List of Gonzaga University School of Law alumni

Notable alumni of the Gonzaga University School of Law at Gonzaga University.

Famous Gonzaga University School of Law Graduates

Catherine Cortez Masto '90, U.S. Senator (Nevada); 32nd Attorney General of Nevada Christine Gregoire '77, 22nd Governor of Washington; 16th Attorney General of Washington Frank Burgess '66, U.S. District Judge and NBA draft pick

Federal Judges

U.S. District Judges

• Franklin D. Burgess, class of 1966, Western District of Washington (1994–2005);[1] 1961 NBA draft pick
• William James Lindberg, class of 1927, Eastern District of Washington (1951–1961),[2] Western District of Washington (1951–1981)[2]
• Robert James McNichols, class of 1952, Eastern District of Washington (1979–1993)[3]
• Justin Lowe Quackenbush, class of 1957, Eastern District of Washington (1980–1995),[4] Lecture Series Namesake[5]
• Thomas O. Rice, class of 1986, Eastern District of Washington (2012–present)[6]

U.S. Bankruptcy Judges

• L. Warden Hanel, class of 1939, Eastern District of Washington (1973–1981), Scholarship Namesake
• John M. Klobucher, class of 1956, Eastern District of Washington (1981–1997)
• Frank L. Kurtz, class of 1974, Ninth Circuit U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (2013–2019), Eastern District of Washington (2005–2019)
• Madeleine C. Wanslee, class of 1988, District of Arizona (2014–present)[7]
• Patricia C. Williams, class of 1975, Eastern District of Washington (1997–2013)

State Judges

Supreme Court Justices

• Edward M. Connelly, class of 1915, Washington Supreme Court (1946-1947)
• Christopher Dietzen, class of 1973, Minnesota Supreme Court (2008–2016)[8]
• Mary Fairhurst, class of 1984, Washington Supreme Court (2002–2019);[9] Washington State Bar Association President (1997–1998)[10]
• Meagan Flynn, class of 1992, Oregon Supreme Court (2017–present)[11]
• Richard P. Guy, class of 1959, Washington Supreme Court (1989–2001)[12]
• Barbara Madsen, class of 1977, Washington Supreme Court (1992–present)[13]
• Mike McGrath, class of 1975, Montana Supreme Court (2009–present),[14]
• Debra L. Stephens, class of 1993, Washington Supreme Court (2008–present)[15]
• William H. Williams, class of 1951, Washington Supreme Court (1979-1985)[16]

From 2008–2020, with Madsen, Fairhurst, and Stephens concurrently serving on the Washington Supreme Court, Gonzaga University School of Law became the law school whose alumni constituted a majority of that Court's justices. Each of those justices also served as chief justice in succession (Madsen then Fairhurst then Stephens).

Court of Appeals Judges

• Cecily Hazelrigg-Hernandez, class of 2005, Washington Court of Appeals, Division I (2019–present)[17]
• Debra L. Stephens, class of 1993, Washington Court of Appeals, Division III (2007–2008)

District Court Judges

• Patrick T. Johnson Jr., class of 1998, Spokane County District Court, Position 1 (2018–present)[18]

Municipal Judges

• Thomas P. Amodeo, class of 1976, Buffalo City Court (1994–present)[19]

Politicians

Governors and Lt. Governors

• Christine Gregoire, class of 1977, 22nd Governor of Washington (2005–2013)[20]

Attorneys General

• Christine Gregoire, class of 1977, 16th Attorney General of Washington (1993–2005)[20]
• Catherine Cortez Masto, class of 1990, 32nd Nevada Attorney General (2007-2014)[21]
• Mike McGrath, class of 1975, 22nd Attorney General of Montana (2000-2008)[14]

