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.

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)CandidatePositionRating
11/1/2023Peter PeaquinKing County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
11/1/2023Nathan SuggSnohomish County Superior CourtWell Qualified
11/1/2023Melissa HaneySpokane County Superior Court Qualified
11/1/2023Salvador MungiaSupreme CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
9/13/2023Samuel ViniGrays HarborExceptionally Well Qualified
9/13/2023Laura AnglinSupreme CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
6/21/2023Mary AndersonSnohomish County Superior Court Qualified
6/21/2023Paul CrisalliKing County Superior CourtWell Qualified
6/21/2023Michael MohandesonSnohomish County District or Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
5/3/2023Jessica NessSnohomish County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
5/3/2023Chief Justice Steven GonzalezSupreme CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
3/15/2023Jody CloutierSnohomish County Superior Court Qualified
3/15/2023James WhismanCourt of Appeals, Div. 1Exceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023Raul MartinezKing County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023Anne EgelerThurston County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
1/25/2023Cailen CecilThurston County Superior CourtWell Qualified
1/25/2023Nam NguyenThurston County Superior Court Qualified
12/14/2022Coreen WilsonKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022Damon ShadidKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022Angela KaakeKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022Noah WeilKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
9/21/2022FJ MollKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtWell Qualified
6/29/2022Taki FlevarisCourt of Appeals, Div. 1Well Qualified
6/29/2022Michael FinkleKing County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
6/29/2022Adam EisenbergSeattle Municipal CourtWell Qualified
4/6/2022Chad AllredCourt of Appeals, Div. 1Exceptionally Well Qualified
2/25/2022Robert JourdanChelan County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
2/25/2022Hadee VargasKing County Superior CourtWell Qualified
2/25/2022Ian BirkCourt of Appeals, Division 1Qualified
2/25/2022Mary YuWashington Supreme CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
1/10/2022Cynthia JonesCourt of Appeals, Division 1Qualified
11/3/2021Michael RyanCourt of Appeals, Division 1Exceptionally Well Qualified
10/24/2021Karama HawkinsKing County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
10/4/2021Michael JohnstonSupreme CourtWell Qualified
9/16/2021David OKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtWell Qualified
9/4/2021Lea TagubaKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
8/8/2021Kristin BallingerKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
7/22/2021Jennifer CruzKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtWell Qualified
5/11/2021Robert ChangSupreme CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
4/28/2021David WeickKing County Superior CourtWell Qualified
4/28/2021Josh SchaerKing County District or Seattle Municipal CourtWell Qualified
4/27/2021David VogelKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
4/27/2021Will DixonKing County Superior CourtWell Qualified
4/21/2021Dan LoydClark County Superior CourtQualified
4/21/2021Sally HarmlingChelan County Superior CourtQualified
4/21/2021Matthew SegalKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
4/9/2021Hong TranKing County Superior CourtWell Qualified
4/7/2021Remy LeonardSnohomish County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
4/4/2021Averil RothrockCourt of Appeals, Division 1Exceptionally Well Qualified
4/2/2021Haydee VargasKing County District CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
3/29/2021Andy SimmonsKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
3/24/2021Whitney RiveraEdmonds Municipal CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
3/24/2021Thomas InduThurston County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
3/23/2021Scott JonSnohomish County Superior CourtWell Qualified
2/24/2021Benjamin GoldsteinKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
2/24/2021Neil WeissSnohomish County Superior CourtQualified
12/15/2020Faye ChessKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified
12/15/2020Joe CampagnaKing County Superior CourtExceptionally Well Qualified