Governor appoints Washington state's newest Supreme Court justice amid turnover

Mike Carter, The Seattle Times on Mar 9, 2026

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SEATTLE — A high-profile Seattle litigator with a history of working in immigration court was appointed to the Washington Supreme Court by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday.

Theodore J. Angelis, known as Theo, a longtime attorney at the giant Seattle firm K&L Gates, will step into the seat being vacated by Justice Barbara Madsen, the first woman elected to the Washington Supreme Court, who is leaving next month after 33 years as a justice.

Angelis, a Yale Law School graduate who is believed to be the first person of Middle Eastern descent appointed to the state Supreme Court, is the son of Greek and Turkish immigrants. He rose to be a lead intellectual-property attorney at K&L Gates with a deep background in pro bono work with immigrants, particularly children, in immigration court.

“Theo’s impressive qualifications and accomplishments speak for themselves,” Ferguson said. “His colleagues praise his legal expertise, humility and integrity. Even opposing counsel who faced him in court describe Theo as ‘the smartest lawyer I’ve ever faced,’ and a decent, honorable person. He will serve the people of Washington well on our highest court.”

With his hand on his heart, Angelis noted his father, a Greek Orthodox priest, and his mother, the daughter of Turkish refugees, raised him to value hard work and with the fundamental knowledge that we have a responsibility to feed the hungry, help the homeless, care for the sick and … to have compassion for those who are incarcerated."

His appointment comes at a time of nearly unprecedented turnover on the Washington Supreme Court, with five open seats to be filled in the November election, when Angelis will have to convince voters that he should stay on the bench. The others include Justice Colleen Melody, appointed by Ferguson earlier this year; Justice Raquel Montoya, who is not seeking reelection; Associate Chief Justice Charles Johnson, who is required by state law to retire due to age and Chief Justice Debra Stephens, whose term is up this year.

While Ferguson said he did not ask Angelis about his position on any particular subject, he noted the court will likely have to rule on the constitutionality of a proposed income tax on millionaires poised to pass the Legislature.

Angelis, flanked by his wife Kim and their twin 13-year-old children, John and Katherine, proclaimed he has a "deep sense of justice for the rule of law," important in these challenging times.

"Now more than ever, when the rule of law is under threat in this country and elsewhere, it's important that we as lawyers stand up and defend what we hold most dear," he said. "Every lawyer has the professional obligation to our courts to make them more accessible and just.

Angelis has practiced extensively with the International Trade Commission and has represented both U.S. and Asian companies in international litigation and as an appellate attorney. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America database and has been recognized by the King County Bar Association as mentor of the year and previously as its young lawyer of the year.

He served a clerkship on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, was the co-chair of the intellectual property litigation committee of the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington, and chaired the King County Bar Association's fair campaign practices committee.

He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and psychology from Claremont McKenna College, received Master of Science degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Oxford, and edited the Yale Law Journal.

“When I chose the law as my calling, I promised myself that I would always focus on how to use the law to help those in need,” Angelis said. “Throughout my career, I have worked to promote access to the courts and a genuine commitment to the rule of law.”