After eight years with the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC), Manjari Chawla was appointed hearing judge for the State Bar Court. Selected by the Supreme Court of California, Chawla will serve a six-year term beginning November 1, 2018.

Chawla was JDC’s supervising attorney of the Federal Pro Bono Project. The Project is a partnership with the United States District Court, Northern District of California.

The Honorable Edward G. Chen, United States District Judge, said “the Court is deeply appreciative of Ms. Chawla’s incredible stewardship of our Federal Pro Bono Project. She has led the effort to enhance resources available to pro se litigants. She also assisted with establishing similar programs in other federal district courts throughout the nation. Her vision, leadership, organization, energy and dedication to access to justice will be greatly missed, but we are pleased that she will be in a position to apply her intellect and talent to the important position as State Bar judge.”

The Federal Pro Bono Project assists self-represented litigants, by providing pro bono attorneys to represent them, and through Legal Help Centers in San Francisco and Oakland. Ms. Chawla’s oversight of pro bono assignments and legal advice guiding pro se litigants helped thousands of people access justice. She came to JDC with a public service background, having provided legal counsel for immigrant communities, labor unions and workers after graduating from Yale University and U.C. Berkeley School of Law.