Breakfast at the Bar: Civility in the Courtroom and in the Practice of Law

At Boies Schiller Flexner, Mackenzie's practice has focused on complex civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on entertainment and intellectual property disputes, complex environmental matters, and legal malpractice claims. She has also handled a variety of white collar criminal defense matters. She has been a partner at firm since 2017, and before that was a partner at Caldwell, Leslie & Proctor, which merged with Boies Schiller Flexner in 2017.

“Alison has been a valued colleague and friend for nearly 12 years,” said Chris Caldwell, the Administrative Partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office. “She has been a key member of our team and will be greatly missed by her friends at the firm and her clients. We are pleased to support her transition into public service and confident that she will make an excellent, fair-minded judge,” Caldwell said.

Mackenzie served as a law clerk for the Hon. Dean Pregerson at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, from 2005 to 2006. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University.

As managing partner in the firm's Los Angeles and San Diego offices, Mike Madokoro is a highly sought after trial attorney, with experience defending the world's largest automotive and product manufacturers in high-exposure product liability litigation. Mike's clients have taken advantage of his trial and litigation skills, relying on him to manage national discovery programs.

With more than 28 years of experience, Mike has developed a wide range of product liability litigation experience, including cases involving everything from automobiles, forklifts, personal watercraft, guardrails, material handling equipment, elevators and escalators to electrical equipment.

In addition to his product liability practice, Mike has defended against allegations of premises liability, toxic tort liability, chemical exposure, employment, wrongful termination, qui tam claims, and breach of contract and fraud involving the sale of a large manufacturing process.

Mike is also adept at discovery issues and has developed proficiency in navigating his clients' ESI in litigation. He is a frequent presenter and moderator on the topic. Mike is also active in the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Presiding Judge Daniel J. Buckley was appointed to the Los Angeles bench in 2002 by Governor Gray Davis. He became the supervising judge of the civil courts in 2012 after serving as the assistant supervising judge. In January 2015 he became Assistant Presiding Judge and in January 2017 he became Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Judge Buckley has more than 14 years’ experience as a judge with assignments in criminal, limited and general jurisdiction civil, and probate cases.

Judge Buckley served on the CJA Ethics Committee. He teaches regularly for the Judicial Council’s Center for Judicial Education and Research on ethics, civil law, jury instructions and computer skills for judges. He also serves as an adjunct professor at University of Southern California, University of Notre Dame and Loyola Law School. Prior to his appointment, he worked for 22 years in private practice.

In 1995, Phillips became a United States Magistrate Judge of the Central District of California. On January 26, 1999, Phillips was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, to a seat vacated by William Matthew Byrne Jr. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 10, 1999, and received her commission on November 15, 1999. Phillips has served as Chief Judge since July 1, 2016.

Kevin C. Brazile is a Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court and he was appointed to the court by Governor Gray Davis in December, 2002. On October 1, 2007 he was assigned to the Los Angeles Superior Court (Mosk Courthouse) and at the present time he remains at the Mosk Courthouse. Since January 1, 2008, he has been assigned to a general civil (unlimited) calendar where he conducts jury and non-jury trials and hears law and motion matters. His caseload consists primarily of employment discrimination, negligence, breach of contract, asbestos actions, and general tort actions. He has also done limited jurisdiction civil jury and non-jury trials, including unlawful detainer actions, from August 2006 - September 2007. He has done misdemeanor jury trials from January, 2003 to September 2007 and he has done felony jury trials since 2007. Judge Brazile has also been the site judge of the West Covina Superior Court where he handled criminal trials, felony preliminary hearings , and arraignments. He has also been assigned to the El Monte Superior Court where he handled criminal trials, arraignments and felony preliminary hearings. While assigned to the Glendale Superior Court from August 2006 to September 2007, he handled a limited jurisdiction civil calendar and performed jury trials, and on an overflow basis he also conducted unlimited jurisdiction civil jury trials. At the Glendale Court he also heard both misdemeanor and felony jury trials as well as felony preliminary hearings. In September 2008, he was appointed to a three year term on the Executive Board of the California Judges Association (CJA), and in June, 2009, he was elected for a one year term by the Executive Board members as one of two Vice Presidents of the California Judges Association(CJA). In 2009, he was appointed to a three year term on the Judicial Council’s Civil Advisory Committee. Prior to his appointment to the bench Judge Brazile was a civil trial attorney for the Los Angeles County Counsel’s office from 1984 to 2002. Judge Brazile received his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), from UCLA (Cum Laude) in 1980 and is also a graduate of the UCLA School of Law (1983).