Attorney at Law Magazine interviewed former Justice Halim Dahanidina about his career transformations in law enforcement, judiciary and his role as a mediator. Justice Dhanidina discusses his journey into the legal field, his work as deputy district attorney in Los Angeles County and his tenure as judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
AALM Why did you choose a legal career and what were your first steps?
HD When my parents immigrated from Tanzania to the United States, they both went into education. When I was growing, my family did not have any lawyers. I remember that my family was unanimous in their opinion that I should go into law. I think it may have been because I had the reputation of being the most argumentative member of the family. I never questioned it and I went to college thinking that I would go to law school.
I studied five different majors before graduating with a degree from Pomona College in International Relations. My goal was to focus on Public International Law at the University of California Los Angeles. My goal was to work one day for the U.S. Department of State, or United Nations where I could help negotiate peace between parties in conflict.
It was fate that I became a civil litigator after I left the bench, and then a criminal trial lawyer before. After all the years I have spent in the legal system and my various roles, it seems almost poetic that I am now in a position to negotiate agreements between parties who are at odds.
AALMCould share with us some highlights of your experience as a deputy district Attorney for Los Angeles County.
HDAt first, I wanted to be a criminal trial lawyer. But it soon became apparent that I was going to become a prosecutor. The Los Angeles County Public Defenders’ office had not offered me a position when I first interviewed. I was hired by the District Attorney, which was a much more rewarding job than I anticipated.
I was able to evaluate cases fairly and impartially because of my ability to look at cases from both sides. It was both rewarding and sad at times to work in the divisions of hardcore gangs and major crimes. As I learned to deal with people who had suffered unnecessarily, many of them due to the loss of a family member, tragedy was all around. It was a huge responsibility to seek justice for crime victims, and also use the immense power of the government against defendants that often came from great hardship.
AALMWhat was the most important challenge you faced as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court and how did handle it?
HD The transition from advocate and judge was a major challenge to me. I had to learn to not be emotionally invested in the outcomes of the cases that were before me. Good trial lawyers devote themselves to their clients and cases, working at all hours on them and thinking about it the rest of time. Passion is essential to the job. Judges are judged on their ability to put their passion aside. Over time, I learned to focus my passion more on the process than the product.
AALMAs an adjunct professor, what aspect of your work as a teacher and mentor at different law schools is most satisfying to you, and why?
HDI’ve been teaching law at local schools for more than 10 years. My parents instilled a love of education in me, and now I teach at the high school level. I am also a coach of the Orange County School of the Arts’ mock trial team. They are the county champions. It is incredibly rewarding to me to see students learn new things about themselves and the law while gaining trial advocacy skills. It has been very rewarding to have occasional meetings with former students who have told me how my classes have helped them in various careers. I am grateful to have contributed to the success of others. There is no greater feeling.
AALM While on the court, you reviewed more than 1,000 writs of appeal and writs. Would you like to share with us a memorable or significant appeal case which left an impression on you?
HD The cases I heard had a profound impact on the parties who saw the court of appellation as their last stop in a long journey. In one rare instance, I was asked to write a dissenting view. This case concerned the extent to which a arbitrator was required to disclose information about his personal life, if it had any relevance to the case in front of him. I was for a greater degree of disclosure, than was determined by the majority. This made my opinion, in a sense, one of the less significant ones of my tenure as a judge. I still believe that I set a high standard of ethics, which I will continue to do in the next phase of my professional career with Signature Resolution.
AALM Can you tell us more about your involvement in the Asian Pacific American Bar Association and Muslim-Jewish NewGround Boards? What is your contribution to the missions of these organizations?
HD My work with Advancing Justice, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association involved serving communities that have traditionally been underserved as they interact and participate in the legal system. My goal has always been to promote equal rights within the legal system to protect the rights of both individuals and the integrity.
My work with NewGround was also more challenging, and maybe more relevant to my goals as a mediator. NewGround works on the premise that conflict is not a part of human nature, but is instead a choice. To solve seemingly intractable issues, we must first recognize that everyone has the power to find a solution where it is not initially obvious. This requires hard work and the desire to look at a problem differently. These organizations inspire me both personally and professionally.
AALM What are the most important lessons that you have learned in your legal and judicial career, and how does this inform your approach to justice and your decisions?
HDI’m constantly reminded how our justice system fails to live up to our ideals. This can have catastrophic consequences for the individual and undermine public confidence in a system that is already struggling to maintain faith. Our justice system is similar to a young child in so many ways. It is worthy of our admiration and love, but that’s not the hard part. If you love and admire only your child, they may not survive. It’s also important to devote the time, effort, and sacrifice required to maintain our justice system.
AALM How do you envision the legal profession changing in the next few years? What trends or developments will you say have the greatest impact on the future of the legal profession?
HD Access to justice is an important challenge. A growing number of people are unable to access the justice system because they lack time and resources. This is not the way to sustain democracy. We must continue to look for ways to resolve disputes that are not based on the courts. They have increasingly become incapable of providing the due process which is the foundation of our democracy. I anticipate that self-help methods and other alternative dispute resolution techniques will continue to take up the slack, making mediation more accessible.
AALMWhat advice do you have for someone considering a legal career or just beginning out?
HDI advise newcomers to the profession of law to be self-aware. They should always consider how their work affects or threatens the values and mental health of themselves. It’s still just a job at the end of it all. It’s also important that new lawyers or those who are aspiring to become lawyers have an open mind about their future career. It’s okay for a lawyer to have a career that takes unexpected turns based on changing circumstances. I am living proof.
AALMTell me a bit about your life away from the office.
HDI’m passionate about arts education and the arts, because I think it enriches our lives and promotes what we are all best at. It is for this reason that I support my children in their pursuit of careers in performing arts, and I am very involved in their school.
The article Halim dhanidina – A journey through law, justice and mediation first appeared on Attorney at Law Magazine.