Candidate for
Judge-Superior Court; County of Los Angeles; Office 8

Alan H. Friedenthal was sworn in as a Superior Court Commissioner in August, 2005, becoming a full-time bench officer after serving as an as-needed Referee for nearly 8 years, presiding over child support, domestic violence and traffic cases in the Los Angeles Superior Courts. Friedenthal is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law and has been a guest lecturer at the Indiana University School of Law.

In his 20 years as a practicing attorney, Friedenthal has gained experience in many different areas of the law. Friedenthal clerked in both the District Court and the Court of Appeals, and has served private clients on a variety of topics ranging from intellectual property, securities and bankruptcy law to litigation and children's rights.

Prior to his election as Superior Court Commissioner, Friedenthal served through the Los Angeles County Bar Association Trial Attorney Project as a Volunteer Prosecutor for the Los Angeles City Attorney's office, and prosecuted four misdemeanor jury trials to verdict.

Superior Court Commissioners serve similar functions to elected and appointed judges in the Los Angeles court system. Elected by the more than 400 Los Angeles judges, Commissioners are appointed to oversee both criminal and civil cases, and must be objective and fair as they apply the law. Friedenthal is assigned to the San Fernando courthouse and presides over a family law courtroom, including child custody, child support, domestic violence, civil harassment and small claims cases. He has also volunteered his time presiding over "Adoption Saturday," moving children out of the foster system and into loving homes.

Friedenthal was sworn in by his wife, Commissioner Steff Padilla, who was elected Commissioner earlier in 2005 and presides over a juvenile delinquency courtroom in Los Angeles. The two became the second couple in Los Angeles history in which both serve as Superior Court Commissioners.

Friedenthal earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California, his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School and completed coursework towards a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University Law Center. Friedenthal is also active in civic and community activities, including the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, the Anti-Defamation League and the Sherman Oaks Rotary Club. He is admitted to the bar in California, New York, Texas and the District of Columbia.