United States Attorneys

• Edward M. Connelly, class of 1915, Eastern District of Washington (1942-1946)
• James P. Connelly, class of 1953, Eastern District of Washington (1993-2000)[22]
• William D. Hyslop, class of 1980, Eastern District of Washington (1991-1993, reappointed 2019-present);[23] Washington State Bar Association President (2015-2016)
• James A. McDevitt, class of 1974, Eastern District of Washington (2001-2009)[24]
• Michael C. Ormsby, class of 1981, Eastern District of Washington (2010-2017)[25]
• Jeffrey C. Sullivan, class of 1971, Western District of Washington (2007-2010)[26]

Other Executive Branch Officials

• Richard A. Davey, class of 1999, Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation (2011-2014)[27]
• Jim Ferrell, class of 1993, Mayor of Federal Way, Washington (2014–present)[28]
• Dennis P. Hession, class of 1979, 42nd Mayor of Spokane, Washington (2005-2007)
• Christopher Loeak, class of 1982, 6th President of the Marshall Islands (2012-2016)[29]
• Mike Pellicciotti, class of 2004, Washington State Treasurer-elect
• Mary Verner, class of 1999, 43rd Mayor of Spokane, Washington (2007–2011)[30]

United States Senate

• Catherine Cortez Masto, class of 1990, U.S. Senator from Nevada (2017–present)[31]

United States House of Representatives

• Lloyd Meeds, class of 1958, U.S. Congressman from Washington (second district) (1965–1979)[32]
• George Nethercutt, class of 1971, U.S. Congressman from Washington (fifth district) (1995–2005)[33]

State Senates

• Jeff Holy, class of 1989, Senator, Washington State Senate (District 6) (2019-present); State Representative, Washington House of Representatives (District 6) (2013–2019)
• Mike Padden, class of 1974, Senator, Washington State Senate (District 4) (2011–present)

State Houses of Representatives

• Gary Hebl, class of 1976, State Representative, Wisconsin State Assembly (District 46) (2004–present)
• Mike Pellicciotti, class of 2004, State Representative, Washington House of Representatives (District 30) (2016–present)
• Jay Rodne, class of 1997, State Representative, Washington House of Representatives (District 5) (2004–2019)
• Matt Shea, class of 1996, State Representative, Washington House of Representatives (District 4) (2009–present)
• V. Lowry Snow, class of 1979, State Representative, Utah House of Representatives (District 74) (2012–present); Utah State Bar President (2007)[34]

Educators

• Michael Farris, class of 1976, Founder and Chancellor emeritus of Patrick Henry College,[35] President/CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom (2017-present)
• MIlton G. Rowland, class of 1985, Washington State Bar Association Lifetime Service Award Recipient,[36] Namesake for Milton G. Rowland Adjunct Professor of the Year Award

Business Leaders

• Nancy Allen, class of 2015, Co-founder and Vice President of Real Estate for Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals
• Kelly Cline, class of 1985, Exec. Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, Entertainment for Fox Networks Group (FX, Fox Movie Channel, National Geographic Channel, and NG Wild)[37]
• Uri Clinton, class of 1997 Sr. Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for MGM Resorts International[38]
• Jim Parke, class of 2006, CEO for OtterBox[39] and Blue Ocean Enterprises Inc.
• Frederick Rivera, class of 1993, Exec. Vice President and General Counsel for Seattle Mariners[40][41]
• Bob Schroeter, class of 1990, CEO of Clallam County Economic Development Corporation (2017-2018)[42]

Other

• Patrick J. Conroy, attended 1972-1973 but did not graduate, 60th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives (2011–present)[43]
• Bing Crosby, attended 1922-1924 but did not graduate, Academy Award Winner, Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee[44]
• Chad Little, class of 1988, NASCAR Winston West Series Champion (1987) and Director for Camping World Truck Series[45][46]
• Paul N. Luvera, class of 1959, American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame Inductee[47]
• Carl Maxey (1951), civil rights leader in the Pacific Northwest
• Katherine Merck, class of 2017, first Miss Rodeo America from Washington[48]
• Joe Sullivan, class of 1985, President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (2022-23, anticipated); State Bar of Montana President (2010-11)
• Jim Wickwire, class of 1967, World-class mountain climber; First American to summit K2[49]

