2026 State of the District Luncheon Honors Civility and Professionalism
On October 13, 202, more than 150 members of the legal community gathered at the Westin Gaslamp Quarter for the 2026 State of the District and Hon. David H. Bartick Award Luncheon. Attendees heard updates from judges across the Southern District of California, the Bankruptcy Court, and the Ninth Circuit, and honored this year’s recipient of the Hon. David H. Bartick Award for Civility and Professionalism, Andrew R. Haden.
FBA President Kelly Reis opened the program, recognizing the Honorable Ruth Bermudez Montenegro, recipient of the Elaine R. “Boots” Fisher Award; Dylan M. Aste, recipient of the Robyn J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award; and Blake Currey, recipient of the Younger Federal Lawyer Award. Lawyer Representative Ruth Dapper acknowledged the service of the district’s lawyer representatives and introduced the district's newest lawyer representatives.
Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant then delivered her remarks on the State of the District, which included an overview of the current increase in criminal and civil matters before the Court, followed by updates from Presiding Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt, Chief Bankruptcy Judge Christopher B. Latham, and Ninth Circuit Judge Patrick Bumatay.
Following the judicial updates, Chief Judge Bashant presented the Hon. David H. Bartick Award for Civility and Professionalism. This award recognizes Judge Bartick’s legacy and serves as a perpetual reminder to the bar of the importance of professionalism and civility in the practice of law. To be eligible, the recipient must exemplify the model set by Judge Bartick. This year the honor was awarded posthumously to Andrew R. Haden and accepted by his wife Kristen Haden who delivered inspiring remarks celebrating Andrew’s enduring example of civility and professionalism. Andrew spent his entire eighteen-year federal public service career in the Southern District of California. He began as a judicial law clerk for the U.S. District Court in 2008 and joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010, where he tried more than two dozen cases to a jury and prosecuted a wide variety of matters. He went on to serve as Criminal Chief, Chief of the Violent Crimes and Human Trafficking Section, Deputy Chief of the Reactive and Major Crimes Sections, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Acting U.S. Attorney. Throughout the community, he was known for his approachability, professionalism, and commitment to doing what was right.
The 2026 State of the District Luncheon provided attendees with a comprehensive overview of local court operations, honored civility and professionalism in the legal profession, and offered an opportunity to connect with colleagues across the legal community.
