Judge Robert S. Lasnik became Chief Judge of the Western District of Washington on September 1, 2004. He was appointed to the United States District Court by President Clinton in 1998. Prior to that he served as a King County Superior Court Judge for nine years. He formerly was Chief of Staff in the King County Prosecutor’s Office. Judge Lasnik graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in psychology and sociology and later obtained two master’s degrees from Northwestern University in journalism and in counseling. He is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and was an instructor there in Interviewing and Counseling for Lawyers. He is author of A Parent’s Guide to Adoption.

Judge Lasnik is Chair of the Ninth Circuit’s Public Information and Community Outreach Committee and serves on the Conference Executive Committee. He is Chair of the Washington State Committee of Selection for the Rhodes Scholarships. Judge Lasnik chaired the State Sentencing Guidelines Commission from 1992 - 1995 and for four years was Chair of the State Bench-Bar-Press Liaison Committee which works to resolve “free press vs. fair trial” issues which occur throughout the state.