Seattle Reign FC Legend: Judge Veronica Galván – King County Superior Court Judge

The Legends Campaign, a partnership between Seattle Reign FC and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to Seattle Reign FC’s match against Bay FC on September 29, the club recognized Veronica Galván, King County Superior Court Judge. 

Judge Galván grew up in the Yakima Valley and became the first member of her family to graduate college earning her degree from Western Washington University. 

After graduating from the University of Washington School of Law, Judge Galván became an assistant city attorney for the city of Seattle. There, she specialized in the prosecution of domestic violence cases including elder and child abuse matters. In 2007, Judge Galván was appointed to the Des Moines Municipal Court. Near the end of 2014, Governor Jay Inslee appointed Judge Galván to the King County Superior Court.  

“The biggest obstacle for me was understanding that no matter how qualified you are, there are so many people who doubt that you should be in this position. I think you see that a lot, particularly as a female, where people somehow hold you to a much higher standard just because there's an expectation that somehow, you're not as qualified as anybody else.” 

When Judge Galván started practicing, there were not a lot of female judges or Latino judges in the system, but slowly more and more women began to enter the courts, and it inspired her to see herself in that same position. 

“My advice to young women would be to feel confidence in occupying space. Even when you don’t see a ton of people that look like you in a space, you have an opportunity to occupy that space yourself and make others feel more comfortable. You can bring your own identity to the table and be proud of that.” 

She continued, “I was really lucky to have some tremendous mentors in my life. Nobody accomplishes everything by themselves. I always tell folks that none of my mentors ever asked me to pay it back, but they've always expected me to pass it on and I often think of that when I talk to these kids in schools or even engage in activities like this one.” 

A tireless advocate for access to justice, Judge Galván implemented the only Spanish-language Court in the state of Washington granting hundreds of litigants the opportunity to address the court directly in Spanish.  

“You know, I’ve been very fortunate in my career in terms of accomplishments. I think one of the things that I’m most proud of is being a part of allowing the court to conduct hearings in Spanish and allowing people to feel comfortable directly speaking about an issue in their language. The look of relief on people's faces when they understand the person making the decision is able to understand what they are saying does not compare to anything else.” 

In 2013 she was selected by her colleagues as President of the District and Municipal Court Judges' Association. Judge Galván also teaches Spanish for lawyers at Seattle University School of Law and has spoken on the issue of multilingual legal education. 

“I don't think a lot of people necessarily even comprehend the work that that happens in the judicial branch, so sometimes it can be taken for granted. It’s a really robust system of checks and balances, meaning the judiciary plays a large role in our democracy, so I think it is an honor when the community notices the work that you're doing and recognizes that work. I appreciate the Reign thinking of me, as this is one of the most humbling awards I’ve ever received. To be a part of this larger community of women who have been honored before me is amazing.”