Kingston Business Lawyers

Steven J. Peiffle is a seasoned lawyer with over 40 years of experience. His primary practice areas are municipal law, estate planning and probate, business and corporate law, and real estate law. Steve has been named a "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics magazine and has also received the AV* Preeminent Peer Review rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a former president of the Snohomish County Bar Association and has been involved in numerous community organizations in Arlington and Snohomish County.

Eric represents victims of wrongful termination, unfair wage and hour practices, workplace harassment, and discrimination; whistleblowers who suffer retaliation after standing up for themselves or others; and entrepreneurs crossed by former business partners. As a civil litigator and class action attorney, he routinely assists individuals and entities in employment litigation, consumer protection actions, and complex business and contract lawsuits. Eric has prevailed in numerous appellate cases supporting worker rights, including before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court.

Mindful that most people seldom interact with the legal system, Eric uses his knowledge and experience to guide his...

Since starting my practice in 2003, I have emphasized the provision of competent legal services at a cost which is adjusted for the client's particular situation. Hiring a lawyer is expensive for many reasons, but to the extent possible, I have tried to right size the fees we charge the client with the client's household income.

I focus my practice primarily in the family law area and have a great deal of experience in divorces, annulments, legal separations, child support modifications, parenting plan modifications and non parental custody cases.

A brief bit about me...

I am the first person in my...

Joe Gordon, Jr. joined GTH in 1968 and has been a pillar of the firm and of the legal community in the Pacific Northwest for many years. He has tried superior court cases involving a wide range of civil litigation matters in 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. As a Washington State Assistant Attorney General, he served as a trial attorney for the Department of Labor & Industries in both the Olympia and Seattle offices.

In private practice, Joe has regularly represented rental property owners and management companies on landlord-tenant matters. He has also represented both employers and injured workers on industrial...

Sal practices in state and federal courts throughout the state of Washington and has litigated most of the Western states as well. One focus of Sal’s practice is medical negligence, wrongful death, and serious injury cases. Sal has represented patients who have been injured as a result of doctors, nurses, and emergency room physicians making mistakes resulting in death, paralysis, brain injuries and loss of life or harm to babies. Sal has brought actions against Multicare, CHI Franciscan, Harborview, Children’s Hospital, and Swedish Medical center among others. Sal’s cases have involved surgeons, OBGYN doctors, Emergency Department...

Growing up in New York and Pennsylvania, Rick attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with a degree in Oceanography in 1978. Figuring he should put his knowledge of the oceans to some practical use, Rick became a nuclear-trained officer and served aboard the USS Patrick Henry, a nuclear submarine, until 1983. At that point, realizing that a continued career in submarines might let him see the light of day for one of every ten years or so, Rick elected to head off to law school. As he explained to the squadron commodore, "Perry Mason always surprises; L.A. Law is intense;...

Alan Macpherson’s primary area of practice at GTH is estate planning and taxation. He particularly enjoys working on projects that combine financial and tax as well as legal aspects, such as establishing and monitoring investment LLCs and generation-skipping trusts and helping clients build specific themes into their estate plans, like helping with the education of grandchildren.

Since joining the firm in 1994, Stephanie has worked on a wide variety of cases representing clients in employment, business and injury litigation, as well as estate litigation and business disputes. She also represents clients in matters involving misappropriation of trade secrets, noncompetition contracts, Consumer Protection Act claims, unfair competition issues, contract disputes and consults on matters of legal ethics.

In her commercial litigation practice, Stephanie focuses on complex business disputes, disputes between members of closely held companies and trust and estate litigation. She represents corporations, closely held businesses, fiduciaries as well as individual parties involved in these types of...

John Guadnola is a seasoned attorney with an extensive background and impressive record of success in his practice areas, which include antitrust litigation, alcohol regulation, copyright and trademark litigation, and complex litigation. As Executive Director and General Counsel of the Association of Washington Spirits & Wine Distributors, John is also actively involved in alcohol regulation issues on the legislative level and enforcement levels.

As co-lead counsel in a case of national significance (Costco v. Hoen), John represented distributor intervenors in a successful effort to defend Washington State laws governing distribution and sale of beer and wine against an antitrust claim brought...

Kurt represents South Sound businesses and individuals in White Collar Crime matters. He advises clients on corporate criminal risks, federal grand jury investigations, financial crimes, securities frauds, bankruptcy crimes, government contract frauds, real estate schemes, Medicare frauds-and tax frauds. He is GTH’s authority on cybercrime and legal issues relating to cybersecurity and data privacy. His work includes assisting South Sound businesses in creating cybersecurity plans consistent with the US protocols issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He also advises clients on data privacy requirements arising from the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR)...

Born in Philadelphia and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Bill Holt moved gradually westward—with a 7-year stop in Iowa City to pick up his undergraduate and law degrees—until he got to Tacoma in 1970. He has lived and worked here in the Northwest ever since, joining GTH in 1971 after clerking for Judge William T. Beeks in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington.

His primary areas of practice include the purchase and sale of businesses and large commercial real estate projects, as well as intellectual property law, privacy and publicity law, public records law, and finance.

Jemima has handled hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of real estate transactions involving almost every sector of the market. Her primary practice areas are commercial and real estate transactions. She has extensive experience with all facets of land use matters including title and survey review, development, and environmental studies and reports.

Her clients include private developers, landowners, purchasers and sellers, landlords and tenants, borrowers and lenders, regional and national banks, universities, non-profit organizations, assisted living facilities, hotels, and homeowner’s associations, each of whom have various business and real estate needs. With the passage of I-502, her work has also...

Lisa Kremer's practice focuses primarily on estate planning, probate, and guardianship. She particularly enjoys working with families to try to resolve issues with a minimum amount of stress and turmoil. Lisa also advises businesses, particularly on trademark, copyright and privacy issues, including HIPPA compliance.

Lisa began her professional career as a journalist. She was an award-winning reporter for The News Tribune. In 2005 she decided to move from writing about people’s problems to helping solve them. She commuted from Tacoma to the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle and graduated in 2008.

Lisa is a Trustee of the Tacoma-Pierce County...

For the past 30 years, she has represented businesses and individuals interfacing with the government; she helps businesses and individuals obtain all types of zoning and land use permits, assists individuals facing government compliance and penalty actions and represents individuals with property disputes about easements, boundaries and adverse possession. She also obtains licenses for all types of business enterprises. Ms. Koler frequently challenges arbitrary requirements associated with government compliance and land use permitting. See Guimont v. Clark, 121 Wn.2d 586 (Washington Supreme Court invalidated state law imposing mobile home relocation fee on developer); Berst v. Snohomish...

Bilingual Mandarin Chinese and English attorney. Admitted to the New York State Bar, Washington State Bar, and qualified to the Chinese Bar. Has attorney experience both in the U.S. and in Beijing, China. Mainly focus on the U.S. immigration law, business law, and China practice.

A partner in Mendel Owens PS, Fraser Mendel focuses his practice on corporate law, with special attention to international transactions. Mr. Mendel has extensive experience in the areas of cross-border transactions, direct investment in China, venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, international employment issues, technology regulation, and intellectual property. He has over 25 years of experience in international corporate law, including promoting cutting-edge investment and diversification in Asia. Mr. Mendel advises multinational firms and has built a diverse practice representing companies entering the Asian market, particularly in technology industries. He has been the driving force for over...

Theresa is an expert in legal matters pertaining to Tax, Business, Estate Planning, Immigration and Probate. With a Masters in Taxation from UW, her knowledge and expertise in these matters surpass the majority of her peers. She uses her abilities to give back and add value to Seattle-Tacoma, which has nurtured her into the attorney she is today.

Ellis McGehee Carter is a distinguished attorney specializing in corporate and tax matters for nonprofit, tax-exempt, and mission-based businesses, alongside advising donors on major gifts. With a profound dedication to serving organizations that make a significant impact, Ms. Carter leverages her extensive experience in nonprofit governance, tax law, and business transactions to provide unparalleled legal guidance. Her expertise extends to navigating complex tax issues for exempt entities, ensuring they remain compliant while advancing their mission. Ms. Carter's adeptness in handling intricate business transactions for nonprofits is evident through her work on reorganizations, the creation of affiliates and subsidiaries, and facilitating mergers,...

Andrea is a trial lawyer with an emphasis in business and employment litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants. She has successfully represented clients litigating shareholder, non-competition, and employment discrimination disputes, and obtained pre-trial injunctions. She has achieved jury verdicts enforcing her clients’ contract rights, represented clients in trust and estates disputes, and obtained protection for vulnerable adults. She also regularly represents clients in the areas of regulatory monitoring and advocacy, including extensive work in alcohol regulation and policy, and with Washington's Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Andrea joined GTH in 2005 after graduating from Seattle University School of Law,...

Before earning her law degree, magna cum laude, from Gonzaga University School and joining GTH in 1991, Margaret Archer was a financial analyst for Westinghouse Hanford Company. She puts her business acumen and insight into the world of finance to good use in her position as Chair of our Board of Directors and in her practice areas of land use, real estate litigation and commercial litigation.

Shelly focuses her practice on employment law and litigation, commercial litigation, products liability, construction law, insurance defense and coverage, and appellate advocacy. She represents individuals and businesses in all aspects of commercial and employment disputes and especially enjoys working with clients to help them understand the legal process. Shelly prides herself on being a tough advocate for her clients and finding strategic and creative solutions in tough cases.

Shelly joined GTH in 2011. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Law, she began her legal career in Alaska, first serving as a judicial law clerk for...

Michael T. Smith advises individuals and companies of all types and sizes regarding the proper formation and structure of a business entity (corporation, limited liability company, etc.), their general business and corporate matters, issues related to the purchase or sale or lease of real property and transactions to purchase or sell their business. Michael also focuses his practice on assisting people prepare their estate plan, including wills, trusts, community property agreements, durable powers of attorney, health care directives, and helping families navigate and administer a loved one's estate in probate proceedings. Michael can also assist with guardianship proceedings for loved ones...

I am a second-career attorney who started Adaptive Law so I could offer legal services my own way. I pursued my law degree following a nearly ten-year academic career in urban planning and community development, and now apply my problem-solving mentality to a mixed practice of estate planning, land use and elder law. I represent my home district (District 3) on the Skagit County Planning Commission, and continue to teach as an adjunct professor in the accredited Urban and Regional Planning program at Cal Poly Pomona. I am a member of the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAF), a volunteer...

Christon Skinner is the founding member of the Law Offices of Christon C. Skinner, P.S. The firm was established in 1996, when Mr. Skinner opened his own office after being a partner in the law office of Zylstra, Beeksma, Waller & Skinner, which he joined in 1979. Chris expanded his practice to San Juan County when he acquired John Linde’s law office in Friday Harbor in January of 2008. Chris has been actively engaged in the practice of law in Island, Skagit and San Juan Counties for over 32 years with a primary emphasis on business,...

Robert Dickson practices civil litigation, with a focus on issues related to business, real property and construction law. His clients are diverse, ranging from large corporations to residential homeowners. Recently, Mr. Dickson expanded his practice to include the representation of property owners in mediating their distressed property matters through the Foreclosure Fairness Act. Another element of Mr. Dickson's practice includes contributing to various legal publications. In particular, he serves as an editor and contributing author of the LexisNexis Practice Guide: Washington Real Estate Litigation (LexisNexis 2014) and a contributing author for the Washington Lawyers Practice Manual. At present,...

Conor McCarthy is an experienced Real Estate and Estate Planning attorney, and has spent nearly 15 years helping his clients navigate and resolve complex transactions and disputes. Serving clients large and small, private and public, Conor prides himself on taking the time to listen and fully understand a client’s challenges and goals.

Conor began his career as a civil litigator zealously advocating in contract, construction, real estate, land use and commercial disputes. He then transitioned to become a skilled municipal and transactional attorney negotiating and closing complex commercial and real estate deals, and resolving difficult land use challenges. After managing...

Clients value Erik for his sense of strategy, diplomacy and willingness to jump into the trenches with them to truly understand their actual legal needs.

Erik's practice areas include contract drafting; small/mid-size business counsel; general litigation including personal injury pre-litigation and trial work.

He is heavily involved on the front lines of the cannabis industry, having been introduced to the industry during the legalization phase in Colorado and following this up with providing business counsel to the top retailers and producer/processors in Washington State.

Erik has a long track record of pro-bono public legal service, gaining him recognition in both Colorado and...

Ruth focuses her practice on labor and employment matters. Ruth has extensive experience litigating cases in both state and federal court involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment, retaliation as well as gender, race, disability, and age discrimination. Ruth specializes in litigating against corporate employers including, The Boeing Company, Microsoft, Costco, Facebook, Blue Nile, SAP, Amazon.com, Harborview Medical Center, T-Mobile, and Swedish Hospital, among others. Ruth also has experience negotiating severance packages and has a high settlement rate in mediation. Ruth handles the firm’s appellate work in employment and has experience in both Washington’s Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit....

Mr. Kenneth A. Berger has a wide range of legal talents. He enjoys tough courtroom litigation. He also attempts to problem solve potential legal problems before they become more extensive. Mr. Berger has a Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University. He is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, and the Snohomish County Bar Association. Mr. Berger is also licensed to practice in Western Washington and Eastern Washington District Courts. He has practiced law in Washington State since 1995. You may have also seen Mr. Berger's name in another context. He has been active as a local governmental official....

David enjoys developing relationships with clients and helping them achieve their goals. David's civil practice is focused on three primary areas of law: (1) estate and elder law, including wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, and probate; (2) real estate, including the purchase and sale of property, the creation of easements and covenants, and some real estate litigation; and (3) business law, including incorporation or LLC formation, contract drafting, and business purchases and sales. In addition to his legal practice, David serves on the the Port Townsend City Council and is a board member of the Boiler Room...

The Law Office of Fred Martens offers consumers and small business clients effective legal representation with personal service in the following practice areas: Consumer Law & Debt / Collections Defense; Chapter 7 & 13 Bankruptcy

David T. Lyons is a shareholder with the Northwest law firm of Lyons | Sullivan. He concentrates his practice in business transactions. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Gonzaga University in 1977; his Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude, from Gonzaga School of Law in 1979; and his Master of Science Financial Services in 1990. Mr. Lyons is a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice public accounting in the State of Washington and an attorney admitted to practice law in the States of Washington and Alaska.

Travis’ practice focuses primarily on business and real estate transactions, with an emphasis on entity formation, governance, and mergers and acquisitions. Travis believes that a good process is the best way to arrive at good results. Thus, before he can provide effective legal advice, he must first carefully listen to the client’s particular situation and understand exactly what the client both needs and wants. Only then can a comprehensive strategy be crafted to help resolve the client’s current legal needs but also allow the client to continue working towards the client’s aspirations. Travis’ practice gives him great satisfaction because he...

Ms. Duncan graduated from Seattle University School of Law. She has experience in criminal law and guardianship, trust, and estate litigation. Before entering law school, Ms. Duncan taught middle school Special Education in San Antonio and in Seattle Public Schools. While in law school, she placed first in the American Bar Association Moot Court Appellate Competition, was a King County Bar Association Scholar, and received the Jeff Robinson Equity and Racial Justice Award. Ms. Duncan also worked for the Honorable Chief Justice Steve Gonzalez at the Washington State Supreme Court and prosecuted misdemeanors at Seattle City Attorney’s Office and the...

Corporate Counsel - Intellectual Property / Commercial Real Estate / Corporate Law
Diverse legal background with 15+ years’ experience delivering comprehensive legal support on a variety of corporate matters including contracts, mergers, and acquisitions, real-estate, insurance, risk management, capital projects, taxation, and audits. Demonstrated expertise in managing outside counsel and associated costs. Possess the range of qualifications to function successfully in both in-house and contract capacities for companies across varied sectors including technology, food/beverage, and agriculture.

Contract Negotiations
Capital Expenditures
Corporate & Regulatory Compliance
Risk Assessment & Mitigation
Mergers & Acquisitions
Trademark & Software Licensing
Trademarks
Client Relationship Management

I am an entrepreneurial, collaborative senior attorney with 20+ years of experience across diverse industries, with a focus on securities, banking/finance, corporate governance, real estate and commercial finance transactions. I am a former Davis Wright Tremaine partner, technology company General Counsel, and bank Corporate Counsel, with demonstrated success in providing timely, balanced, and practical advice to senior executives teams. I also have a strong business background in banking, financial analysis, and accounting. I am highly regarded by clients and colleagues for the ability to understand and translate complex legal issues into practical business advice, and to negotiate...