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Hon. Jay C. Gandhi (Ret.) served for eight years as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California. Judge Gandhi was a highly sought-after settlement judge and was hailed by colleagues and counsel as a “closer.” Judge Gandhi strategically and tirelessly brokered deals in seemingly intractable disputes, often where prior settlement attempts were unsuccessful. Judge Gandhi was also an active, hands-on trial judge known for his impartiality and fairness. Judge Gandhi presided over a broad range of contentious and complicated civil cases.
Judge Gandhi has received a number of awards for his leadership in the law and his dedication to public service, including the Judicial Trailblazer Award, the Benjamin Aranda III Judge of the Year Award, and the Judicial Excellence and Public Service Award.
Judge Gandhi served as the Vice-Chair of the Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, which oversaw the Central District of California’s ADR program and its mediation panel of over 200 neutrals. Judge Gandhi is also a former Co-Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section.
Judge Gandhi is a frequent speaker and writer. Judge Gandhi regularly speaks about best practices in trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution, including on behalf of the American Bar Association, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and the Federal Bar Association. He also has several publications to his credit.
Before his appointment to the federal bench, Judge Gandhi was a partner at Paul Hastings LLP. Judge Gandhi spent 12 years litigating high-profile, high-dollar commercial cases and MDL/class actions in a variety of state and federal jurisdictions across the country. Judge Gandhi also represented companies, boards and committees, typically under crisis management conditions, in sensitive internal investigations, compliance-related issues and regulatory and criminal proceedings.
Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Judge Gandhi was a law clerk to United States District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt of the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. Judge Gandhi received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, graduating Order of the Coif.
Notable comments include:
“Judge Gandhi … is one of the best settlement judges in – if not the best, in the Central District.”
-Hon. Josephine L. Staton, U.S. District Court
“He is one of the best magistrates for settlement. … He is excellent. He will get it done for you.”
-Almanac of the Federal Judiciary
“Gandhi is notorious for engaging in marathon settlement discussions that can occasionally go into the wee hours of the morning…”
-Los Angeles Daily Journal, Judicial Profile