Richard Y. Lee

The Honorable Richard Y. Lee is a Lecturer at the UCI School of Law, concurrently serving as a Superior Court Judge in Orange County, California. He was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2010 and holds the distinction of being Orange County's first Korean-American judge. His judicial roles include presiding over unlimited civil matters, criminal proceedings, juvenile cases, and appellate matters. Previously, he served as Supervising Judge of the West Justice Center (2015–2018) and contributed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a federal prosecutor for over a decade, focusing on national security and criminal prosecutions.

Lee’s academic and professional background includes employment litigation at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky, & Walker LLP, judicial clerkships, and teaching at UCI Law, where he instructs courses like Advanced Trial Advocacy and Mock Trial. He earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Active in judicial education, Lee serves on California’s Judicial Branch Access Ethics and Fairness Curriculum Committee and trains judges on ethics and orientation. His accolades reflect his impactful career, including awards for judicial excellence. He participates in numerous court committees and the Constitutional Rights Foundation’s Judicial Advisory Board.

Lee’s expertise spans criminal justice, national security law, and trial advocacy, with a commitment to legal education and ethical practice.