Judge Dreher was sworn in as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of
California on September 17, 2026, and maintains chambers in Sacramento. Prior to his
appointment, Judge Dreher was in private practice with the Downey Brand LLP firm in
Sacramento and Reno, representing debtors, committees, and creditors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy
cases and restructurings, as well as advising lenders and borrowers on non-judicial and judicial
real property foreclosure issues, personal property foreclosures, and receiverships.
Judge Dreher was a long-time member and participant in the court's Bankruptcy Dispute
Resolution Program, served as a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative, and was a member of the
Insolvency Law Committee of the Business Law Section of the California Lawyers Association.
Judge Dreher served as a law clerk to Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Klein, an extern to
District Court Judge Roderick McKelvie, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Virginia, and a JD from the California Western School of Law.
