Victoria Kolakowski

Victoria Kolakowski serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco. She made history as the first openly transgender trial court judge of general jurisdiction when elected in Alameda County, California in 2010. Her work focuses on ensuring access to justice, and she represents the California Council of Churches on the California Access to Justice Commission.

Her research interests include LGBT legal issues, particularly transgender rights in judicial systems, and mechanisms for improving access to justice for marginalized communities. She served as president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges (2015-2017) and has spoken internationally on LGBT legal matters.

Professor Kolakowski has received numerous honors including the 2019 State of California Woman of the Year award and the Alameda County Bar Association's Distinguished Service Award.