NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 9, 2021 – Today, the Orange County Bar Association announced John Sganga, Partner at Knobbe Martens, as this year’s Harmon G. Scoville Award recipient. The award will be presented during the OCBA Volunteer Recognition Reception on October 5, 2021.
Established in 1990, the prestigious Scoville Award was first given to then-retiring Justice Harmon G. Scoville, the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, 4th District, Division 3. Since then, the OCBA has annually presented this award to a member of the Orange County legal community whose career exemplifies the highest standards of the legal profession, who is widely known as a champion of the constitutional system of justice, and who has made significant contributions to the OCBA and its community.
This year's honoree will be joining a long list of extraordinary previous honorees:
Presiding Judge Kirk Nakamura (2020), Attorney Neil Pederson (2019), Attorney Teresa A. McQueen (2018), Attorney John A. Bergen (2017), Attorney Roy L. Comer (2016), Attorney Claudette Kunzman (2015), Attorney Suzanne Viau Chamberlain (2014), Attorney Pearl G. Mann (2013), Judge Wendy S. Lindley (2012), Attorney Robert J. Cohen (2011), Attorney Mary Pat Toups (2010), Attorney Robert Von Esch, Jr. (2009), Attorney Boo J. Giuffre (Posthumously, 2008), Donna H. Fouste (2007), Attorney Alan J. Crivaro (2006), Attorney Grace E. Emery (2005), Attorney Stuart P. Jasper (2004), Attorney John Hurlbut, Jr. (2003), Attorney W. Patrick O’Keefe (2002), Attorney Vernon Hunt, Jr. (2001), Attorney Donna Bashaw (2000), Judge James N. Barr (1999), Public Defender Ronald Butler (1998), Judge Donald Smallwood (1997), Attorney Patricia Herzog (1996), Attorney Marjorie Day (1995), Judge Jack Mandel (1994), Attorney Ann Avery Andres (1993), Judge Francisco Firmat (1992), Attorney Robert “Sam” Barnes (1991) and Justice Harmon G. Scoville (1990).
John Sganga served on the Intergenerational Task force in 2020. He is currently a member of three sections (ADR, Bus. Lit. and IP) and the Pro Bono Committee. He was 2016 Chair of the OCBA Masters Division. Prior to that he served on the Masters Division Board and as Program Chair for Masters Division. He has held numerous leadership roles which included included six years of service on the OCBA Board, service on the Administration of Justice Committee, Past Chair of the OCBA Delegation to the Conference of Delegates. In addition he co-founded and chaired the OCBA Community Outreach Committee, which introduced the Annual Food Drive and other events to promote volunteerism by lawyers. He served as past president of the OC Barristers (an affiliate bar for young lawyers no longer in existence). He has practiced in Newport Beach since 1984 with Knobbe.
He is a past President of the William P. Gray Legion Lex Inn of Court, and served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He has also served as an attorney representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. And was the Orange County Patent Law Association, Federal Courts Committee Chair. He has served on the OC Bar Foundation Board of Directors. He has provided Pro Bono representation of the OCBA on Intellectual Property Law Issues.
Click here to view John Sganga's full biography.
About the Orange County Bar Association
Established in 1901, the Orange County Bar Association, with over 7,500 members, is one of the largest voluntary bars in California. The mission of the Orange County Bar Association is to enhance the system of justice, to support the lawyers who serve it and to assist the community served by it.