Eric Washington is the Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Appointed to the court in 1999, he was appointed Chief Judge in 2005 and was re-appointed to two additional four-year terms as Chief Judge in 2009 and 2013.
He began his legal career in 1979 as an associate attorney with Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston, Texas, where he handled unfair labor practice cases before the National Labor Relations Board and employment cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as well as various state and federal courts.
In 1983, Chief Judge Washington relocated to Washington, DC, to serve as Legislative Director and Counsel to U.S. Congressman Michael A. Andrews of Texas. He then rejoined Fulbright & Jaworski in its Washington office and resumed a general administrative litigation practice.
He served as Special Counsel to the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (formerly called the Corporation Counsel) from 1987 through 1989, and later became Principal Deputy Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia. He was responsible, along with the Corporation Counsel, for providing all legal services to the District of Columbia government.
Chief Judge Washington became a partner at Hogan & Hartson in January 1990 and remained there until May 1995 when he was appointed to the Superior Court of DC. During his tenure on the Superior Court, he presided over more than 100 criminal trials.
EDUCATION: Tufts University, B.A.; Columbia University School of Law, J.D.