For over 30 years, Judge Joan Lewis has been committed to serving the legal community with compassion, deference, and toughness. During her 20-year judicial career as a Superior Court Judge, she spent five years in the Family Law Division and then presided over a Civil Independent Calendar for the last 15 years until her retirement. Throughout her time on the bench, she handled a multitude of settlement conferences in both the Civil and Family Law divisions. Prior to her appointment, Judge Lewis tried civil cases in private practice for 10 years, focused on representing healthcare professionals in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Judge Lewis has been consistently active in leadership positions on judicial committees, including serving on the court’s Executive Committee and as chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee. She has received numerous awards, including the Friend of the Community Award by the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association in recognition of her commitment to LGBTQ rights and, most recently, the Witkin Award for excellence in the practice of law and advancing access to justice.

Judge Lewis is well known for her thoughtful and fair command of the courtroom. A true people person, she is empathetic and compassionate while maintaining a position of neutrality. While there were many who did not want to see her leave the bench, it is a testament to her abilities and the amount of immense respect the legal community holds for her to see that she is being actively sought out as a neutral in the private sector.

Practice Areas
  • All Types of Medical Negligence
  • Business/Contractual
  • Catastrophic Personal Injury
  • Class Action
  • Employment
  • Family Law
Hobbies & Interests

In her spare time, Judge Lewis enjoys theatre, travel, tennis, and overall physical fitness activities.

Legal Career
  • Neutral, Judicate West (2019-Present)
  • Judge, Superior Court of San Diego County (1998-2018); Family Law Division (1998-2003); Civil Independent Calendar Judge (2003-2018) Civil Independent Calendar, Assistant Supervising Judge
  • Attorney and Partner, handling civil matters with a focus on medical malpractice, Lewis-Brisbois (1990-1998)
  • Attorney, Ault Deuprey (1987-1990)
Education & Professional Affiliations
  • J.D., California Western School of Law (1984 -1987)
  • B.S., Arizona State University (1980)
  • San Diego Superior Court Executive Committee, Member
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL), Judicial Advisory Board
  • California Judges Association (CJA), Executive Committee
  • Wallace Inns of Court, San Diego, CA, Master (2017-Present)
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee, Chair
Achievements & Awards
  • Recipient, San Diego Defense Lawyers’ Bench and Bar Honoree (2019)
  • Recipient, Bernard E. Witkin, Esq. Award for Excellence in the Adjudication of Law (2017)
  • Recipient, Friend of the Community Award, Tom Homann LGBT Law Association (2014)
  • Co-Author with Heather Hanson, John Gross, Steven Garfin, M.D., “Legal Implications and Strategies for Managing Complications in Spinal Surgery,” Book Chapter: “Complications of Pediatric and Adult Surgery” (2004)
Below is a sampling of the various matters Hon. Joan M. Lewis, Ret. presided over on the bench, tried as an attorney, or handled as a neutral.

Consumer Class Action

  • Mediated a nationwide class action case regarding violations of the False Advertising Laws and Automatic Renewal Law.

Breach of Contract

  • Mediated a dispute in which an employee was accused of breach of duty of loyalty, conversion, misappropriation of confidential business information, and data theft.

PAGA

  • Mediated an employment case alleging pregnancy discrimination of a teacher at a religious school with class action and PAGA wage and hour claims. The issues included ministerial exceptions/ immunity defenses in state and federal laws.

Sexual Harassment

  • Mediated a sexual harassment case involving three single women with children.

Whistleblower Wrongful Term

  • Mediated a whistleblower/ retaliation case.

Family Law Issues

  • Handled numerous settlement conferences during Judge Lewis’s five-year tenure in the Family Law division.

Employment Issues

  • Mediated a case involving a malicious prosecution, defamation and interference with prospective economic damages by an attorney against a NFL player.

Medical

  • Tried civil cases for 10 years in private practice prior to her appointment, with a focus on representing healthcare professionals in medical malpractice lawsuits.
  • Mediated a case invlolving the wrongful death of a middle-aged woman who underwent a liposuction procedure resulting in perforations of the bowel and an ultimately death.

Real Property

  • Mediated a case where the plaintiff, a public entity, was gifted a high-end property that they want to sell.

Elder Abuse

  • Mediated a pre-litigation case involving elder neglect and abuse with a resident elopement.

General Negligence

  • Handled a multitude of settlement conferences during her time on the bench, involving a wide range of personal injury disputes.
  • Mediated a significant bullying case with the distibution through various electronic means.
  • Mediated a case involving wrongful death and elder neglect/abuse, including a sudden cardiac arrest of a resident in a skilled nursing facility.

PI Auto

  • Mediated numerous personal injury cases, encompassing a wide range of incidents such as auto accidents, slip and falls, premises liability, assault and battery, sexual assault, and wrongful death.

Premises Liability

  • Mediated a strict liability case against a bike manufaturer and a distibuter that resulted in catastrophic injuries.

Wrongful Death

  • Mediated a dispute involving the death of an individual known to the defendant to have dementia, who was residing in an independent living facility and was later found deceased outside the property.
Judge Lewis went above and beyond. This matter would have never been settled without her.
- Attorney on a Neighbor Dispute Case
Judge Lewis boiled down the dispute to its essential elements, addressed those head-on, and pushed firmly for a realistic resolution. The different Zoom rooms worked effectively and we were able to communicate efficiently.
- Attorney on a Commerical Employment Sexual Harassment Case
She did a great job with this case especially in light of the COVID restrictions and issues we all faced. Her great temperament and level-headed guidance set the stage for this matter to resolve sooner rather than later which was in the best interest of everyone.
- Attorney on an Employment Wrongful Termination Case
Judge Lewis is an excellent mediator. I like her style and approach. She worked very hard to get this difficult case settled.
- Attorney on a Business/Contractual Case
Judge Lewis was exceptional at wrangling our unruly plaintiffs and the obstinate defendants. She had obviously read all of the materials and had a thorough understanding of the case. Her command of the facts showed the clients she understood their positions, giving them a clear preview of what would happen at trial. Judge Lewis' approach gave the parties realistic expectations that miraculously settled the case at 7 PM on a Friday!
- Founding Partner at a San Diego-based Firm
Judge Lewis went above and beyond to get us a pre-litigation settlement that my clients could live with. She handled difficult and awkward factual allegations with grace and discretion.
- Employment Litigation Super Lawyer with over 30 years of experience
She explained the process clearly to my client and did a good job listening to my client’s concerns.
- Attorney on a Personal Injury Auto Case
Judge Lewis did an excellent job bringing the parties to a settlement in a matter that had very sensitive issues and very disparate views on what the facts were. She saved both sides from a long, grueling litigation path that neither would have been happy to go down. Judge Lewis is an extremely capable mediator.
- Attorney on an Employment Sexual Harassment Case
Hon. Joan M. Lewis, Ret.
Based in San Diego | Available in All of California
Case Manager: Calina Gercke