Hon. Irma Gonzalez

United States District Judge (Ret.)

Irma E. Gonzalez, a retired United States District judge, is presently a neutral with JAMS. She was appointed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California on August 12, 1992, becoming the first Latina of Mexican heritage to be appointed to the federal bench. She served as Chief Judge of the District Court from January, 2005 to January, 2012. Judge Gonzalez served as a judge on the Superior Court, San Diego County (1991-1992) and as a Magistrate Judge, Southern District of California (1984-1990). Judge Gonzalez retired from the federal bench in October 2013.   Judge Gonzalez graduated from Stanford University in 1970 and received her law degree from the University of Arizona School of Law in 1973.   Judge Gonzalez served as a law clerk to United States District Judge, William C. Frey in Tucson, Arizona (1973-1975). She served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the criminal division of the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona and the Central District of California (1975-1982). Judge Gonzalez was a civil litigator in private practice in San Diego from 1982-1984.   Judge Gonzalez is a founding member of Latinas in the Law and is on the Lawyers Club Advisory Board. She is on the Board of Trustees of California Western School of Law and is on the Board of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. Judge Gonzalez is a Master of the William B. Enright Inn of Court. She is also a member of Rotary.   In 2008, Judge Gonzalez was named Outstanding Jurist by the San Diego County Bar Association. In 2011, she received the Joan Dempsey Klein distinguished Jurist award by the California Women Lawyers and, in 2013, Judge Gonzalez received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic National Bar Association. In 2015, the University of Arizona James Rogers School of Law awarded Judge Gonzalez a Lifetime Achievement Award.   Judge Gonzalez is married to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Robert Brewer. They have a married daughter and two granddaughters.