The man who has advised Gov. Gary Herbert on his appointment of judges is becoming the governor’s general counsel — and will now advise him on a wider spectrum of legal issues.
Herbert announced Wednesday that he is naming Ron Gordon as his general counsel. He has served for nine years as the governor-appointed executive director of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ).
Gordon replaces Jacey Skinner. She is leaving the governor’s office after four years to become deputy court administrator for the Utah Administrative Offices of the Courts.
“He has big high heels to fill,” Herbert joked about Gordon’s replacement of Skinner. The governor’s chief of staff, Justin Harding, quipped that gives new meaning to the Utah advertising motto of “life elevated.”
Among duties of the general counsel is scrutinizing all bills introduced in the Legislature — and identifying problems early to work with lawmakers on amendments that could help avoid vetoes.
“We don’t veto a lot of bills,” Herbert said. “We’ve tried to come with a different approach of collaboration, working with the Legislature, to say there might be a good thought and policy but we want to avoid unintended consequences.”
Herbert said Gordon in his work at CCJJ “has helped lead the charge for criminal-justice reform.”
Also, he said Gordon and Skinner have worked closely to advise him on selection of new judges.
“I’m very proud of the appointments we’ve made,” Herbert said. “I would put our state courts up against any state courts in America. And I certainly would put it up against the federal bench as having a better caliber, better quality, more consistency when it comes to the rule of law, acting as judges should act.”
Gordon said he has been impressed with the governor as he has worked for him during his entire administration.
“I’ve been able to advise him on, now, the appointment of 80 judges. There is only one question he has asked in that process, and that is: ‘Who is the best candidate for this position.’ If anyone were to try to sneak in anything else — political qualifications or anything like that — the governor would not listen,” he said.
Prior to his appointment as executive director of CCJJ, Gordon served as the director of the Office of Crime Victim Reparations, coordinator of the Criminal Justice Advisory Council in Salt Lake County, director of the Utah Sentencing Commission and staff attorney to CCJJ.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 1995 and a law degree from the University of Utah in 1998. His appointment as general counsel is effective Nov. 25.