Today Gov. Jay Inslee announced the appointment of Nicholas B. Straley to the King County Superior Court. He is appointed to replace Judge Mary Roberts, who retired from the bench effective January 17, 2024.
For over 26 years, Straley has been employed by Columbia Legal Services (CLS), a state-wide non-profit law firm that provides civil legal services to people living on low incomes in our state. He currently serves as CLS’s litigation director. He has practiced in a wide range of subject matters throughout his career, including representing tenants and other people in housing related matters, consumers in disputes with creditors, workers in disputes with employers and regulators, and incarcerated persons in matters related to their confinement. He has litigated both in state and federal courts, including significant complex civil and class action litigation. Earlier in his career, he served as a staff attorney in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Straley also has a long history of being active in his community. For example, since 2021 he has served on the YouthCare Board of Directors, an organization that works to end youth homelessness. Since 2019, he has served on the JustLead Washington Board of Directors. He also served as an alternate member of the Washington State Criminal Sentencing Task Force between 2019 and 2023.
“Nick Straley is a well-respected and experienced lawyer who has dedicated himself for over 25 years to serving vulnerable populations,” said Inslee. “I’m pleased that he will bring his integrity, work ethic, litigation experience and compassion to the King County Superior Court bench.”
Straley earned his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in Ohio. He earned his law degree from Cornell Law School.