Former Justice Arguelles Will Join L.A. Firm

Former Justice John A. Arguelles, who retired from the state Supreme Court last spring, will join a Los Angeles law firm in November, it was announced.

Arguelles, 62 and a resident of Irvine, will become associated with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, working primarily out of the firm’s Newport Center office in Newport Beach.

Firm officials said Arguelles will serve as an adviser in both trial and appellate level cases, reviewing written briefs and participating in legal strategy, and help in the development of programs to settle disputes outside of court, such as mediation and private judging.

Arguelles, who was only the second Latino member of the high court, also will take on a role in the firm’s minority recruitment program, and represent the firm in dealings with Bar associations, law schools and community organizations, an official of the law firm said.

Still Working on Cases

Since formally stepping down from the court in March, Arguelles, by special appointment, has continued to complete work on cases in which he had been participating before his retirement. Last week, for example, he joined the court majority in a ruling limiting racial challenges to jury compositions and dissented in another case restricting a teacher union’s use of non-member dues for political activities.

It is expected that he will finish his high court assignment on or about Nov. 1, and will join Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher at that time.

Arguelles has been a judge for 25 years, serving on the Municipal, Superior and Appeals court bench before he was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 1987 by Gov. George Deukmejian.