My Philosophy

In my practice the client and their needs always come first.   When people hire an attorney they usually have two things they want to accomplish. First, they want an attorney who has the experience and skill to get them a favorable result. Second, they want to be able to reduce their workload  and their stress by having a professional take responsibility for resolving the dispute or problem that has arisen.  It is my goal to manage every case so that my client has the least amount of stress possible.  I also work hard to get them a satisfying result. Finally, I know that it’s no good to trade one form of stress for another and running up a big bill with your attorney can be incredibly stressful.  I plan litigation to keep costs down to a minimum and make sure that you know up front what the expense will be so there are no unpleasant surprises.  During the course of a case clients frequently have concerns or worries.  I respond to all call and e-mails within 24 hours so that my clients don’t have to worry or wonder about what’s going on.  My clients come first.

My Background

I am an experienced litigator and have advised Companies and individuals in a variety of areas including contracts, corporate formation, employment law, bankruptcy and  commercial litigation. I have handled litigation matters for Fortune 500 companies, small companies and individuals.  Each case is important to me and I work hard to get my client the resolution they want.

Along with my employment law and general litigation practices, I have had a strong bankruptcy and practice representing creditors and individuals in all aspects of Bankruptcy.  I have litigated a number of adversary proceedings, including preferences, fraudulent transfers, and objections to discharge. I have been involved in litigation in a wide range of matters, such as adequate protection, relief from the automatic stay, objections to the adequacy of disclosure statements, and objections to plan confirmation.

I am frequently called upon to serve as an arbitrator by the Courts and was recently appointed as a panel mediator for U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington.

Prior to starting my own firm I began  my career representing the Colville Confederated Tribes in Grand Coulee, Washington. I was subsequently commissioned by the United States Army Judge Advocate General (Army JAG). As an attorney for the Army, I was then responsible for advising commanders regarding compliance with Army, State and Federal regulations, as well as ensuring that each unit within the specific branch was in compliance with the Army environmental regulations.  After leaving the Army I worked for over ten years with a firm that is currently affiliated with Wong Fleming handling litigation on a wide array of civil matters.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Handled over 2,000 general and premises liability claims for the U.S. Army.
• Handled all general and premises liability matters for an Indian Tribe.
• Handled Washington State’s retailer litigation for international insurance company involving core and tender premises and general liability matters.
• Defending a multi-party general and premises liability matter involving vendors and employees. Successfully obtained summary judgment dismissing three of the Plaintiffs.
• Defended and prosecuted breach of contract, UCC-9, and UCC-2A in a civil dispute in a purchase and sale agreement of an ongoing multi-million dollar business concern. Reviewed secured transaction documents and sought accounting of secured property in determining damages.
• Prosecuted and secured property secured by UCC-9 filings. Also, successfully recovered monies owed to the client by the Defendant.
• Defended a major corporation where Plaintiff claimed the conditions in their facility were unsafe.
• Defended large corporations in a wide range of premises liability matters.

 

ADMISSIONS

• Washington State
• Colville Confederated Tribes
• Lummi Tribal Court
• Tullalip Tribal Court
• Federal Court
• Bankruptcy Court
• Appelate Court

PROFESSIONAL HONORS, AWARDS AND ACTIVITIES

• Appointed as Bankruptcy Mediator in 2011, Reappointed in 2013
• Pro Bono Awards from 2010 to 2013
• Member, Bankruptcy Law Committee
• Arbitrator, Pierce, King and Thurston County
• Volunteer, Seattle Children’s Theater
• Volunteer, Kith Housing Project

EDUCATION

• D., City University New York (1993)
• A., Evergreen State College (1990)