The Cardozo Society

Network with Jewish Legal Professionals

The Cardozo Society is the official Washington State Bar Association minority bar for Jewish lawyers and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s affinity group for legal professionals. The Cardozo Society is open to Jewish attorneys and law students, free of charge. Named after the distinguished U.S. Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo, the society offers learning and networking opportunities for legal professionals. Opportunities include Continuing Legal Education courses that explore legal topics through a Jewish lens.

Learn more about the Cardozo Society.

Cardozo Society Networking Happy Hour

Meet up, grab a drink, and schmooze with your Jewish legal community and friends!

Thursday, March 28 | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm |
Belltown


Questions?
Contact Taylour Grier at taylourg@jewishinseattle.org

Cardozo Society Passover Lunch

 Come join the Cardozo Society community for our (happily resumed) annual and delicious Kosher-for-Passover holiday lunch. Space is limited, so please RSVP by Tuesday, April 16.

Friday, April 26 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
Downtown Seattle/Capitol Hill area (exact location to be provided before event)


Questions?
Contact Taylour Grier at taylourg@jewishinseattle.org

Cardozo Society Programs

Events

Continuing Legal Education

The Cardozo Society hosts and co-hosts events approved for Continuing Legal Education credits that integrate legal and Jewish concerns.

Past CLEs include:

  • Hate and Harassment in the Digital Age
  • The Jewish Influences, Life & Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • We Must Not Remain Silent: China’s Uyhgur Genocide & What You Can Do About It
  • Protecting Speech Freedoms in a Climate of Hate
  • Crime After Crime: Film Screening and Panel Discussion
  • Anti-BDS Legislation Briefing
  • Affordable Housing: Best Practices and Community Impact
  • Paid Family Leave Panel Discussion
  • Syrian Immigration Law Symposium
  • Why Universities Need a Definition of Anti-Semitism 
  • Marriage Equality in Israel and in the United States
  • Asylum 101

L’Dor V’Dor Award & Reception
Each year, the Cardozo Society honors an outstanding Jewish legal professional with the L’Dor V’Dor Award. Previous recipients of the award include:

  • Judge John Erlick
  • Judge Andrea Darvas
  • Janet Gray
  • Professor Eric Schnapper
  • Justice Sheryl  Gordon McCloud
  • Craig Sternberg
  • Ralph Maimon
  • Judge Ronald Kessler
  • Rochelle Kleinberg Goffe
  • Joel Benoliel
  • Justice Bobbe Bridge
  • Judge Anthony Wartnik
  • Judge Carol Schapira
  • Robert Sulkin
  • Murray B. Guterson z”l

Judicial Evaluation Committee & Ratings

Committee Chairs

Geoff Burg | geoff@glblaw.com

Blair Russ | bmr@bmatlaw.com

The CJEC welcomes new members. Please contact a committee chair to inquire about membership.

How Does It Work?

A quorum of the CJEC (at least four members) will be present at the 20-minute candidate interview. The candidate will have time for short opening and closing statements before and after informal questioning.

Immediately after the interview, Committee members will discuss the screening and vote on the candidate’s rating. The Chair of the CJEC will then notify the candidate of their rating within two business days.

The committee’s decision is based on the Uniform Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire, reference checks, the candidate interview, and other relevant information. The process is conducted consistent with the Judicial Evaluation Committee Bylaws. The screening process and deliberations are confidential.  

The CJEC membership is diverse in gender, race, age, practice type, firm size, geography, and other relevant factors.

Evaluation Dates

The CJEC meets quarterly (sometimes more if necessary) on the third Thursday of January, April, June, and September. Candidates are reviewed, first-come, first-served. The committee  evaluates four candidates each session. They receive about 2-4 applications a month, and it is not unusual to have 10-15 candidates in line.

How to Apply

Judicial candidates can submit a screening request by emailing both geoff@glblaw.com and bmr@bmatlaw.com with the following information:

  1. Completed Governor’s Uniform Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire. Important: Please do not include your Social Security number (page 1 of the Uniform Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire).
  2. Signed Waiver of Liability.

Please save documents you submit with your name in the title. For example, “Smith, Jane – governor form.pdf” and “Smith, Jane – waiver.pdf”.

