Resume
Hon. Dennis J. Landín (Ret.) joined ADR Services, Inc. in 2023 after a distinguished 20-year career as a judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court in California.
As a judge assigned to the Mandatory Settlement Conference program, Judge Landín holds a distinguished record of success in settlements and proved to be an invaluable asset to the court. He earned recognition for his ability to resolve even the most intractable disputes, many of which encompassed complex issues in nearly every area of civil law, including employment, wage & hour, business and commercial disputes, personal injury, and insurance coverage. In addition to his settlement work, Judge Landín’s prior judicial assignments include presiding over an Independent Calendar Court, a Personal Injury Hub Court, a Felony Trial Court, and serving as an Associate Justice Pro Tem for the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District.
Judge Landín received his B.A. in political science from Occidental College in 1977. He went on to earn his J.D. from UCLA Law School in 1980.
Judge Landín began his legal career as an attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach, providing legal help and representation for low-income individuals in housing, consumer, and immigration matters. In 1982, Judge Landín joined the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California, handling virtually every type of federal criminal case at both the trial and appellate level and representing people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Judge Landín honed his trial experience here, participating in approximately 90 jury trials and serving as lead counsel in 45 of them. In 1992, Judge Landín was named Chief Deputy and was responsible for the training and supervision of 50 attorneys while still trying his own cases. Additionally, he twice served as a juror in state court and experienced the justice system from a juror's perspective. This unique insight into the juror's mindset ultimately sharpened his skills as both a formidable attorney and a sage judge. He remained with the Public Defender’s Office for 20 years until his appointment to the bench in 2002.
Judge Landín is a member of the California Judges Association, California Latino Judges Association, Mexican American Bar Association, and Mexican American Bar Foundation. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Law Library from 2014 to 2023. In 2020, Judge Landín received the Benjamin Aranda Judge of the Year award from the Mexican American Bar Association.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
- Business and Commercial Contracts
- Civil Rights
- Elder Abuse
- Employment
- Environmental / Toxic Tort
- Landlord-Tenant / Habitability
- Personal Injury
- Professional Liability
- Real Estate
- Wage & Hour / PAGA
JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE
Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, County of Los Angeles
2002 - 2023
Mandatory Settlement Conference Program, 2021-2023
Independent Calendar Court at Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 2018-2021 Personal Injury Hub Court at Spring Street Courthouse, 2017-2018
Felony Trial Court at Foltz Courthouse, 2009-2017
Criminal Arraignment/ Sexual Violent Predator Cases, 2007-2009
Preliminary Hearings, 2005-2007
Misdemeanor Trial Court, 2002-2005
Superior Court Committee Assignments: Trial Jurors, Judicial Education, Local Rules, Self-Represented Litigants (Criminal), Community Outreach, Fairness and Access to Justice.
Associate Justice Pro Tem, California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District 2017
Sat on assignment for Division Five in Los Angeles from May to August 2017.
PRIOR LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Chief Deputy, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Los Angeles 1982 - 2002
Handled virtually every type of federal criminal case at both the trial and appellate level and represented persons from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Appointed Chief Deputy in 1992 and was responsible for the training and supervision of fifty attorneys while still trying cases.
Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach 1980 - 1982
Represented low-income individuals in housing, consumer, and immigration matters.
EDUCATION
UCLA Law School, Juris Doctorate 1980
Occidental College, Bachelor of Arts 1977
“Mediating the Litigated Case”, Pepperdine University School of Law 2022
TEACHING
Trial Advocacy Instructor, USC Gould School of Law, 2006-2012
B.E. Witkin Judicial College Faculty, 2005-2006
Criminal Law Institute, Los Angeles, 2006-20014
Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), 2008-2014
Classes Taught to Judicial Officers: Civil Protective Orders and Motions to Seal, Managing Courtroom Drama, Right to Civil Jury Trial: History and Modern Practice, Settlement Strategies, The Impact of Trauma in the Courtroom, Dealing with Difficult Litigants, Speedy Criminal Trials, Discovery (civil and criminal), Restorative Justice, Tips for Busy Trial Judges, Jury Selection.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Judicial Council of California, Advisory Committee on Criminal Jury Instruction, 2005-2016
California Judges Association, Member of Board of Directors, 2014-2016
California Latino Judges Association, 2003-Present; President 2012
Mexican American Bar Association (MABA), 1980-Present; Board of Directors 1989-1991; Recipient of Benjamin Aranda Judge of the Year Award in 2020
Mexican American Bar Foundation, 1992-Present
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Board Member; 1993-2002, President 2002
Los Angeles Law Library, Board of Trustees, 2014-2023
Teen Court, Wilson High School, Los Angeles, 2009-2022
PERSONAL
Interests include running, Nordic and alpine skiing, backpacking, golf, cycling, home improvement projects, cooking, traveling, salsa dancing, learning to fly fish and playing the ukulele.