Resume

Hon. Suzanne G. Bruguera (Ret.) joins ADR Services, Inc. after 27 years as a judge of the Los Angeles Superior and former Municipal Courts, with the entirety of her time on the bench spent in civil assignments. Widely respected for her intellect, sound judgment, and unwavering professionalism, Judge Bruguera earned a reputation as a firm, fair, and highly effective jurist with exceptional skill in resolving challenging disputes.

During her tenure on the bench, Judge Bruguera managed a high-volume independent calendar in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, handling cases from filing through trial and post-judgment proceedings. Her extensive docket included business and commercial disputes, employment litigation, real estate and landlord-tenant matters, construction defects, insurance coverage, partnership dissolutions, and complex financial and investment disputes.

A significant portion of Judge Bruguera’s judicial career—well over half of her caseload—was devoted to employment litigation. She handled a high volume of matters involving wage and hour violations, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and claims under FEHA, FLSA, and PAGA. Her deep familiarity with the ever-evolving landscape of employment law, combined with her practical understanding of litigation pressures in an overburdened court system, enables her to effectively evaluate risk and guide parties toward resolution.

Judge Bruguera is particularly skilled at handling sensitive matters, including sexual assault and housing discrimination cases, where her ability to balance empathy with practical problem-solving has consistently led to successful outcomes. She is widely respected for treating all parties and counsel with professionalism and respect while maintaining a steady focus on resolution.

Prior to her judicial appointment, Judge Bruguera served as a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, representing state agencies in business, tax, and real estate matters, and prosecuting Medi-Cal fraud. She also served as a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County and held in-house counsel roles in the private sector, including with a major real estate brokerage.

Now a full-time neutral, Judge Bruguera leverages her extensive judicial and litigation background to successfully mediate, arbitrate, and resolve complex disputes. Her ability to understand nuanced legal issues, combined with her pragmatic and respectful approach, continues to earn the trust of attorneys and litigants alike.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2000 – 2016 

Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court

• Presided over an Independent Calendar courtroom, Stanley Mosk Courthouse
• Elevated to Superior Court upon court unification in 2000

1989 – 2000 

Judge, Los Angeles Municipal Court

• Appointed by Governor George Deukmejian in July 1989

1984 – 1989

Deputy Attorney General, California State Department of Justice

• Business & Tax Section
• Medi-Cal Fraud Prosecution

1983 – 1984 

Deputy District Attorney, County of Los Angeles

• Criminal prosecutor

1982 – 1983
Associate, Voorhees, Knable, & Voorhees

• Private law practice in Torrance, California

EDUCATION

2017 - “STAR: A Systematic Approach to Mediation Strategies”, Straus Institute for Dispute      

           Resolution, Pepperdine University (18 hours)

1981 -  .D., Loyola Law School

1978 - B.S., University of Southern California

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 

Employment

• Sexual Harassment
• Whistleblower retaliation
• ADA compliance
• FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act) and FLSA
• Workplace discrimination, harassment and retaliation based on age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, national origin, disability and religion
• Wrongful termination and constructive discharge
• Wage & hour - PAGA
• Hostile Work

Real Estate

• Homeowner Association disputes (HOA)
• Eminent domain
• Construction defect
• Commercial lease disputes
• Residential lease disputes
• Landlord-tenant disputes
• Partition and accounting of real property - Real estate sales commission
• Quiet title
• Foreclosures
• Public and private nuisance
• Property boundary disputes
• CEQA compliance
• Zoning
• Foreclosures
• Conditional Use Permit
• Gas Station/Service Center Litigation

Business & Commercial

• Commercial lease
• Breach of contract
• Breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing
• Contract interpretation
• Non-compete contracts
• Partnership Dissolution

             - Breach of fiduciary duty

             - Accounting 

• Fraud
• Unfair and unlawful business practices (Business & Professions Code § 17200)
• Uniform Trade Secrets Act
• FINRA
• Architecture Services/Breach of Contract

Personal Injury

• Automobile 
• Bicycle
• Pedestrian
• Slip & fall
• Negligence
• Defamation (including online internet postings)
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Dog bite
• Dangerous condition of public property 
• Public transportation (bus, light rail, train)
• Asbestos
• Civil rights/police misconduct/police excessive force
• Product liability
• Assumption of risk

Entertainment

• Contract disputes
• Royalties
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Wrongful termination/FEHA 
• Licensing agreements

Elder Abuse

• Physical abuse
• Neglect
• Financial abuse

Insurance

• Insurance Coverage
• Insurance Umpire
• Good Faith and Fair Dealing
• Professional Liability Insurance
• UIM/UM