Meet Mitch Dembin | Singer/songwriter and retired federal judge.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mitch Dembin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mitch, what principle do you value most?
I follow the guidance of Satchel Paige: “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.” For me, that has encouraged me to always move forward, not to dwell on the past and not be satisfied with the status quo. More deeply, it means that I am motivated more by fear of failure than the allure of success. It also supports my belief that you never know where the next opportunity will come from so that one always should be to open to conversations and to peek inside doors.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
No one in my family went to college and I had no mentors or counselors to help guide me. My father forbade me from following in his path as a police officer and I had no interest in the military during the Vietnam misadventure. A friend suggested that I take the LSAT (law school aptitude test) with her. I did and ended up in law school. I went to the school that was nice enough to send me an application. The school was not well-known (Tier 4) in today’s parlance, so it seems that my only path to success, without a family member or friend in the law business, was government. I was fortunate to have done well in the school and was in the right place at the right time to score my first job at the SEC in Washington, DC. I again was lucky to get a 4 month posting as a Special Assistant US Attorney in DC trying misdemeanor cases to juries. That led me to becoming an Assistant US Attorney in San Diego, Boston and then again in San Diego. I also spent a few years as a private lawyer, as a small business owner in the computer forensics arena and as a cyber security professional at Microsoft. All before being appointed as a US Magistrate Judge in San Diego. Thanks to my wife, I rediscovered my guitar and began writing songs in my 50’s. That has led to the publication of two albums and a couple of singles of original music. All this means that I always was looking forward to my next opportunity. I could not have predicted my career path.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am not much of a sightseer. For me, and for my guest, we would explore food, music and the beauty of living in the best climate in the US. We would go to Balboa Park, visit Cabrillo National Monument, the Zoo and Wild Animal Park and travel to Temecula for wine tasting. We would go to the small clubs and restaurants that feature local musicians, particularly singer/songwriters. No DJ’s for me!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents for insisting that I learn an instrument and making it clear that I was going to college even though no one in my immediate family had made that leap (and that I had to find the money for it!). Also, my wife for supporting my various career changes and adventures in music.