Big changes are coming to Okanogan County's legal scene. Governor Bob Ferguson has appointed Rachel Hong, a seasoned litigation attorney from Winthrop, to the Superior Court. She will take the bench on July 3, filling the spot left by Judge Robert Grim. Hong brings over 20 years of legal experience, including 10 years as a career clerk for Judge Barbara Rothstein in the U.S. District Court, where she helped write rulings and manage trials, according to the Governor Bob Ferguson.
Gov. Ferguson lauded Hong's "legal expertise, commitment to public service and deep connection to Okanogan County," credentials he's banking on to translate into an exemplary performance on the bench, as per the announcement on the Governor Bob Ferguson's official website. Hong stepped up to the plate, humbled and geared up to justify Ferguson's faith in her, committing to hustle for the trust of Okanogan County folks by bench-pressing fairness and respect in court dealings.
Her resume's not just some dry legal parchment though, as Hong's logged hours representing everyone from individuals to behemoths, and even Uncle Sam in both criminal and civil face-offs, scaling the walls of justice from state to federal court trenches. The legal fray saw her at the vanguard in firms like Yarmuth Wilsdon Calfo and Heller Ehrman, but she did not shy away from the less lucrative, yet dues-paying work such as dedicating time to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, as reported by the Governor Bob Ferguson.
Rachel Hong’s story goes beyond the courtroom. She’s also been an organic farmer in Shelton, growing vegetables and working in Methow orchards, selling her produce at local markets and staying involved in rural economic issues. Her passion for the Methow Valley led her to serve on the board of the TwispWorks Foundation, which supports artists, entrepreneurs, and learners, as per the Governor Bob Ferguson. With a backstory that reads like a sort of Americana quilt - law, agriculture, community - Hong's journey from her academic days, collecting degrees at the University of Virginia and University of Michigan Law School, to the Superior Court bench is as much about the letter of the law as it is about the spirit of public service.
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