
Junga Cha
Attorney at Law
My life and legal career has been focused on advancing the civil rights of people of color, women, people with disabilities, and other protected classes of people against employers, institutions, governments or corporations. I have always been passionate about justice and civil rights for people, bringing the strength and wisdom of my mother and ancestors to bear.
Discrimination and violations of a person’s civil rights are never easy matters. Your legal advocate should listen to your individual needs, understand the critical ways racism or discrimination has caused harm in your life, and be able to educate the court and others on why it requires redress. I use my legal knowledge and experience to help guide my clients through our legal system and get results. Through the lens of my life experience growing up in an immigrant family and understanding of systemic racism, I put the legal system to work to get justice for my clients. Through my work, I meet people with rich life experiences and courageous stories. I love getting to know each of my clients and am truly honored that they share their stories with me.
In the broader community, I volunteer with various community groups in Bellingham and serve on boards. Working with my community is important to me because when we lift from the bottom up, we lift up everyone. In my community work, my earnest dream is to build a better world, together.
The outdoors and nature call to me all year round in the Pacific Northwest. So you may see me with my partner and eager wolf pack of three dogs on Two Dollar trail, the Chuckanuts, Mt. Baker, Galbraith Mt., or the horse trails at Lake Padden. Though honestly, I am not sure I would go out into the rain, as much, if wasn’t for the dogs’ imploring, sad eyes.
University of North Dakota, School of Law, J.D., 1997-2000
Oklahoma University, School of Law, Visiting student, 1999-2000
University of North Dakota Law Review, 1998
Pittsburgh University, B.A. in Philosophy, 1995
German and Philosophy, Tuebingen, Germany, 1992, 1994
Philosophy and Economics, Wheeling Jesuit College, 1990
U.S. District Court
Washington State Bar Association
National Lawyers Guild
Whatcom County Bar Association, Past Secretary and Present Member
Washington State Association for Justice
Washington Employment Lawyers Association
Keeper of the Flame Award Recipient, Washington State Bar Association, 2021
Program Director and Volunteer Attorney, Whatcom Civil Rights Project, 2009 to present
NW Regional VP, National Lawyers Guild, 2020-present
Priorities Committee, LAW Advocates, 2014 to present
Board Member, LAW Advocates, 2011 to January 2020
Board Member, Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, 2012 to 2019
Other various community groups