USC Price School of Public Policy and a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law. Legal and judicial career In December 1974, Kennard was admitted to the State Bar of California, and from 1975 to 1979 she practiced as a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice. She then became a Senior Attorney for Associate Justice Edwin F. Beach of the California Court of Appeal, Second District, in Los Angeles. Kennard's rise within the California courts is often described as "meteoric." Appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1986, Kennard was elevated to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 1987. The next year, she was elevated again to the California Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Five. Finally, in 1989, Governor George Deukmejian appointed her to the California Supreme Court. Upon taking her oath, Kennard became the second woman and the first Asian American to serve as a justice of the Court. In November 1994, she was retained by the voters in the election. During her time on the bench, Kennard has authored numerous high-profile opinions, the best-known of which is Kasky v. Nike (2002) In that case, the California Supreme Court held that Nike could not claim a First Amendment "commercial free speech" defense when charged with lying about sweatshop conditions in its overseas manufacturing plants. The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari, but ultimately the Court declined to render an opinion, instead letting the California Supreme Court's decision stand. Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe, who had criticized the California Supreme Court's decision, represented Nike. Kennard had a reputation for aggressive questioning during oral argument. She did not hesitate to ask long and complicated questions—often speaking for minutes at a time before prompting an attorney to respond, and often asked the first question in a given case. on April 5, 2014, Kennard retired from the court after 25 years of service. Personal life In 1976, Joyce Kennard married Bob Kennard. See also List of Asian American jurists References Further reading (Lexis-Nexis paid subscription) Hager, Philip (12 March 1989). "L.A. Judge Named to California High Court," Los Angeles Times. Hager, Philip (17 September 1989), "Kennard Seeks Her Own Way on High Court," Los Angeles Times. Videos External links Profile. California Supreme Court Historical Society. Official biography. California State Courts. Profile (PDF). California Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Five. Court opinions authored by Joyce Kennard. Courtlistener.com.