Gov. Jay Inslee announced today the appointment of Ian Birk to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division One. Birk will replace Judge John Chun, who was recently confirmed as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Birk is a partner at Keller Rohrback LLP, where he represents policyholders in disputes with insurance carriers. He has litigated at that firm since 2005. Before joining Keller Rohrback, Birk represented plaintiffs in litigation for both Chemnick Moen Greenstreet and the Donchez Law Firm. He began his legal career as a judicial law clerk to Washington State Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens.
Birk is active in both the American Association for Justice and the Washington State Association for Justice, professional organizations in which he has been involved since 2002. He has served on the Board of Governors for both organizations. He is also a longtime volunteer lawyer providing pro bono legal services through the King County Bar Association.
“Ian is a talented litigator, with a reputation not only for intellect, but also compassion and empathy,” said Inslee. “He will make an excellent addition to the appellate bench.”
Birk earned his bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Washington.