Hon. Steven J. Kleifield (Ret.) Email & Phone Number

Judge Kleifield is available for mediations, arbitrations, and discovery reference appointments.

Civil Independent Calendar Court, 2011-2016, 2018-2023• Handled unlimited jurisdiction cases assigned directly to the department, including employment, personal injury, business and partnership disputes, unlawful detainer and habitability, lemon law, medical and other professional malpractice, and real estate, among others. Handled cases from beginning to end, including case management conferences, discovery, motions, bench trials, jury trials, post-trial motions, and a variety of other tasks.Asbestos Coordination Judge, 2016-2018• As part of the Complex Civil department, handled asbestos cases for Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. Tasks included case management for hundreds of cases and pre-trial motions, including a heavy calendar of summary judgment motions and jurisdictional and venue motions.Limited Civil Court, 2009-2011• Presided over both court and jury trials, including over 25 jury trials to verdict. Ran master calendar department for six months before assignment to general civil.Criminal Court, 2002-2009• Conducted 85 jury trials and approximately 2,000 preliminary hearings, as well as various motions, including suppression motions.Court-Related Activities: • Member of various Los Angeles Superior Court committees, including executive, technology, civil and small claims, community outreach, rules, and trial jurors. • California Judges Association: member of civil legislation committee; lecturer at Judges College.• Presided over Teen Court, where high school students sit as jurors in misdemeanor cases involving other students; started programs at Fairfax High School and Los Angeles High School.• Presided over high school mock trials sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation.

• Practiced in civil courts throughout Southern California, primarily representing plaintiffs.Law-Related Activities as Attorney:• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Board of Governors for ten years, achieving emeritus status. Taught at numerous CAALA Seminars.• Board of Governors, Los Angeles County Bar Association for four years.• Consumer Attorneys of California, Amicus Curiae Committee.• Conducted 50 arbitrations under the Los Angeles Superior Court’s ADR program.• Coached high school students for mock trials for Constitutional Rights Foundation.

• Practiced in civil courts throughout Southern California, primarily representing plaintiffs.• Licensed and practiced in Los Angeles and other Superior Courts, including Orange, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Riverside; Second and Fourth District Courts of Appeal; California Supreme Court; U.S. District Court, Central District; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals; United States Supreme Court.