The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is the staff agency to the Judicial Council of California, the policymaking body of the state court system. Based in San Francisco, the AOC functions under the leadership of Administrative Director of the Courts William C. Vickrey and Chief Deputy Director Ronald G. Overholt.
This is an unprecedented time in the history of California's judicial branch, the largest court system in the nation. The shift in court governance from the counties to the state marks a fundamental change in the structure of the branch, and the Office of Court Construction and Management (OCCM) is at the forefront of this pioneering transition. OCCM is currently seeking highly talented architects, real estate analysts, facilities managers and planners, emergency response specialists, and attorneys to join the office's team of dedicated, respected leaders in this historic project.
OCCM Leadership
Kim Davis is the Director of the Office of Court Construction and Management. Ms. Davis has been with the AOC since March 2002. She holds a professional degree in architecture from Cornell University, is a licensed architect in the State of California, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects. Ms. Davis also attended the executive program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design's Child Care Design Institute. Prior to joining the AOC, Ms. Davis was the director of construction management for Los Angeles County's Development Commission and Housing Authority. Prior to her work in public service, she worked with the architectural offices of Buckminster Fuller, Sadao, and Zung as well as the firms of Ellerbe Becket and DMJM.
Robert Emerson is the OCCM's Assistant Division Director for Business and Planning and has been employed by the AOC since June 2000. Prior to joining the AOC, he was a project management consultant concentrating in commercial and industrial facilities development. Mr. Emerson is a registered professional engineer and has a bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master's degree from Stanford University, and two certificates in environmental hazard management from the University of California at Berkeley Extension.
Lee Willoughby is the OCCM's Assistant Division Director for Design and Construction and has been employed by the AOC since January 2004. Mr. Willoughby has a bachelor's degree in systems engineering and a master's in business administration. He has over 30 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Mr. Willoughby has held management positions with the executive branch of the State of California and with a variety of private-sector firms, including real estate developers, general contractors, a major subcontractor, and construction management firms. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for developing innovative and effective project delivery procedures.
Burt Hirschfeld is the OCCM's Assistant Division Director for Real Estate and Asset Management. Prior to joining the AOC in June 2004, Mr. Hirschfeld was the West Coast director of asset management for DRA Advisors LLC, a New York-based real estate investment firm. Previously, he held positions in corporate real estate, first as transaction and project manager for Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, then in a strategic planning role for American Express and Trammell Crow. Mr. Hirschfeld holds a degree in international relations from San Francisco State University and a master of corporate real estate certification from the Institute of Corporate Real Estate. He is licensed by the California Department of Real Estate. He lives with his family in San Francisco's North Beach district and remains engaged in local public affairs as a member of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association.
