Senate Confirms John W. Holcomb as United States District Judge for the Central District of California

On September 15, 2020, the United States Senate confirmed President Donald J. Trump’s nomination of John W. Holcomb to serve as a federal district judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California.  Holcomb will preside over matters in Riverside in the Court’s Eastern Division. 

Holcomb has spent his legal career in private practice, primarily focusing on intellectual property law.  He has tried major, complex litigation matters involving patents, copyrights, and trade secrets in the Central and Southern Districts of California, San Diego County Superior Court, and the Delaware Chancery Court.  He has also argued appeals before the Federal Circuit and the Delaware Supreme Court.  Holcomb’s clients have included individuals and entities of all sizes, from large publicly traded corporations to small privately held companies. 

Holcomb has also dedicated time to pro bono matters involving family law, immigration, and civil rights issues.  Additionally, Holcomb has been on the Pro Bono Civil Rights Panel for the Central District since 2009, and he has served as a panel mediator for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program for the Central District since 2012.  Throughout his career, Holcomb has been involved in several bar associations in various capacities. 

Holcomb has worked as a partner at Greenberg Gross since 2019 where he litigated intellectual property cases, for both plaintiffs and defendants, conducted mediations, and served as a Special Master.  Before joining Greenberg Gross, Holcomb briefly worked as a solo practitioner, conducting mediations and providing advice and consulting services concerning intellectual property and bankruptcy issues.

From 1997 to 2018, Holcomb worked at Knobbe Martens where he became partner in 2002.  During this time, he litigated intellectual property cases, for both plaintiffs and defendants, and consulted on bankruptcy, secured transactions, and commercial law issues.  From 1994 to 1997, Holcomb worked as an associate at Irell & Manella, focusing on general civil litigation and bankruptcy matters.

Holcomb received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, and his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School.  Holcomb served on active duty as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy from 1984 to 1989.  Following law school, Holcomb clerked for the Honorable Ronald Barliant of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 

Holcomb fills the vacancy that arose when District Judge Dean D. Pregerson assumed senior status in January 2016.  Including the appointment of Holcomb, the Central District of California has 28 authorized Article III judgeships, seven of which are currently unfilled.  The Central District of California is comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.  It serves more than 19.6 million people, nearly half the population of the State of California.

KIRY K. GRAY
DISTRICT COURT EXECUTIVE/CLERK OF COURT