Sumi Lee, the first person in Colorado – and potentially the nation – to lead judicial diversification efforts from within the judiciary itself, has resigned from her job to join the administration of Gov. Jared Polis.

“I had a good experience working at Judicial, and I believe the Judicial Diversity Outreach program will continue to grow with new ideas and new energy from my successor,” Lee told Colorado Politics. “The governor’s office position is an exciting new opportunity in my career.”

Lee stepped down from her position as the head of the Judicial Diversity Outreach program on Aug. 25, after more than three years. The legislature specifically created her role within the Judicial Department in 2019, making Lee “responsible for education and outreach regarding judicial office vacancies.“

In practice, Lee has overseen a variety of efforts to increase the diversity of the judicial applicant pool, from coaching programs to behind-the-scenes previews of life as a trial judge. 

“We are thrilled to have Sumi Lee join the Governor’s Office of Legal Counsel alongside our stellar legal team,” said Conor Cahill, the press secretary for Polis. “Sumi and her peers bring a wealth of experience and legal expertise to our team and the state.”

It was unclear if Lee will be involved with judicial nominations in her new position.

Gary M. Jackson, a retired Denver County Court judge, has worked with Lee since her hiring to further their mutual goal of greater diversity among the 300-plus judges and justices in Colorado.

“Sumi has done a yeoman’s job in terms of what was put before her, and we’ve accomplished a lot,” he said. “I just think that getting a staff position with the governor is something that is important for her career development.”

Citizen-led commissions screen applicants for judgeships and recommend finalists to the governor, who then appoints most trial and appellate judges across the state. During Polis’ tenure, the number of Black judges has increased dramatically to the point where the proportion of Black judges is equal to Black representation in Colorado as a whole.

As of June 2022, female judges were approaching parity on the bench with men. However, the proportion of Hispanic judges lags behind the general population. Lee acknowledged that to be an area requiring continued attention.

“We need a combination of: increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino judicial applicants, increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino law students and attorneys, and addressing the issue of legal deserts,” she told Colorado Politics earlier this year.

Prior to joining the Judicial Department, Lee worked for Denver Probate Court and financial institutions, and was the president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado. After her first year of coordinating diversity programming, Justice Monica M. Márquez gave Lee’s efforts a shout-out during her 2021 testimony to a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee.

“To our knowledge, Colorado is the first state in the nation to have a position of this kind within its Judicial Department,” Márquez said. “With her work, we aim to demystify the application and nomination process, and make it more transparent and accessible to all potential applicants.”

The Judicial Department has not posted a job listing yet for Lee’s position. Jackson said he believed the position, as it existed during Lee’s tenure, needed more staff support. Lee did not comment directly to Colorado Politics but said she believes there are plans to “expand and provide additional support for” the role.

Emma Garrison, president of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, praised Lee’s work as the first leader of institutionalized diversity efforts.

“The next person who takes on this role will have big shoes to fill. While we have a higher number of women on the bench than in the past, it is still a priority to select and retain well-qualified women judges, particularly women of color,” Garrison said. “We hope the Judicial Diversity Outreach program will continue to support these goals and serve as a model for the rest of the nation.”