Overview
The Hon. Sheila S. Lichtblau is a judge for the Marin County Superior Court in California[1]. Lichtblau was elected to the bench in 2016[1].
Since joining the bench in January 2017, Lichtblau's assignments have included criminal, family, and civil matters[1]. She served as supervising judge of the family law division[1]. In 2019, she joined the appellate division, and in 2021, she began serving as its presiding judge[1]. Her judicial work has also included Community Court, conducted in partnership with Legal Aid of Marin[1]. She has served as the court's liaison to the Marin County Office of Education for the mock trial competition and the Real DUI program in high schools[1].
Educational background
Lichtblau earned a B.A. in political science and French literature from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1989. Before entering law school, she worked on international human rights issues at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and then pursued a legal career. At the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly University of California, Hastings College of the Law), she completed a J.D. in 1993[2]. She was admitted to the State Bar of California (December 1993).
Career history
After graduating from law school, Lichtblau began her legal career at Rubicon Legal Services (1994 to 1999). The organization was then known as The Hawkins Center. There, she represented low-income and disabled Spanish-speaking clients.
In 1999, she transitioned to the California Department of Industrial Relations' Legal Unit, where she practiced until 2000. In 2000, Lichtblau entered private practice at Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum (2000 to 2006), where she joined as an associate and later became a partner. Her work there included representing businesses, nonprofits, and schools in civil matters. In 2006, she joined the Marin County Counsel's Office as a senior deputy county counsel, a position she held through 2016.
Before joining the bench, Lichtblau also served as a judge pro tem in the Marin County Superior Court's Small Claims Division and as a mediator for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California[1].
Professional service also included a term as past president of the Association of Latino Marin Attorneys.
Personal life
Lichtblau is of Indian and Puerto Rican descent. Her family migrated from India and Puerto Rico[3].
Outside the courtroom, her hobbies have included running in the headlands and walking on Stinson Beach[3].
References
[1] Marin County Superior Court — Judicial Biographies
[2] Daily Journal — Profile of Sheila Shah Lichtblau
[3] Marin County Bar Association — News Article
