Lawyer Linked to Judges’ Cruise Withdraws Gift

The attorney who arranged a discount Mediterranean cruise for 10 judges and 80 other friends in the legal and medical professions has decided to withdraw a $1.2-million gift to improve the jury facilities at the downtown civil courthouse.

Robert W. Parkin, presiding judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, said that trial attorney Thomas V. Girardi stated in a letter that because of stories in The Times about the cruise, it would be inappropriate and might be misconstrued if a foundation he controls went ahead with the gift.

According to Parkin, Girardi has said that plans commissioned by the Foundation for the Enrichment of the Law will still be sent to the court.

Because of the letter, Parkin said, a meeting scheduled for Nov. 18 by the executive committee of the Superior Court on whether to reject the gift has been canceled.

The letter was sent to the assistant presiding judge, Victor E. Chavez, who expressed disappointment last week that the money will not be available. But he said he has made a general appeal to the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. for help.

Chavez said the present jury facilities at the courthouse at 1st and Hill streets are in a horrible state and need refurbishment and expansion. He said public financing is not available.

Girardi did not return calls about his letter, and its text was not released by the judges.

Parkin said the “appearance is bad” in connecting the donation and the seven-day cruise out of Monte Carlo, which took place in August.

“It may have been OK for the judges to go, but what we are concerned about is the appearance,” Parkin said. “What does it look like to the man on the street? Even if it’s not a violation of legal ethics, the appearance is bad.”

Four academic experts in legal ethics consulted by The Times said there would be questions about the cruise if the judges did not pay for passage for themselves and their spouses.

Girardi said in interviews in September that eight of the 10 judges who went on the trip either had paid or would pay. He said two federal judges--Dickran Tevrizian and Ronald Lew--delivered professional lectures and had been informed by the U.S. Judicial Conference they could ethically go for free.

The cost of the cruise for the other passengers was $3,070. The list price for such a cruise in the Cunard Lines brochure is $6,500, but Girardi said he and frequent litigation associate Walter J. Lack were able to obtain passage at a large discount because they booked the whole ship.

Since that interview, however, questions have been raised by some lawyers about whether all eight of the other judges--including several retired jurists either sitting on assignment in regular courts or hearing cases privately--have actually paid for the cruise.

Several sources have said that Gabriel Gutierrez, a sitting Superior Court judge at the time of the cruise, told associates the cruise was free but complained that he and his wife had to pay their air fare to Europe and that he had to buy a new tuxedo.

Gutierrez would not comment.

Girardi said in September that he and Lack had formed the Foundation for the Enrichment of the Law to give back something to the legal system after having received large legal fees.

He added that the foundation is also committed to giving $2.4 million to Loyola Marymount’s law school over a six-year period.

In just one toxic pollution case last year, a $333-million settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric, the legal fee to the two men was confirmed by Lack as at least $120 million.

Three of the five retired judges who participated in private mediation and arbitration proceedings leading to the PG & E settlement--Jack Tenner, John Trotter and Jack Goertzen--went on the cruise. All said they paid the discounted fare.