Justice Halim Dhanidina (Ret.) is a lecturer at the UCLA School of Law and will teach Criminal Trial Advocacy.  He is also a partner at Umberg Zipser LLP in Irvine, California where he specializes in trial practice and commercial litigation.  He previously served as an associate justice for Second District of the California Court of Appeal and trial court judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court.  He was the first Muslim to be appointed as a judge in the State of California, the first South Asian American to be appointed to the California Court of Appeal, and the first Muslim appellate level judge in the United States.  Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County for 14 years where he prosecuted violent and high profile cases for the Hardcore Gang and Major Crimes Divisions.

Justice Dhanidina has taught extensively at the law school level including courses in trial advocacy, criminal procedure, criminal law, and professional responsibility at the UCI School of Law, Chapman University Fowler School of Law, Western State Law School, Whittier Law School, and the Glendale University College of Law.

Justice Dhanidina (Ret.) received his B.A. in International Relations at Pomona College and his J.D. at the UCLA School of Law.