References

1. "Frank Burgess". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
2. "William James Lindberg". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
3. "Robert James McNichols". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
4. "Justin Lowe Quackenbush". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
5. "Gonzaga University School of Law » Quackenbush Lecture Series". Law.gonzaga.edu. 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
6. "Thomas O. Rice". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
7. "Gonzaga University School of Law » Madeleine C. Wanslee ('88) appointed to Federal Bench". law.gonzaga.edu. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
8. "Christopher Dietzen". " Bench & Bar of Minnesota. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
9. "Mary Fairhurst". Washington Courts. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
10. "WSBA Presidents". Wsba.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
11. Chris Lehman (2017-03-31). "Gov. Kate Brown Appoints Meagan Flynn To Oregon Supreme Court . News". OPB. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
12. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-05-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. "Barbara Madsen". Washington Courts. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
14. "Mike McGrath". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
15. "Debra L. Stephens". Washington Courts. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
16. "Washington State Courts - Washington Court News". Courts.wa.gov. 2002-04-29. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
17. https://www.gonzaga.edu/news-events/stories/2018/11/29/election-coverage-zags-in-office
18. "Honorable Patrick Johnson | Spokane County, WA". www.spokanecounty.org. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
19. https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/8jd/erie/buffalo.shtml
20. "Christine Gregoire". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
21. "Catherine Cortez Masto". ©2012 Nevada Attorney General. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
22. http://nafusa.org/2017/02/jim-connelly-dies/
23. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-judicial-nominees-united-states-attorney-nominee-united-states-marshal-nominees-3/
24. https://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/us-attorney-to-successor-dont-pass-this-up/
25. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-04. Retrieved 2015-07-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
26. https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/waw/press/2007/oct/sullivan.html
27. http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2015/01/23/richard-davey-former-massdot-secretary-named.html. Retrieved 2017-05-03. Missing or empty |title= (help)
28. http://www.cityoffederalway.com/node/59
29. "Gonzaga's OTHER President". magazine.gonzaga.edu. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
30. "Mary Verner | Building America's Future Educational Fund". bafuture.org. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
31. 11/9/2016 (2016-11-09). "Cortez Masto keeps Reid's Senate seat in Dem hands". Msn.com. Retrieved 2017-05-03.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
32. "Lloyd Meeds". NNDB. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
33. "George Nethercutt". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
34. https://www.snowjensen.com/Attorneys/Lowry-Snow.shtml
35. "Patrick Henry College". phc.edu. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
36. https://www.wsba.org/about-wsba/apex-awards
37. https://issuu.com/gonzaga/docs/lawyer-winter-2013/15
38. "West Las Vegas' Own". lasvegasblackimage.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
39. https://www.otterbox.co.uk/en/jim-parke.html
40. Press Release (2016-01-20). "Mariners name Fred Rivera Executive VP & General Counsel | MLB.com". M.mlb.com. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
41. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2017-03-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
42. "New Clallam County Economic Development Corp. director underscores priorities". Peninsula Daily News. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
43. "The Chaplain of the House, Office of the Chaplain". Chaplain.house.gov. 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
44. "1912 - 1940 - First Class Law School, or None at All: GU Law School Turns 100 - LibGuides at Gonzaga University". Researchguides.gonzaga.edu. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
45. "Chad Little receives WSU Alumni Achievement Award | WSU News Washington State University". news.wsu.edu. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
46. Roberts, Ken (2014-06-11). "Truck series gears up for return to Gateway | Sports". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
47. "Paul Luvera Journal: GONZAGA LAW SCHOOL CLASS OF 1959". Paulluvera.com. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
48. "Gonzaga law student crowned Miss Rodeo America". The Seattle Times. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
49. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-08-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)