Janice Y Fukai More photos >>

           Janice Y. Fukai is the Alternate Public Defender (APD) and the first Asian American woman to serve as Department Head in Los Angeles County’s history. Upon her unanimous appointment, the Board of Supervisors praised her appointment stating: “The current APD Chief Deputy Janice Fukai has been instrumental in the development and leadership of the Department. The entire Board has a lot of confidence in that office and her in particular.”

After receiving her Bachelors and Juris Doctor Degrees from USC, Ms. Fukai served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the late Robert M. Takasugi, Federal District Court Judge, whom she describes as her mentor and advisor throughout her career. She joined the County Family in 1980 with the Public Defender where she rose through the ranks to Senior Trial Deputy and Special Assistant to former Public Defender, Wilbur F. Littlefield. Her work as a trial attorney is featured in a book “Public Defender, Lawyer for the People” by Joan Hewitt.

In 1993, the Board of Supervisors created the new department of Alternate Public Defender (APD) to handle Public Defender conflict of interest cases. After what Ms. Fukai describes as “13 outstanding years with the Public Defender,” she transferred to the APD as that department’s first Chief Deputy and for the challenge of building a new county department, literally “from scratch.” Ms. Fukai is quick to credit the success of her department to her staff comprised of 300 lawyers, investigators, paralegals, clerical and administrative support personnel. “Being with the department since day #1, I have had the unique opportunity of hiring every member of the APD family. They are the real heroes. I am eternally grateful and loyal to them.