Board of Trustees Selects Laura Enderton-Speed as Executive Director of the State Bar

Board of Trustees Selects Laura Enderton-Speed as Executive Director of the State Bar

On the first day of its two-day meeting, the Board of Trustees announced its appointment of Laura Enderton-Speed as the State Bar's next Executive Director. Enderton-Speed is currently the director of the Leadership Support Services Office at the Judicial Council of California.

"The Board is thrilled with this selection for the next State Bar Executive Director," said outgoing Board Chair Brandon Stallings and incoming Chair José Cisneros in a joint statement. "Laura's exceptional leadership and extensive experience in policy development and legislative advocacy, as well as her law school professor credentials, will serve us well. She has demonstrated a steadfast belief in our public protection mission."

The selection of Enderton-Speed followed a comprehensive search conducted by Bob Murray & Associates under the direction of Valerie Phillips. The search yielded a diverse applicant pool, with Enderton-Speed emerging as the most qualified candidate, leading to a unanimous vote for her appointment by those present at Thursday's Board meeting.

"I am honored by the Board's support and excited to serve as the State Bar's next Executive Director," Enderton-Speed said. "Throughout my career in public service, I have worked to strengthen trust in government and advance fairness, accountability, and transparency. I look forward to bringing that experience to the State Bar in service of its vital mission to protect the public and ensure meaningful access to justice for all Californians."

Enderton-Speed has been at the Judicial Council since 2013, serving as the supervising attorney of governmental affairs before being appointed director of the Leadership Support Services Office in July 2018. She has previously served as the governmental relations and legislative officer for the County of Sacramento, the division chief in the Office of Stakeholder Relations at the California Public Employees Retirement System, the deputy chief of external affairs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and a policy consultant at the California State Senate. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law and California State University, Sacramento. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science from San Jose State University and her juris doctorate from McGeorge School of Law.

"I thank Laura for her outstanding leadership at the Judicial Council, where she made a lasting impact on the administration of justice and earned the respect of her colleagues across the state," said Michelle Curran, Judicial Council Administrative Director. "Laura's experience and deep commitment to public service-including her prior work with the state Legislature-will serve her well. We are proud to see her step into this important new role as Executive Director of the State Bar of California, and we look forward to continuing our work together in her new capacity."

The Board also reappointed George Cardona by a unanimous vote among all Trustees present as its Chief Trial Counsel, a position he has held since October 2021. Under Cardona's leadership, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel has prioritized disciplinary cases against lawyers who put the public most at risk, implemented reforms to ensure thorough scrutiny of repeat offenders, implemented a diversion program to address low-level offenses by lawyers who do not pose a significant risk of public harm, and completed a major internal reorganization to streamline case handling and strengthen focus on key areas such as client trust accounts and immigration-related violations, which has led to faster average investigation times and reductions in the age of the disciplinary case inventory.

Per Senate Bill 40, the 2024 Licensee Fee Bill, the State Bar's Executive Director appointment joins the Senate's protocol for the Chief Trial Counsel position. As such, they are subject to confirmation by the California Senate.

Enderton-Speed is anticipated to start on November 3, 2025.

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The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.