Former bar president Herman named to bench

A former State Bar president has been named a superior court judge, and a current bar board member has been sworn in as president of the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL).

Former President James E. Herman of Santa Barbara was appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger to a vacant superior court judgeship in Santa Maria. The 59-year-old Herman served on the board of governors from 1999-2002 and as State Bar president from 2002-03.

He has practiced business litigation in Santa Barbara for 20 years and previously was a deputy public defender for Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara counties. He has served on the Judicial Council of California and also on the board of directors of the Foundation of the State Bar of California. Two years ago, he received the Judicial Council’s Bernard E. Witkin Award, for his untiring efforts to secure more funding for the state’s courts.

Demetrius Shelton of Berkeley, who currently represents District 3 on the State Bar board, was sworn in last month as president of CABL. Shelton, 39, specializes in public safety issues and serves as lead attorney to the code enforcement division in the Oakland City Attorney’s office. He was elected to the bar board in 2003 and will serve as a vice president of the board in the coming year.

A public board member, Richard A. Rubin of Mill Valley, has been elected a trustee of his Ohio alma mater, Kenyon College.