Valerie R. Chrissakis

• Business Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Premise Liability
• Product Liability
• Auto Liability

• Business Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Premise Liability
• Product Liability
• Auto Liability

• General Civil Litigation
• Legal Malpractice
• Business Law
• Municipal Law

• University of the Pacific, Sacramento, 1996, J.D. 
• Santa Clara University, BA,

Valerie R. Chrissakis is a Senior Counselor with Wesierski & Zurek, LLP. Prior to joining Wesierski & Zurek, LLP, Ms. Chrissakis was a Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Kings. She was appointed to the bench in December 2017 by Governor Jerry Brown and served in that capacity until her retirement in February 2025.

During her judicial tenure, Ms. Chrissakis served as the Assistant Presiding Judge of the Kings County Superior Court, the Presiding Judge of the Family Law Division of the Kings County Superior Court, and the Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division of the Kings County Superior Court. She also presided over the Grand Jury for the Kings County Superior Court, and handled a variety of calendars including those involving all type of civil cases, felonies and misdemeanors, habeas corpus and writ petitions, probate and conservatorships, and unlawful detainer matters.

Ms. Chrissakis was an appointed member of the California Judge’s Association Civil Law & Procedure Committee and the California Judicial Council Unlawful Detainer, Small Claims, & Civil Advisory Committee. In her retirement, she remains a member of the California Judge’s Association.

Prior to her judicial appointment, Ms. Chrissakis was employed as a Staff Attorney with the Kings County Superior Court where she assisted the judges of the Kings County Superior Court in relation to habeas corpus, criminal, and civil matters. Between 2009 and 2017, she also served as a temporary judge for the Kings County Superior Court hearing collaborative justice, small claims, and traffic matters.

Prior to joining the Court, Ms. Chrissakis worked as an associate for law firms located in Visalia and San Mateo, California. The firms’ practice areas were primarily focused in legal malpractice, municipal law, employment law, business law, and civil litigation.

Ms. Chrissakis graduated with distinction from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1996. While at McGeorge, Ms. Chrissakis was a member of the Traynor Society, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, the National Debate Team, and Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Team. For her oral advocacy achievements while at McGeorge, Ms. Chrissakis was awarded lifetime membership in the Order of the Barristers.

Ms. Chrissakis obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Santa Clara University. While at Santa Clara University, Ms. Chrissakis was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity, served on the Community Action Committee, and participated on the Santa Clara University Debate Team; winning the 1993 Santa Clara University Debate Competition.

Ms. Chrissakis is licensed to practice law before all the courts of the state of California and the United States District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts of California. In addition, Ms. Chrissakis has been admitted to the Idaho State Bar.