New Clerk of State Supreme Court Named

June 4, 2012

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Supreme Court Appoints New Clerk/Administrator

Managing Attorney Frank McGuire, of First Appellate District, To Succeed Fritz Ohlrich, who will retire after 47-year career

Mr. Frank A. McGuire

San Francisco—Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye today announced, on behalf of the California Supreme Court, the appointment of Mr. Frank A. McGuire, Managing Attorney of the First Appellate District, as the twenty-sixth Clerk/Administrator of the Supreme Court. The appointment will take effect Monday, July 2, 2012. 

Mr. Frederick “Fritz” K. Ohlrich previously announced that he will retire, effective June 29, 2012, after a 47-year career in the State justice system, including 12 years as the Supreme Court’s top administrator. 

“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Frank McGuire as the Supreme Court’s new Clerk/Administrator,” stated Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye. “Mr. McGuire’s experience in court administration and his background practicing appellate law and as a judicial staff attorney for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal make him uniquely qualified for this position.”

“It is a great honor and privilege to be invited to join the Supreme Court of California as its twenty-sixth Clerk/Administrator,” Mr. McGuire said.  “I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Chief Justice and Associate Justices in the coming years. I am also grateful to the justices and staff of the First Appellate District for the confidence they have vested in me during my tenure as Managing Attorney. Finally, my heartfelt congratulations to my predecessor, Fritz Ohlrich, on his well-earned retirement. It will be difficult to follow in his footsteps.” 

“It has been a great privilege and honor to serve the Supreme Court as its twenty-fifth Clerk of the Court for more than 12 years,” said Mr. Ohlrich. “I extend my very best wishes to Frank McGuire when he embarks on his new duties serving the finest Supreme Court in the country.” 
 
Mr. McGuire is a 1986 graduate of Stanford Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif.  He has served as Managing Attorney of the First Appellate District for the past decade. He previously served as both a writ attorney and divisional attorney in Division Three of the First District.  Before joining Division Three, Mr. McGuire was Of Counsel to the Appellate Department of the Oakland law firm of Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May, P.C. (now Reed Smith). 

Mr. McGuire has also served as an attorney on the chambers staffs of California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown (1996-1999) and Justices Robert L. Dossee and John E. Benson of the First District (1991-1996). He was an Associate with Morrison & Foerster LLP (1987-1991) and served as Law Clerk to Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1986-1987). 

As Clerk/Administrator of the Supreme Court, Mr. McGuire will serve as the Court’s executive officer and will be responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and directing—with full authority and accountability—the management of the Office of the Clerk and all non-judicial administrative support activities.

Among his duties will be planning and carrying out administrative and operational programs and policies; overseeing administrative activities related to death penalty appeals and oral argument sessions; developing and carrying out plans for the Court’s outreach efforts; jointly developing, administering and monitoring the Court’s budget; and coordinating Court security.

Mr. McGuire is a native Californian. In addition to receiving his law degree with honors from Stanford Law School, he also received his bachelor’s degree from Stanford, where he double-majored in English and Industrial Engineering and was elected to both Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honors society. Mr. McGuire is married and lives in San Francisco with his spouse Trevor, a local interior designer.