The Intersection Between Bias and Civility and What Can Judges Do About It?

Celene Chan Andrews is a Partner at LippSmith LLP. Celene is a dedicated advocate for plaintiffs and consumers, known for her compassionate approach and steadfast commitment to justice. With a legal career focused on class actions, personal injury, mass torts, and business litigation, she has played a pivotal role in securing multi-million dollar settlements for clients, including the Lahaina Wildfire and Champlain Towers South Collapse litigations. Celene’s passion for law extends beyond the courtroom—she actively gives back to her community by volunteering pro bono, serving in leadership roles for various legal organizations, and mentoring the next generation of attorneys. Her dedication and excellence have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as a Super Lawyer and one of California’s Top 10 Attorneys Under 40.

Judge Ruth Kwan, a first-generation Chinese American, immigrated from Hong Kong to the United States at the age of 14 in 1970. Despite facing significant cultural and racial challenges, she persevered and pursued higher education, earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in 1978 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (now UC Law San Francisco) in 1981. She began her legal career at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where she supervised the Consumer Protection Section and Dispute Resolution Program. In 1995, she was appointed to the East Los Angeles Municipal Court, becoming only the second Chinese-American woman to serve on the bench. Her dedication and judicial acumen led to her elevation to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 1998, where she has since presided over hundreds of complex felony and civil jury trials.

Marta Alcumbrac is certified as a specialist in legal malpractice law by the State Bar of California. She has successfully represented lawyers and law firms in numerous legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty cases. She regularly identifies strategy for early resolution by quickly obtaining and accurately analyzing the relevant facts and developing a litigation plan for bringing the case to conclusion.

Marta brings the same creativity and determination to the practice of law that she used as a principal founder of the Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts, a public school started when Marta realized that parents in her community wanted another educational option for their children. Before joining Robie & Matthai, she practiced at Bonne, Bridges, Mueller, O’Keefe & Nichols, where her practice focused on the defense of medical malpractice cases. When medical issues are relevant (as they often are in legal malpractice cases arising out of personal injury cases), her medical malpractice expertise is an invaluable asset.

Marta currently is the President of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel.

Rachael Kogen is a Partner at Fraser, Watson & Croutch and joined the firm in 2009. Her practice focuses on the defense of healthcare institutions and healthcare providers in complex medical malpractice and elder abuse litigation.

Ms. Kogen is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Board of Governors. She is the 2025 Chair of the Executive Committee for the BHBA Litigation Section. She is an active member of LACBA President’s Advisory Committee on Women in the Legal Profession and several other bar associations in Southern California. Ms. Kogen was the 2020 and 2021 President of the Southeast District Bar Association of Los Angeles County (SEDBA).