Hon. Stephanie Bowick (Ret.)

Hon. Stephanie Bowick (Ret). brings 34 years of experience and a dynamic legal career to her roles as mediator, arbitrator, and judicial & discovery referee at Signature Resolution. Known for her patience, fairness, intellectual approach, and ability to manage complex cases with professionalism and clarity, Judge Bowick is a trusted choice for parties seeking resolution across a wide range of civil disputes.​

As a neutral, Judge Bowick will always strive to be measured, have an empathetic approach, and facilitate constructive dialogue. Her experience on the bench and as a civil litigator makes her particularly adept at identifying key issues, building rapport with the parties, and guiding them toward resolution with efficiency and respect. Judge Bowick has a unique knowledge base on a broad range of subject areas and insight into the perspectives of plaintiffs and defendants. ​

Appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 2009, Judge Bowick served with distinction for 15 ½ years on the bench. Her assignments included the Civil Division for 12 years at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, where she presided over a wide range of subject matters, including complex business litigation, employment, real estate, insurance/bad faith, professional liability, and personal injury. After leaving a Personal Injury Trial Court assignment, for the last 10 years, Judge Bowick was assigned an Independent Calendar Court, Unlimited Jurisdiction, where she managed thousands of cases from the filing of the initial complaint, through all phases of the life of the case, including law and motion, trial, post-trial, and post-judgment. ​

While on the bench, two of her rulings led to significant published decisions. These include Siry Investment, L.P. v. Saeed Farkhondehpour, et al. (2020) 45 Cal. App. 5th 1098. This decision addressed the scope of Penal Code section 496(c) as it applies to civil theft involving fraudulent diversion of partnership funds. Review was granted by the California Supreme Court in Siry Investment, L.P. v. Saeed Farkhondehpour, et al., (2022) 13 Cal. 5th 333. In addition, the Court of Appeal affirmed Judge Bowick’s ruling in Harmony Gold U.S.A. v. County of Los Angeles, et al. (2019) 31 Cal. App. 5th 820, concerning property taxes and the assessment appeals process. ​

Before her judicial appointment, Judge Bowick developed a broad and balanced legal background spanning over 18 years through a combination of public service and private practice, representing both plaintiffs and defendants.​

After earning her Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, she began her career as a litigation associate at Mills & Schroeder, an insurance defense firm. She went on to later serve as a litigation associate at Barrack, Rodos & Bacine, representing plaintiffs in complex class action litigation in federal and state court. ​

Judge Bowick’s desire to obtain trial experience led her into public service work, including positions as a criminal prosecutor with the San Diego City Attorney’s Office and as a litigator in the civil division of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.  In addition, from 2001 to 2009, she served as an Assistant General Counsel for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest public school system. In that position, she represented the District in civil litigation and administrative hearings, as well as mediations, and advised on many areas of the law, including labor and employment, education law, contracts, and criminal law.​

​Judge Bowick has completed mediation training at Pepperdine University’s prestigious Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, earning certificates for Negotiation Skills and STAR Mediation Strategies.

A proud graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Judge Bowick began her legal journey while in college, working part-time as a receptionist at the Law Offices of James A. Dumas, a formative experience that helped shape her work ethic and passion for the law.  She regularly returns to the UCLA School of Law to speak to law students as a guest lecturer.