Christopher McDonald

Professional career

• Christopher Lee McDonald is an American judge and the Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, appointed in 2019 and currently serving until December 31, 2028
• 2019–present: Associate Justice, Iowa Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds after Justice Daryl Hecht’s retirement
• 2013–2019: Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals, appointed by Governor Terry Branstad
• 2012–2013: Trial judge, Iowa Fifth Judicial District

Education

Additional information

• He attended Abraham Lincoln High School, obtained a B.A. from Grand View University in 1997, and a J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2001, graduating with highest distinction, as valedictorian, and earning election to the Order of the Coif
• Born September 17, 1974 in Bangkok, Thailand, to a Vietnamese mother and an American father of Scots-Irish ancestry, McDonald grew up at various U.S. military bases before settling in Des Moines.
• After law school, McDonald clerked for Judge David R. Hansen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
• The first person of color appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court
• He then practiced in private law firms in Des Moines (Faegre & Benson, Belin McCormick P.C.) focusing on civil litigation, internal investigations, and employment law.
• He later held the role of senior litigation counsel at Aviva
• In interviews, McDonald has emphasized that his trial court experience provides valuable context for appellate work, reminding him that cases involve real people with significant issues.
• He views oral arguments as a dialogue to clarify legal questions rather than a contest
• received the Governor’s Volunteer Award