Biography

Judge Jill A. Otake was nominated by President Donald J. Trump in December 2017 and confirmed by the United States Senate as a United States District Judge for the District of Hawai῾i in August 2018.

Judge Otake served as an Assistant United States Attorney for thirteen years (2005–2014 in the Western District of Washington and 2014–2018 in the District of Hawai῾i). During that time, she investigated and tried numerous criminal cases, and served in several management and supervisory roles. 

Prior to her time as an Assistant United States Attorney, Judge Otake worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Seattle, Washington. She also served as law clerk to Associate Justice Simeon R. Acoba, Jr. of the Hawai῾i Supreme Court (2001–2002).

Judge Otake earned a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law (1998) and a B.S. in Russian from Georgetown University (1995). She is a graduate of ῾Iolani School in Honolulu (1991).

Prior to joining the bench, Judge Otake was a Fellow of the Hawai῾i State Bar Association’s Leadership Institute and Co-President of the Asian Bar Association of Washington. She was a volunteer attorney for Volunteer Legal Services Hawai῾i and a mentor for Hawai῾i Women Lawyers. She also chaired and served on numerous judicial evaluation committees in Washington State and was an adjunct professor of Trial Advocacy at Seattle University School of Law.