Judge Jack R. McKenna: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Jack R. McKenna is a judge for the Anchorage Superior Court in the 3rd Judicial District of Alaska. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Mike Dunleavy on December 23, 2021, filling a seat vacated by the Hon. Jennifer S. Henderson.

The 3rd Judicial District includes Anchorage, Cordova, Dillingham, Glennallen, Homer, Kenai, Kodiak, Naknek, Palmer, Sand Point, St. Paul Island, Seward, Unalaska, and Valdez.

Prior to his appointment, McKenna was the division director over the Criminal Division office chiefs at the Alaska Department of Law, a position he held since 2021. Before that, he spent two years as chief assistant attorney general with the office, tasked with supervising the Office of Special Prosecutions (2019 to 2021).

McKenna received a bachelor’s degree in integrative biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2001. He then completed a J.D. at the University of California, Davis School of Law, in 2007.

After graduating from law school, McKenna began his legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. Michael R. Spaan with the Anchorage Superior Court (2007 to 2008) before entering private practice as an associate at Remy, Moose & Manley, LLP, in Sacramento, California, in 2008. Then, in 2009, following a brief clerkship, McKenna joined the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney, where he worked for the next seven years before returning to private practice.

At that time, he became an associate at Birch, Horton, Bitner & Cherot in Anchorage in 2016. McKenna handled general litigation, municipal law, construction, administrative law, and Alaska Public Offices Commission issues until rejoining the Alaska Department of Law in 2019.

His memberships include the Alaska Bar Association and its Bar Examiners Committee. McKenna also served as a board member of the Municipal Board of Ethics.

He has resided in Anchorage, Alaska, since 2009.