"I think the responsibility that comes with blazing a trail is to ensure you create a path that others can tread and surpass,” remarked Firdaus Dordi, hailed as the first Zoroastrian judge in the US and the fifth South Asian state court judge in Los Angeles. Forty-six-year-old Dordi’s tenure as judge to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (SCLAC) in California commenced in January 2017.
He is convinced, "Judges can make society a better place by ensuring that those who come into their courtrooms encounter a neutral, impartial adjudicator of the law and arbiter of the facts... When everyone therein feels respected, when real listening occurs, and when time is taken to seek the truth, the public’s trust and confidence in our system of justice is solidified.”
Erstwhile deputy federal public defender for over 13 years, representing people charged with federal crimes, Dordi explained, "At times they needed a counselor and social worker as much as they needed a criminal defense attorney. I learned to function in all these roles and earned their trust and the trust of their families through my diligence and reliability... (It) has not only made me a better lawyer, but a better friend, coach, son, husband, father and human being.” As chief of the Trial Unit in the Los Angeles office which is the largest Federal Defender Office in the country, he oversaw the work and training of over 100 professionals.
In 2014 he pursued his dream of starting his own law firm, Dordi, Williams, Cohen with two partners. "However, my heart has always been in public service,” said Dordi who preferred to apply to the bench. The SCLAC is the largest single unified trial court in the US, notes Wikipedia. The Superior Court with 5,400 employees operates from nearly 600 courtrooms in 47 courthouses throughout the county on an annual budget of $ 850 million. As explained on
www.uscourts.gov, in the three-tiered judicial system, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the US with 13 courts of appeals that sit below it and 94 district level trial courts under them.
Firdaus Dordi (above and right) with family
Having earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Dordi had started his law practice as contract attorney at the law offices of Feldman and Levy, and subsequently worked as research attorney for Judge Thomas I. McKnew Jr and law clerk for Judge Robert Takasugi, according to information available on Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia on American politics.
"Early in my legal career, I had the very good fortune to serve as a law clerk for the very first Japanese American appointed to the Federal bench. Every day, I observed him conduct himself with integrity and courage, treating all those who appeared before him with dignity and compassion. I hope to follow in his footsteps and work hard to be the best bench officer I can be. I also hope to serve as a mentor and a resource to others who are interested in pursuing their dreams,” noted Dordi in his email responses to Parsiana.
Last year he had been honored with the Mentor of the Year award by the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California. Two years prior he had been conferred the Association’s Public Interest Award. In January 2017 he was honored by the Los Angeles chapter of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) with their annual award for pro bono work. "Firdaus will never say no, despite his busy schedule and family life. He is a lovely, generous person: that definitely shows in his work,” revealed Laboni Hoq, litigation director at AAAJ.
A volunteer basketball coach at the West Valley YMCA for the last seven years, Dordi observes, "Coaching allows me to not only share my love of basketball with the kids, but also the value of hard work, the responsibility that comes with being a member of the team, and the importance of good sportsmanship.”
When asked to comment on the influence of Zoroastrianism in his life, Dordi stated, "My faith has significantly influenced my career path. Zoroastrianism teaches that an individual is given a choice between right and wrong, good and evil, justice and lawlessness. A good Zoroastrian must strive hard each day to make the correct choice. The central tenets of the religion teach that thinking good thoughts, speaking good words, and performing good deeds are the path of Ahura Maazda, the Lord of Wisdom. These beliefs are central to my character and were instilled in me by my parents at a very young age.” Bombay born Firdaus’ parents, Firoze and Silloo, earlier worked for Air India before they launched Maazda Travels. Commending their "courage, selflessness, compassion, optimism, work ethics and resilience,” Firdaus added, "They inspire me each day to educate myself and utilize my education to assist others. They have led me to choose a career in public service, first as a lawyer and now as a bench officer, where I can serve my community every day, and ensure justice is dispensed evenly, with kindness, and compassion.”