Judge Dina Richman

Judge Dina Richman is a relatively new addition to the Los Angeles Superior Court bench, having been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 27, 2023. Her pre-bench career is distinctly rooted in civil litigation and insurance defense, having spent the bulk of her legal career at Cozen O'Connor — first as an associate from 2014 to 2017, then as a partner from 2017 to 2022 — and previously at Sedgwick, another firm with a strong insurance and civil defense orientation. Immediately before her appointment, she served as Corporate Counsel at Farmers Group, Inc. from 2022 to 2023, giving her direct in-house experience on the corporate and insurance carrier side of disputes. This background is highly significant for attorneys appearing before her. Judge Richman brings a sophisticated understanding of insurance coverage disputes, corporate liability, and the practical realities of litigation from both outside and inside counsel perspectives. Attorneys should expect her to be attuned to the business and risk-management dimensions of civil cases, and to have little patience for arguments that ignore commercial realities. Her Cozen O'Connor partnership experience suggests familiarity with complex multi-party litigation, coverage disputes, and motion practice at a high level. Because Judge Richman was appointed in mid-2023, she is still in the early years of her judicial tenure as of 2025. No ruling analyses or attorney observations are currently available in this dataset, which means behavioral patterns must be inferred from her professional background rather than confirmed judicial conduct. The April 2025 Daily Journal profile noting she finds wisdom 'both in court and underwater' suggests a judge who values perspective, patience, and methodical thinking — qualities consistent with both scuba diving and careful judicial deliberation. Attorneys should approach her courtroom with well-organized, substantively rigorous presentations.

Given Judge Richman's deep background in insurance defense and corporate litigation, attorneys on either side of a dispute should anticipate a judge who is highly conversant with coverage arguments, indemnity provisions, and the mechanics of corporate risk allocation. Plaintiffs' attorneys in particular should be prepared to address insurance and damages arguments with precision, as she will likely scrutinize damages theories and causation chains with the skepticism of a seasoned defense practitioner. Defense attorneys should not assume she will be reflexively favorable — her in-house experience at Farmers means she also understands when carriers and corporations overreach or act in bad faith. For motion practice, attorneys should prioritize tight, well-organized briefs that lead with the strongest legal authority and do not bury key arguments in lengthy factual recitations. Her partnership-level experience at a major litigation firm suggests she will have read extensively and will expect counsel to have done the same. Oral argument should be concise and responsive — she is unlikely to be impressed by repetition of briefed arguments and will likely use oral argument to probe weaknesses rather than hear summaries. Given her relative newness to the bench (appointed 2023), attorneys should be respectful of the court's evolving procedures and avoid assuming she has adopted fixed patterns. Check the department's standing orders carefully, comply with all local rules meticulously, and err on the side of over-preparation. Her corporate counsel background also suggests she will value efficiency and professional courtesy between counsel.

• critical

  Review Department Standing Orders Thoroughly

  As a relatively new judge, her department's standing orders and local rules may differ from default LASC procedures. Obtain and review all current standing orders before any appearance to avoid procedural missteps that could undermine credibility.

• critical

  Prepare Rigorous Insurance/Coverage Analysis If Relevant

  If your case involves any insurance, indemnity, or coverage dimension, prepare a thorough and technically precise analysis. Judge Richman will likely engage deeply with these issues and will notice gaps or oversimplifications immediately.

• important

  Organize Briefs with Clear Roadmaps and Headings

  Given her litigation firm background, she is accustomed to well-organized, partner-quality legal writing. Use clear headings, concise argument sections, and lead with your strongest authority. Avoid burying key points in lengthy factual narratives.

• important

  Prepare Concise Oral Argument Outline

  Do not plan to simply re-read your brief at oral argument. Prepare a focused outline that anticipates her likely questions based on the weaknesses in your position, and be ready to engage in substantive dialogue rather than monologue.

• Nice

  Research Cozen O'Connor and Sedgwick Case Types

  Review the types of cases Cozen O'Connor and Sedgwick typically handle (insurance defense, commercial litigation, professional liability) to better understand the legal frameworks and arguments she is most familiar with from her practice years.

• Nice

  Monitor Daily Journal and LASC for Emerging Patterns

  As her tenure grows, rulings and attorney observations will accumulate. Set up monitoring for any published decisions, tentative rulings posted online, or attorney commentary about her courtroom to update your intelligence picture before future appearances.

• ›Arrive early and be fully prepared — her corporate and firm background suggests she values punctuality and professional readiness as baseline expectations, not courtesies.
• ›Address the court formally and avoid overly casual language or tone; her partnership-level background means she will expect the same professional register she maintained in high-stakes firm practice.
• ›Do not interrupt opposing counsel or the court — her methodical background (both legal and, reportedly, in activities requiring patience like scuba diving) suggests she will expect orderly, disciplined courtroom conduct.
• ›Comply strictly with page limits, formatting rules, and filing deadlines; as a former partner and in-house counsel, she understands that procedural compliance reflects respect for the court and opposing parties.
• ›Be prepared to answer questions directly and concisely — avoid evasive or overly hedged responses to bench questions, as she will likely press for clear answers given her litigation background.