State justice gets achievement award

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Gerry L. Alexander, chief justice of the Washington state Supreme Court, was honored by his peers with a prestigious lifetime achievement award Monday at the annual 9th Circuit Judicial Conference.

Alexander is the first Washington state resident to win the American Inns of Court Ninth Circuit Professionalism Award, which goes to a lawyer or judge "whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity."

The soft-spoken Alexander received the honor from Ruth McGregor, chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court. McGregor cited Alexander's efforts to ensure equal access to the judicial system for the poor and underprivileged, his advocacy for an independent judiciary and his self-effacing demeanor in a field filled with big egos.

"To say that I'm honored and pleased to be presented with this award is really a vast understatement," said Alexander, who is Washington's longest-serving chief justice.

Born in Aberdeen and raised in Olympia, Alexander has been a pillar of Washington's legal community for more than three decades.

Alexander earned his law degree from the University of Washington in 1964. He became a Superior Court judge for Thurston and Mason counties in 1973 and held that post until he moved onto the Washington Court of Appeals in 1985.

His nominating packet includes 118 pages of supporting documents, according to Cindy Dennis, awards and scholarships coordinator for the American Inns of Court, a foundation established to advance legal education.

Most were from colleagues in Washington state, such as Chief Justice Robert Lasnik of the U.S. District Court in Seattle. One letter was from Gerald VandeWalle, chief justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Others came from chief justices of the supreme courts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

The 9th Circuit is one of 12 federal judicial regions in the U.S. It includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

David Bowermaster: 206-464-2724 or dbowermaster@seattletimes.com