Candidate for
Judge of the Superior Court; County of Los Angeles; Office 61

Diverse Legal Studies

As a student at the University of Michigan, Otis first published a guide to local housing laws as part of his volunteer work with the university's student legal services. The guide advised students of their rights, especially against being discriminated against in seeking housing.

After researching and writing on proposed legislation in the nation's capital working for Al Gore, Otis headed to Southern California to complete his legal education. Aided with a graduate fellowship, he studied international human rights and obtained a Masters degree from the University of San Diego. Otis then attended the University of San Francisco, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the U.S.F. Maritime Law Journal overseeing publication of articles on seafarer and other maritime workers' rights.

At USF, Otis also studied gender discrimination law and developed procedures for confidential reporting of HIV testing results during his judicial clerkship at the San Francisco Superior Court. His work on laws involving AIDS counseling and testing was accepted for publication in the Wisconsin Women's Law Journal (now known as the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society).

Legal Career

As a young lawyer, Otis represented engineers who sued Boeing as a class seeking unpaid overtime. Later, he represented pro bono environmental groups seeking to curtail pollution.

He became a practice group leader with Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft, LLP before joining as a partner with a Century City firm. In addition to supervising the resolution of hundreds of cases and his extensive experience both in state and federal court, he have also been involved in various appeals as well as cases before both the California and U.S. Supreme Court.

After more than a decade of litigation, Otis later joined Princess Cruises as Corporate Counsel responsible for overseeing various claims and managing its world-wide local counsel in various litigation matters. In taking a proactive approach, he was able to significantly reduce the company's litigation through engaging claimants in alternative dispute resolution.

Admitted to practice law not only before the U.S. Supreme Court and state and federal courts in California but also in Alaska, Hawai'i, Washington, and the District of Columbia, Otis is well versed in various and differing court procedures. Having appeared in courts around the country, his comprehensive experience allows him to understand and appreciate various approaches that succeed. In addition, Otis has served more recently as a criminal prosecutor expanding his understanding and experience in various areas of the law as well as practice and procedures.

Publications

Otis has continued to write on various topics. Having served as a Commissioner and Commission Chair for the California Bar Association Board of Legal Specialization and recognized as a certified specialist in admiralty law, one of the most complex areas of law, his publications include: Get on Board, Business Law Today, ABA Bar Assocal . Business Law Section; Unifying Choice-of-Law Rules and Their Effects on Maritime Remedies, University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal; and Richards v. Lloyd's of London, The International Journal of Insurance Law, Part 4, to name a few.

In showing his intellectual legal diversity and broad experience in criminal law, Otis' most recent article, Marijuana Impaired Driving, was developed from his proposals to both the California District Attorney's Association as well as to Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom's Blue Ribbon Panel. It will discuss proposed regulation in light of anticipated ballot initiatives concerning legalizing recreational marijuana use in California.

Presentations

In addition to his publishing articles, Otis has regularly given presentations on various topics. He has discussed developments concerning resolution of employee disputes, has been a panelist on trade finance issues at the ABA Annual Convention, and gave a presentation on risk management and insurance coverage in London. Otis also has sought to protect the public interest through his work as a Commissioner with the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, including answering callers' questions on the NPR radio show, Your Legal Rights, KALW 91.7 FM.

Community Volunteer

Since 2005, Otis has served as an on-call Special Master, appointed by the Court to protect disclosure of privileged information, during a search conducted pursuant to a warrant. The special master procedure was created by the Legislature in 1979 to balance the interest of professionals (lawyers, physicians, psychotherapists, and the clergy) and their clients in protecting privileged materials against the interest of prosecutors in securing evidence of suspected criminal activity.

In addition, Otis has volunteered to assist in the training of cadets with the Los Angeles Police Department at the Ahmanson Recruiting Center as well as volunteered with the Valor Citation Clinics for Veterans program, most recently at the Midnight Mission.