M. Elaine Hammond is a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of California. She was sworn in on February 2, 2012. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Hammond’s practice focused on representing debtors and creditors in commercial bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings. She was a partner with the San Francisco firm Friedman Dumas and Springwater LLP. Prior to joining that firm she was an associate with Murphy, Sheneman, Julian & Rogers. Judge Hammond began her legal career as a law clerk for the Judge Edward D. Jellen, now retired, also of the Northern District of California.

A native of North Carolina, she received her undergraduate degree from Duke University, and her JD with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law.