I was appointed to the King County Superior Court by Governor Inslee in December, 2013, and began hearing cases on January 6, 2014. I am honored to serve on the King County bench, inside a courthouse I considered a second home for many years. I attended the Washington State Judicial College and have already overseen several civil and criminal jury trials, bench trials, and other matters in my courtroom. At the time of my appointment, I was privileged to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, engaged in complex criminal litigation.

I was born in the Bronx, New York in a Jewish family whose great-grandparents came to the United States from the Ukraine in the early 1900s. We moved several times when I was a child, eventually settling in Tucson, Arizona, where I was part of a small, tight-knit community. I went away to college at Emory University, where I majored in International Studies (primarily focusing on Russian studies). I traveled to the Soviet Union in 1989, just as communism was fading in that country.

When I returned, I decided to become a lawyer and practice some form of international law. By the time I graduated from the University of Washington Law School, however, I was completely in love with the work that occurred inside a courtroom and, more importantly, the people inside those courtrooms desperately seeking justice.

After graduating from law school in 1993, I joined the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and devoted my career to helping victims navigate the court system and find access to justice. I rose to the position of supervisor in both the Sexual Assault and the Domestic Violence Units, working with victims of the worst types of abuse. I briefly had my own law firm, but quickly realized I enjoyed being an attorney more than running a firm. I rejoined the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office before I was hired by the US Attorney’s Office in Seattle, where I worked in the General Crimes Unit, the Terrorism/Violent Crimes Unit, and the Criminal Enterprises Unit.

Outside of the courtroom, I focus on being a good father. I have consistently volunteered at my kids’ school and athletic teams. I volunteer at an organization that works to increase self-esteem in school-age girls through the sport of running.

I hope to continue helping all the people who appear before me as a judge. I believe that everyone has a right to feel heard and respected by their legal system.

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