--- title: Gregory W. Alarcon url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 --- ![Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon-Gregory_e413a23258018fb0a623240b9425746d.jpg) # Gregory W. Alarcon *Judge Gregory W. Alarcon has been a judge for over 28 years. Before that, he was a deputy attorney general for the State of California, a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County, and an assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California. Judge Alarcon received a J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1981 and a B.A. from UCLA. For the past 28 years, he has been an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University School of Law teaching trial practice and related subjects. He is also active in training and educating new judges and teaching ethics to all judges throughout the state. He is a frequent lecturer on various topics on trial issues including subjects such as “Lessons from Landmark Trials,” “Judicial Personalities,” “Creative Solutions for Keeping and Motivating Jurors,” “Coping With Judicial and Lawyer Stress,” “Civility in Court,” “Hamlet for Lawyers,” “Ideal Mentors for the Courtroom,” and many others. He has written numerous articles on legal issues for lawyers and judges. In 2013, Judge Alarcon was given the 2013 Constitutional Right’s Foundation “Judge of the Year” award and a Judicial Excellence award from the Mexican American Bar Association.* ### Articles written by this author: [![An Ideal Mentor](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon-thinkstock-179632144_9ab1805750b18ec138162cf228c52e90.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2014-july/an-ideal-mentor "An Ideal Mentor") ## [An Ideal Mentor](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2014-july/an-ideal-mentor "An Ideal Mentor") Six tips from Benjamin Franklin for lawyers [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2014 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2014-july) [![In the words of Mark Twain…](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon-shutterstock_239399365_cfabeceecd8d1da4787cac6a014fc36e.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2015-july/in-the-words-of-mark-twain-2 "In the words of Mark Twain…") ## [In the words of Mark Twain…](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2015-july/in-the-words-of-mark-twain-2 "In the words of Mark Twain…") Ten lessons for trial lawyers in the words of a master [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2015 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2015-july) ## [Why Will Rogers should be every trial lawyer’s mentor](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-july/why-will-rogers-should-be-every-trial-lawyer-s-mentor "Why Will Rogers should be every trial lawyer’s mentor") Ten reasons why trial lawyers should pay attention to this humorist’s keen insight into human behavior [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2016 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-july) ## [Winston Churchill: Ideal mentor for trial lawyers](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-july/winston-churchill-ideal-mentor-for-trial-lawyers "Winston Churchill: Ideal mentor for trial lawyers") Nine quotes and lessons for lawyers [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2017 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-july) [![Oscar Wilde](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/alarcon_Oscar_Wilde_Sarony_c5464a0b0aa20e3237594afe08e50faa.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-july/oscar-wilde "Oscar Wilde") ## [Oscar Wilde](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-july/oscar-wilde "Oscar Wilde") An ideal mentor for a trial attorney, his life experience offers a cautionary tale about pursuing a case you cannot win [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2018 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-july) ## [Groucho Marx can make you a better lawyer](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-july/groucho-marx-can-make-you-a-better-lawyer "Groucho Marx can make you a better lawyer") Groucho did something we should all hope to do: be brilliant and stay relevant [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2019 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-july) [![CACI meets The Bard](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon_istock-184986309_e779669181dfb42f50b31b79028c6a31.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-july/caci-meets-the-bard "CACI meets The Bard") ## [CACI meets The Bard](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-july/caci-meets-the-bard "CACI meets The Bard") How Shakespeare can help you navigate the CACI jury instructions, improve your closing arguments, and make you a better lawyer [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2020 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2020-july) [![Three lessons I wish I knew when I first became a judge](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon_istock-104821122_5ee29152250c6b41e4bac39baafc1d8b.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-july/three-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-first-became-a-judge "Three lessons I wish I knew when I first became a judge") ## [Three lessons I wish I knew when I first became a judge](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-july/three-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-first-became-a-judge "Three lessons I wish I knew when I first became a judge") And Octavio Paz, an ideal mentor [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2021 July](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-july) [![Exploring the Stanley Mosk Courthouse](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Alarcon-istock-488689615_0e00b45ee9e8aea4839c745a8161772b.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-june/exploring-the-stanley-mosk-courthouse "Exploring the Stanley Mosk Courthouse") ## [Exploring the Stanley Mosk Courthouse](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-june/exploring-the-stanley-mosk-courthouse "Exploring the Stanley Mosk Courthouse") A trip through the portals and the courtrooms at Mosk and a look back at a few of the legal dramas that played out here [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2022 June](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-june) ## [Ready on set!](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-november/ready-on-set "Ready on set!") A trial judge’s personal favorite courtroom films [Gregory W. Alarcon](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gregory-w-alarcon-2 "Gregory W. Alarcon") [2025 November](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-november)