Justice Salvador A. Mungia

Justice Salvador “Sal” A. Mungia was elected to the Washington Supreme Court in November 2024 and was sworn into office in January 2025. Justice Mungia is the son of immigrants: his father came from Mexico and his mother from Japan. Justice Mungia was born and raised in Tacoma. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with honors in 1981 and from the Georgetown University Law Center with honors in 1984. After graduating from law school, Justice Mungia clerked for a Washington Supreme Court justice and then for a federal district court judge before joining the law firm of Gordon Thomas Honeywell where he was the managing partner the last two years of his practice.

Justice Mungia was in private practice for 38 years before joining the Court. His practice consisted of complex civil trial and appellate work, including general aviation air crashes, insurance coverage and bad faith issues, medical negligence and wrongful death claims, and commercial disputes. Justice Mungia also litigated constitutional law issues including first amendment freedom of speech, separation of church and state, and commerce and spending clause disputes.

A number of organizations have noted Justice Mungia’s skill as an attorney and his ethical standards. He is a fellow in the American Board of Trial Advocates and a fellow in Litigation Counsel of America — both invitation-only legal societies. He has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell for over 20 years. An AV Preeminent rating is the highest possible rating for an attorney and is achieved only after an attorney has been reviewed and recommended by peers and members of the bar and the judiciary. He has been designated as a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law & Politics Magazine (restricted to 5% of attorneys in Washington State) continuously since 2008. In addition, he has been recognized as a “Best Lawyer” by Best Lawyers in America since 2011 in the fields of appellate practice, civil rights law, commercial litigation, and plaintiffs personal injury litigation.

Justice Mungia has been a leader in the legal profession and has contributed thousands of hours to making the profession better. He has served as the president of the Washington State Bar Association, the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, and the Western States Bar Conference. He also served in the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates from 2012 to 2015. Justice Mungia has taught attorneys trial skills as both an instructor and as a program director for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. He teaches second-year law students at Emory Law School’s Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques. He authored a chapter in the Washington State Bar Association’s Civil Procedure Deskbook and has spoken at over 100 Continuing Legal Education Seminars. Justice Mungia’s service to the legal profession has been recognized throughout the years. In 2024 the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017 the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation awarded him the Outstanding State Chair Award. In 2011 the King County Washington Women Lawyers awarded Justice Mungia the Special Contribution to the Judiciary Award.

Justice Mungia has spent his legal career expanding access to the civil justice system for those who could not afford to hire an attorney. Justice Mungia took on pro bono representation of individuals, families, and class actions in both state and federal courts. His pro bono representation included prisoner rights, civil rights, and the protection of those in this country without the proper documentation. Justice Mungia served on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid for Washington and was the president of that organization. He also served on the Access to Justice Board for six years and was chair of that body. Justice Mungia served on the Advisory Board for the Gates Public Service Law Scholarship Program at the University of Washington School of Law from 2012 to 2019. He served six years on the Board of the Endowment for Equal Justice and served on the Board of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law from 2003 to 2006. The Legal Foundation of Washington awarded Justice Mungia the Charles A. Goldmark Distinguished Service Award in 2019, recognizing his commitment to access to justice. Justice Mungia was also awarded the Pro Bono Leadership Award by the Tacoma-Pierce County Volunteer Legal Services Program in 2015. In 2011 Appleseed Washington awarded him the Bradley C. Diggs Award for Outstanding Service for his pro bono work.

Justice Mungia has been active in his community. He has served on Pacific Lutheran University’s Board of Regents since 2021, and served on that school’s Alumni Board from 2015 to 2022, acting as president of that board. From 2022 to 2025, Justice Mungia served on St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s Vestry. Justice Mungia served on Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland’s Task Force on Education from 2010 to 2013 and served on the ACLU of Washington’s Board of Directors from 1987 to 1992. He also served as a commissioner on the Tacoma Human Rights Commission from 1990 to 1996. In 2013 Pacific Lutheran University awarded Justice Mungia its Alumni Service Award. In 2008 the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association awarded him its Outstanding Service Award.

Justice Mungia has spent his career as a lawyer working to increase the diversity of the legal profession and taking steps to address bias within the legal profession and the community at large. Justice Mungia worked for five years on a committee of six attorneys to draft General Rule 37, which aims to reduce racial bias in jury selection. He has given fifteen presentations at CLE programs speaking about race and bias. Justice Mungia served three years on a Tacoma Council appointed committee to make Tacoma an anti-racist city. He served as a mentor for the UW Tacoma’s Legal Pathway’s program. He served on the Board of the Palmer Minority Scholarship Foundation from 2004 to 2008. He has also authored and co-authored articles about race and bias within the legal system. Justice Mungia’s commitment to advancing diversity was recognized in 2017 when the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association awarded him its Service to Diversity Award, in 2011 when Seattle University School of Law awarded him the Latina/o Amicus Service Award, and in 2009 by the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington when it awarded him the Modelo de Excelencia Award.

Justice Mungia believes that the best part of his life are his four children, two daughters-in-law, and one grandson. He is so proud of them all.