Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed prominent Los Angeles attorney, Rickey Ivie to the Commission on Judicial Performance. Newsom made the announcement on May 27.
In this position, Ivie will serve as one of 11 commission members responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct and judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges. According to ca.gov, the commission’s jurisdiction includes all judges of California’s superior courts and the justices of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
“I am honored that the Governor thought me worthy of an appointment to this distinguished and important commission,” said Ivie, a director and founding member of the multicultural law firm, Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs (IMW).
“The Commission on Judicial Performance is an important institution in upholding the rule that no one, not even judges, are above the law. I look forward to serving the people of our state as a commissioner to the very best of my ability,” he said.
Long heralded for his commitment to diversity, Ivie leads one of the largest African American-owned law firms in the United States. IMW is renowned for successfully litigating some of the toughest cases on the West Coast, resulting in favorable results for its clients.
As a veteran trial lawyer, Ivie handles a range of legal cases related to personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights violations, contract disputes, trademark, copyright, corporate and commercial litigation. Also, he has experience conducting a multitude of jury and court trials, including precedent-setting cases that have changed the practice of law and improved the lives of millions of people.
Underscoring his success is his deep commitment and sincere joy in helping people. Describing his career as “a privilege and opportunity to serve others on a daily basis,” Ivie said he focuses on “making sure that services are available to all areas of the community regardless of race or social status of his clients.” He is also reputed to work hard to earn the trust of his clients and relentlessly fighting for their desired outcomes.
Ivie earned both his undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees at the University of California, Los Angeles. For more than decade, he served as board chairman of the UCLA Black Alumni Association, where he advocated for diversity in the student body and raised funds for scholarships for African Americans.
A member of the State Bar of California, Ivie has also been admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. His extensive career experience has led to frequent invitations to present on topics such as ethics, effective fee agreements, interacting with judges and opening a law office at State Bar of California events.
In addition, he has been recognized with several commendations including induction into the John M. Langston Bar Association Hall of Fame, the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce’s Lawyer of the Year Award, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Drum Major Award. Other honors he has received are the UCLA Black Alumni’s Jackie Robinson Trailblazer of the Year Award, the Jean D. Burke Foundation’s Award for Community Support and named a finalist for the L.A. Business Journal’s Leaders in Law Award.
Ivie holds memberships and affiliations with the Consumer Attorneys of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the National Bar Association. Also, he serves as a board member for the CAM Foundation, The Brotherhood Crusade and Alliance College – Ready Public Schools Foundation.
