Frank C. Damrell Jr., ’59 a retired federal judge in Sacramento, joined the Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy law firm.

Damrell, 73, who retired in October after 14 years as a U.S. District judge, heads the Cotchett firm’s new Sacramento office. The Cotchett firm, based in Burlingame, specializes in pursuing high-profile lawsuits against big defendants.

Damrell led a successful law firm in Modesto before he was appointed to the federal judgeship by President Clinton in 1997. Damrell serves on a committee with California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye that is planning a summit for later this year in Sacramento focusing on restoring civic education in public schools. He intends to spend time in Washington, pressing Congress to create additional judgeships in Sacramento and elsewhere.