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Q&A With Rupert Byrdsong

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Rupert Byrdsong
Location: Los Angeles, CA United States
Joined: May 23rd, 2015

About (request update)

The Honorable Rupert A. Byrdsong was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court on June 18, 2014 by Governor Jerry Brown. He took his oath of office on September 8, 2014. He is assigned to the Metropolitan Courthouse. He presently handles traffic arraignments, traffic trials, and a misdemeanor arraignment and trial calendar. Judge Byrdsong began his legal career with Ivie, McNeill, & Wyatt as a law clerk in 1994, became an associate in 1995, and became a partner in 2001.

  Judge Byrdsong was born in Vicksburg, MS and moved to Nashville, TN when he was two. He graduated from Hume-Fogg Academic High School in 1987. Later, he received his undergraduate degree in Political Science with Honors from Morehouse College in 1991. He graduated magna cum laude, made the National Dean's List and earned membership into Phi Beta Kappa.
  Judge Byrdsong received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1994. At Vanderbilt, he was on the Executive Board of the Black Law Students Association, Phi Alpha Delta, and worked as a Research Assistant researching employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and civil rights issues. Judge Byrdsong is listed in the Acknowledgments in the casebook EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAW - CASES AND MATERIALS ON EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE (6th ed. 1999).

  At Ivie, McNeill, & Wyatt, Judge Byrdsong initially handled numerous civil rights cases representing the County of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department involving claims for police misconduct, excessive force, false arrest and imprisonment, warrantless searches, and trespass. He also handled general liability matters, including premises liability cases.
  After several years of primarily handling civil rights, cases, Judge Byrdsong anchored the firm's employment litigation practice, with substantial experience in the area in both state and federal courts. He handled claims for sexual harassment, race discrimination, wrongful termination, disability discrimination, religion and age discrimination, and emotional distress. He gained significant trial experience in employment cases. Judge Byrdsong has frequently delivered seminars on employment issues throughout the state. From 2003 to 2007, he sat on and also served as an advisor for the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Section for the State Bar of California.

Judge Byrdsong was a fierce advocate in the courtroom and was recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer, 2010 through 2014 and a Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star from 2005 to 2008. In 2006, he was listed in the Daily Journal as "Ones to Watch" describing the top employment lawyers in the greater Los Angeles area. In addition to his excellent trial work, Judge Byrdsong is involved in his community, is a past president of the John M. Langston Bar Association, and has served on the Board of the California Association of Black Lawyers ("CABL"). He is a lifetime member in both Langston and CABL. Judge Byrdsong is also an interviewer for applicants from the Los Angeles area applying to Vanderbilt Law School. Finally, he volunteers his time mentoring young lawyers and speaks to young students at Career Day throughout Los Angeles.

Judge Byrdsong is married to Latrice Byrdsong and has three kids, Christopher, Jillian, and Rupert Jr.

Education (request update)

Morehouse College class of 1991

Undergrad Major: Political Science