Hon. Laura Stuart Taylor

Bio

Hon. Laura S. Taylor is a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of California, appointed in January 2008. She ended a seven-year term as Chief Judge in October 2019. In January 2013, Judge Taylor was appointed to a seven-year term on the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel; she was reappointed Dec. 31, 2019, and concluded her service on December 31, 2022. From August 2019 to July 2022, she served as Chief Judge. In March 2019, Judge Taylor was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. She served as the Conference Chair for the 2012 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and as Program Chair for the 2011 Conference. She previously served on the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Judges Education Committee and the Ninth Circuit Pro Se Committee. She also served on the Federal Judicial Center?s Chief Judge Education Committee. Judge Taylor actively participates in educational programs in the area of bankruptcy law and most recently participated in programs spon- sored by the American College of Bankruptcy, the Federal Judicial Center, the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, the San Diego County Bar Association, the San Diego Bankruptcy Forum, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and the State Bar of California. She also provides legal education to judges and lawyers in Brazil as a guest lecturer, via Zoom, at Pontifica Universidae Católica Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, and at programs sponsored by the Brazilian National School of Judges. Judge Taylor is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, and previously served as chair and a member of the U.S. Trustee Liaison Committee. She also is a Master in the Louis M. Welsh Inn of the American Inns of Court. From 1983-95 and from 1998-2007, Judge Taylor was an associate and partner at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, where she practiced in its Finance and Bankruptcy practice group. From June 2005 to November 2007, she served as the San Diego office?s Administrative Partner. From January 1995 to February 1998, Judge Taylor practiced pro bono law. She was the founder of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program?s Special Education Project, which provided pro bono legal services to disabled foster youth and low income families with disabled children. In connection with her pro bono service, she received the San Diego Bar Association?s Public Service Award for 1996, the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program?s Attorney of the Year Award for 1997 and the State Bar President?s Pro Bono Service Award for 1997. Judge Taylor received her B.A. with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. with honors from Duke University.

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