U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez attended the University of Notre Dame from 1977 to 1981. He then attended the UCLA School of Law from 1981 to 1984. After graduating from law school, Judge Gutierrez entered private practice. In 1988, he joined the law firm of Cotkin & Collins, where he became the managing partner of the Santa Ana offices. His practice concentrated in complex business litigation, professional malpractice liability, and insurance coverage issues.
In 1997, California Governor Pete Wilson appointed Judge Gutierrez to the Whittier Municipal Court. After the unification of the Los Angeles court system in 2000, he served as a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge. During this time, Judge Gutierrez actively participated in various judicial committees and enjoyed several teaching assignments. In 2007, he was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He served as Chief U.S. District Judge of the Central District of California from June 2020 through March 2024.