Date(valid 3 years) Candidate Position Rating
12/13/2023 Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
12/13/2023 Amanda Williamson Kitsap Superior Court  Well Qualified
12/13/2023 Hannah Stearns Spokane County Superior Court  Qualified
12/13/2023 Francis Adewale Spokane County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
11/1/2023 Peter Peaquin King County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
11/1/2023 Nathan Sugg Snohomish County Superior Court Well Qualified
11/1/2023 Melissa Haney Spokane County Superior Court  Qualified
11/1/2023 Salvador Mungia Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/13/2023 Samuel Vini Grays Harbor Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/13/2023 Laura Anglin Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
6/21/2023 Mary Anderson Snohomish County Superior Court  Qualified
6/21/2023 Paul Crisalli King County Superior Court Well Qualified
6/21/2023 Michael Mohandeson Snohomish County District or Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
5/3/2023 Jessica Ness Snohomish County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
5/3/2023 Chief Justice Steven Gonzalez Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
3/15/2023 Jody Cloutier Snohomish County Superior Court  Qualified
3/15/2023 James Whisman Court of Appeals, Div. 1 Exceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023 Raul Martinez King County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023 Anne Egeler Thurston County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023 Cailen Cecil Thurston County Superior Court Well Qualified
1/25/2023 Nam Nguyen Thurston County Superior Court  Qualified
12/14/2022 Coreen Wilson King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022 Damon Shadid King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022 Angela Kaake King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022 Noah Weil King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022 FJ Moll King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Well Qualified
6/29/2022 Taki Flevaris Court of Appeals, Div. 1 Well Qualified
6/29/2022 Michael Finkle King County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
6/29/2022 Adam Eisenberg Seattle Municipal Court Well Qualified
4/6/2022 Chad Allred Court of Appeals, Div. 1 Exceptionally Well Qualified
2/25/2022 Robert Jourdan Chelan County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
2/25/2022 Hadee Vargas King County Superior Court Well Qualified
2/25/2022 Ian Birk Court of Appeals, Division 1 Qualified
2/25/2022 Mary Yu Washington Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
1/10/2022 Cynthia Jones Court of Appeals, Division 1 Qualified
11/3/2021 Michael Ryan Court of Appeals, Division 1 Exceptionally Well Qualified
10/24/2021 Karama Hawkins King County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
10/4/2021 Michael Johnston Supreme Court Well Qualified
9/16/2021 David O King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Well Qualified
9/4/2021 Lea Taguba King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
8/8/2021 Kristin Ballinger King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
7/22/2021 Jennifer Cruz King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Well Qualified
5/11/2021 Robert Chang Supreme Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/28/2021 David Weick King County Superior Court Well Qualified
4/28/2021 Josh Schaer King County District or Seattle Municipal Court Well Qualified
4/27/2021 David Vogel King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/27/2021 Will Dixon King County Superior Court Well Qualified
4/21/2021 Dan Loyd Clark County Superior Court Qualified
4/21/2021 Sally Harmling Chelan County Superior Court Qualified
4/21/2021 Matthew Segal King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/9/2021 Hong Tran King County Superior Court Well Qualified
4/7/2021 Remy Leonard Snohomish County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/4/2021 Averil Rothrock Court of Appeals, Division 1 Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/2/2021 Haydee Vargas King County District Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
3/29/2021 Andy Simmons King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
3/24/2021 Whitney Rivera Edmonds Municipal Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
3/24/2021 Thomas Indu Thurston County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
3/23/2021 Scott Jon Snohomish County Superior Court Well Qualified
2/24/2021 Benjamin Goldstein King County Superior Court Exceptionally Well Qualified
2/24/2021 Neil Weiss Snohomish County Superior Court Qualified

Aric Bomsztyk, Co-Chair
Jenna Goltermann, Co-Chair
Jeff Admon
Hon. Bill Bowman
Geoffrey Burg
Max Cargal-Bley
Sam Cohn
Daniel Ehrlich
Lena Joseph
Shira Kaufman
Elaine Kissel
Moses Merakov
Hon. Steve Rosen
Ariella Shuster
Miriam Swedlow
Hon. Anthony Wartnik

For more information about the Cardozo Society, contact:
Taylour Grier | 206.774.2226 | taylourg@jewishinseattle.org