Willamette Law alumni across the Pacific Northwest

This section includes some Willamette Law graduates recently appointed to, elected to or retired from judicial positions. Many Willamette Law alumni serve or have served in judicial positions across the country.

California

Judge Marianne Gilbert JD’88 was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve as a judge in the Kings County Superior Court in October 2023. Gilbert was previously a contract attorney for Kings County, working on court-appointed cases since 1988.

Oregon

Judge Joanna Marikos JD’97 was appointed by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to the position of circuit judge in Oregon’s Sixth Judicial District, which encompasses Umatilla and Morrow Counties. The appointment was effective in February 2024. She was previously a referee pro tem for the district’s civil department and a treatment court judge.

Judge Jessica Meyer JD’05 was hired as a municipal court judge for Albany’s city government in October 2023. Meyer joined Morley, Thomas & McHill (now Morley Thomas Law) in February 2006 and became a partner in the firm in January 2011. Her practice centers on estate planning, probate, trust administration and guardianships/ conservatorships.

Washington

Judge James Lawler JD’82 will retire from the Lewis County Superior Court at the end of his term in January 2025 after 17 years on the bench. “Over the years, I have presided over thousands of cases. It was always my goal to give each litigant an opportunity to be heard as they exercised their rights,” Lawler said in a written statement announcing his retirement. “I tried to ensure fairness and compassion in my decisions, knowing the profound impact they had on the lives of those who appeared before me.”