Rachel Hughey ’03 Appointed to 4th Judicial District Court

Rachel Clark Hughey ’03 has been appointed to the bench of Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District.

“I am proud to appoint Ms. Hughey to the Fourth Judicial District bench,” said Governor Tim Walz. “She is an accomplished lawyer who brings extensive legal and courtroom experience and devotion to public service. Ms. Hughey will be an outstanding addition to the bench.”

Hughey is a partner and shareholder at Merchant & Gould, where she litigates complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts in Minnesota and around the country. She is a member and past chair of Merchant & Gould’s Pro Bono Committee, co-chair of the firm’s Appellate Group, former chair of the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee, and former chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative.

Previously, Hughey served as a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Hughey's community involvement includes serving as a member of the ACLU-MN Board, a member and past chair of the Volunteer Lawyers Network Board, a member of the Hennepin County Bar Association Board, and a co-founder and president of The Honorable Jimmie V. Reyna Intellectual Property American Inn of Court. She is also an active volunteer with the Advocates for Human Rights, Children’s Law Center, Volunteer Lawyers Network, and the State Public Defender’s Office.

Hughey previously served as a member of the YouthCARE Board, a member of Minnesota Law's Board of Advisors, and a legal writing professor and moot court instructor at the Law School.