Finalist to Succeed Hufford : Superior Court ‘Diplomat’ Has Eye on Higher Office

For Frank Zolin, executive officer of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, running one of the largest trial courts in the country is a lot like running a city.

Zolin, one of five finalists for the job of county chief administrative officer to succeed Harry L. Hufford, is the principal administrative adviser to the 206 Superior Court judges and manages the court’s non-judicial activities.

“It’s kind of like being a city manager,” Zolin said, noting that the $100-million budget he administers is greater than the budgets of most of Los Angeles County’s incorporated cities.

Last month, the Board of Supervisors approved a merger of the county clerk’s office and the Superior Court’s executive office, putting Zolin in charge of the expanded department.

In addition to holding the county clerk title, Zolin, 52, is now responsible for hiring 2,000 employees and is expected to represent the court in negotiations with the Board of Supervisors, the Legislature, labor unions and community organizations.

“He’s referred to as a leader around here,” said Thomas Johnson, presiding judge of the Superior Court. “He’s very innovative. You have to have social and diplomatic skills to get along with 206 judges.”

Administrative Pioneer

Appointed to the position 15 years ago by a majority of the judges, Zolin is a pioneer in the judicial administration field.

“It’s becoming a rapidly growing field,” Zolin said, noting that there are about 500 court administrators in state and federal judicial systems, compared to only about a dozen in 1969.

He said the Los Angeles Superior Court was the first court in the country to establish an executive officer position in 1958.

“I was in at the ground floor,” Zolin said. “I’m one of the pioneers in the field.”

Zolin, the county’s third executive officer of the court, was hired as an assistant to the first court administrator, Ed Gallas.

“When I went to college, there were no court administration courses, only public administration,” Zolin said. “Now, students can get master’s degrees in court management.”

Early Career

Zolin’s professional career began in 1957 when he worked in the Pasadena city manager’s office. Before serving as court administrator, Zolin worked for the county’s chief administrative officer, in charge of management audits, and served as assistant chief of the budget division.

In 1969, he accepted an appointment as administrative deputy of the county Department of Public Social Services and was responsible for finance and personnel administration.

He said he applied for the CAO job because it would be a “natural extension” of the work he has been doing for the last several years.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to take up the issue of choosing a chief administrative officer in about three weeks.