And as Judge Philips said, our loss is certainly the state of California’s gain. I’m sure that Firdaus is and will continue to be an absolutely extraordinary judge on the state court bench. . . . . Firdaus is always kind. Firdaus is always approachable. And he is always incredibly easy to work with. . . . He is simply never ever short with anyone. And he handles stress better – or as well as I’ve ever ever seen. And I think that’s really going to serve him well on the bench. . . . Firdaus is truly patriotic. He loves the law and he believes in the power of the U.S. legal system. I know that he will never take his role as a superior court judge for granted. And he will work his hardest every single day to make the best and most just decisions that he can. And I know that he’s got the strength, the fortitude and moral compass to make tough decisions, no matter how tough.

Judge Dordi joins an impressive list of former FPD-CDCA alumni who have become judges, including: