Shirley Hom, Serena Sueyoshi, Judge Sueyoshi, Judge Michael Virga (Ret.), and Debbie Virga (2002)
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION Rick Sueyoshi was born in San Francisco of Japanese parents. His mother, born in Japan, knew little English resulting in Sueyoshi becoming conversational in Japanese. His father, born in Hawaii, was a mechanic at San Francisco Airport. Sueyoshi was raised in a traditional Asian family in the 70’s in which high grades at school were of the utmost importance. As Sueyoshi puts it, “as far as my parents were concerned, my brother and I had ‘multiple’ career choices – that is, we could become a doctor or an engineer.” Being the family’s “rebel,” Sueyoshi’s interest in the law began on his high school’s mock trial team. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Sueyoshi attended law school at the University of Utah. Sueyoshi says that, during law school, “for the first time, I experienced the interworking of a court from the bench point of view while externing for the Utah Supreme Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.” Although at that time, he had no intention of someday becoming a judge, these experiences would serve him well through his career. DIVERSITY CHAMPION AND LEADERSHIP Upon graduation from law school, Sueyoshi joined the largest firm in the Sacramento region, Downey Brand LLP. The firm proved to be a good home for the young attorney as he was mentored by many, including Steve Meyer, Bill Warne, and Judge Judy Hersher while she was also with the firm. He learned his craft well and became a skilled business and commercial litigator, becoming a partner and spending all of his years as an attorney at one firm. Former managing partner, Steve Meyer, found Sueyoshi to be “a skilled and thoughtful attorney – someone who found, and would find, great success as an attorney. But he also had a strong interest in community and the lives of people. That he became a judge was no surprise, and the Bar and our community is fortunate
that we have someone with his talent on the bench.” As hiring partner, Sueyoshi also became a champion for diversity at the firm, working towards hiring a highly-qualified, inclusive, and diversified workforce to enhance the firm’s service to its clients and the Sacramento region. Attorney Jeri Paik notes that Sueyoshi “devoted countless hours in serving on the SCBA Diversity Hiring and Retention Committee, as he mentored students with their career paths and personal issues.” As Judge Hersher observes, “Judge Sueyoshi has been a staunch supporter of every minority bar and numerous individual efforts to advance the fair and equitable administration of the law and justice for all.” He truly was and continues to be a role model and inspiration to all young lawyers. Although he was a busy attorney, Sueyoshi found very few occasions to say “no” when asked to assist community and bar organizations. To name a few, he began as a board member of the Sacramento Barristers’ Club. Later, he chaired the Sacramento County Bar Association’s Nominating Committee and served for years on the Judiciary Committee. He has been a member of the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court and served on the boards of the Sacramento Asian/Pacific Chamber of Commerce and its scholarship foundation. He served as President of the Asian Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento and as a Regional Governor and Vice President of Membership for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). Given his service to the community and accomplishments as an attorney, NAPABA nationally recognized Sueyoshi as a “Best Lawyer under 40.” SERVICE ON THE BENCH While very happy at his law firm, Sueyoshi eventually sought appointment to the bench with the encouragement of then Presiding Justice Art Scotland, Judge Russell Hom, and
Ruthe Ashley, Judge Sueyoshi, and Serena Sueyoshi (2002)
www.sacbar.org | September/October 2018 | SACRAMENTO LAWYER | 1918~2018 CENTENNIAL
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