SDLRLA to Honor Judge Montenegro and Luis Céspedes at Annual Reception

The San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association (SDLRLA) will honor two distinguished leaders in California's legal community at its 17th Annual Judiciary Reception on July 30, 2026, recognizing their outstanding contributions to justice, public service, and community leadership. The annual reception, one of the region's premier gatherings of legal professionals, judges, law students, and community leaders, draws approximately 350 attendees each year. The event celebrates the judiciary's contributions and reaffirms the legal community's commitment to equality, diversity, and justice.

This year's honorees are U.S. District Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro and Luis Céspedes, Judicial Appointments Secretary for Governor Gavin Newsom. Judge Bermudez Montenegro will be recognized for her distinguished service to the law, education, and the communities of Imperial and San Diego counties. Born and raised in California's Imperial Valley, Judge Bermudez Montenegro is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2022, she serves as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of California. Before her appointment to the federal bench, she served as the sole United States Magistrate Judge in Imperial County, becoming the first woman to hold that position. She also spearheaded the “El Centro Project,” which expanded federal criminal defense representation opportunities for attorneys in Imperial County and improved access to legal services for indigent defendants. She currently serves in several leadership roles within the federal judiciary, including Chair of the Ninth Circuit Criminal Law Committee.

SDLRLA will also present its inaugural Service to the Bench and Community Award to Luis Céspedes. Appointed in 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom as Judicial Appointments Secretary, Céspedes has dedicated his career to public service and the legal profession. Raised in Santa Maria, California, he began advocating for farmworkers as a teenager before earning degrees from Occidental College and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. His work has helped shape California's judiciary and expand opportunities for underrepresented communities within the legal profession. For more information, visit www.judiciaryreception.com.