Selah Lawyers

Ryan has a passion for helping people navigate the complexities of litigation and ensuring they receive a just resolution of their personal injury claims. A just resolution holds a different meaning for each case and Ryan utilizes his diverse experience to help clients understand the nuances of their claim in order to determine the best approach to reaching a just resolution whether it be through mediation, arbitration or trial. He graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law where he was a Senior Staff Editor on the Seattle Journal for Social Justice. He was also a member of the...

Erin Lane is one of the founding partners of Washington Law Group. She is caring, compassionate, and devoted to her clients. She came from a working class background and understands that money doesn't grow on trees. This is part of why she ended up thriving in her bankruptcy practice. She loves helping good people get back on their feet.

She thrives on helping honest and hard-working folks, who, often through no fault of their own, suddenly find themselves falling on hard times. Bankruptcy is one of the most powerful financial tools on the planet. And, Erin knows the bankruptcy code like...

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.

Sarah is a person (who happens to also be an attorney) fueled by compassion, curiosity, and the desire to see justice prevail. She started her path towards the legal profession at age 7 when she negotiated her first deal: to stay up past her bedtime. She did not win. Several decades later, she applied this and many other life lessons to the practice of law. In her spare time, you can find Sarah at the local dog park trying and failing to get her dog to fetch a tennis ball, playing on the water, listening to music, traveling around this...

Chris Van Vechten moved to Tacoma from Portland in 2004 to attend the University of Puget Sound. He studied history, volunteered in the community, worked as a legislative staff member for a state representative and later a state senator, and even personally ran for school board before enrolling in Seattle University School of Law. Prior to launching the Law Office of Chris Van Vechten, Chris worked as a Rule 9 prosecuting attorney with the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office and later with the Lakewood City Attorney’s Office. In addition, he interned with the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Civil Division...

Immigration attorney with a focus on family-based immigration law. I'm passionate about helping people of different backgrounds acquire legal status and pursue the American dream. As an immigrant myself, I understand how complex and intimidating the U.S. immigration system can be. I enjoy helping people resolve their immigration issues so they can focus on building their future. I live in Tacoma, Washington with my wife and two daughters. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, spending time with my family, and working on house remodeling projects.

Welcome. My goal is to listen to clients and deliver effective and cost efficient high quality legal services, focusing on maximizing results either through negotiation or litigation, whichever is appropriate for the circumstance. Many cases can be resolved amicably through settlement. This office offers a free initial telephone with a lawyer to discuss your legal issue: (253) 272-1434. With over 20 years of experience in Tacoma in Pierce County, Washington, I represent clients in many other cities and states who are civilians, military servicemembers, and veterans. Because there is often so much...

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,...

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...

James joined GTH after completing a clerkship for the former Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. He focuses his practice pursuing trials in the areas of personal injury, catastrophic accidents, employment law, and insurance coverage.

He has briefed and argued multiple appeals, including cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court. In his practice he has represented families in wrongful death cases, victims in sexual abuse cases, and many returning U.S. service members who face discrimination or retaliation in the workplace.

When he’s not working, he’s blazing trails, scaling peaks, and skiing with his...

Rita is a founding partner and CEO of McKinley Irvin. With an eye toward the future, Rita works with the firm's leadership team to maintain McKinley Irvin’s commitment to excellence in law practice, client service, professionalism, and firm management. In addition to her work at McKinley Irvin, Rita is deeply involved in the Tacoma community and has served as a director on several local and professional boards. She currently serves on the Legal Pathways Community Advisory Board and as a Dressel Scholars Mentor at the University of Washington Tacoma. Additionally, Rita founded MI’s Black Law Student Mentorship Program where she...

Warren’s primary area of practice is labor and employment law. In this capacity, he represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including discrimination, harassment, termination, wage-and-hour litigation, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and day-to-day advice.

If client loyalty and satisfaction are any measure of an attorney’s success, then Warren has a lot to proud of. After 30 years, he continues to represent his first legal client, a chain of locally owned grocery stores. In fact, he has worked for many of his clients for several decades. Some of his other long-term clients include Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Housing Authority,...

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,...

A Seattle native, Amanda O’Halloran joined the firm in 1995, after graduating from Seattle University School of Law. She focuses her practice primarily on providing employment law advice to a diverse group of businesses, ranging from car dealerships and other retail establishments to healthcare providers, financial services companies, non-profits, and private membership associations. She is frequently called upon to provide advice on difficult employment terminations, conducting internal harassment and discrimination investigations, drafting employment agreements and other contracts, and developing anti-harassment policies and conducting training. Amanda works closely with Human Resource personnel, executive management, and business owners to resolve...

Before becoming an attorney, Reuben worked in the construction and building trade. He puts his prior life experience to good use in his practice areas of environmental and land use law. In addition to being a skilled attorney, Reuben is a compassionate advocate who loves working with his clients to solve problems and keep goals and objectives on track.

Reuben began his career at the Washington Supreme Court where he served as law clerk to Justice Charles W. Johnson. Prior to that, he served as an extern to Judge James L. Robart at the Federal District Court in Seattle.

I grew up in a family business, and graduated from West Point, serving 6 years as an Army Airborne Ranger infantry officer. The combination makes me a consummate team player who instinctively leads and trains team members as needed. My legal expertise is honed from practice in both corporations and law firms, both large and small. My diverse background enables me to cross the lines of the business, administrative, technical, and legal sections of a company, and has taught me to develop and lead teams to set and attain goals harmonized to the business strategies, plans and...

A skilled litigation attorney with more than 20 yeas of experience, Ed has achieved some of the highest verdicts and settlements in the country for victims of civil rights violations as a result of wrongful death and serious injury by police, as well as cases involving jail and prison abuse.

For almost thirty years, Michael Iaria has defended clients accused by the government of serious crimes. An accomplished and successful advocate, he has received the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President's Award for "distinguished service in the highest traditions of the criminal defense bar." His peers have voted him a "Super Lawyer" each year since Washington Law & Politics Magazine began the award in 1999 and have selected him as one of the 100 best trial lawyers in Washington. Seattle Business Monthly has listed him as one of the best lawyers in Seattle. He has a "superb"...

Eric Johnson has practiced law throughout Washington, California and Minnesota for twenty-six years specializing in civil trial work. He has tried over fifty cases to jury verdict(s) in civil and criminal cases and is a top rated litigation attorney by peer review and by leading legal service directories. We defend or prosecute civil actions in the following areas of practice: Personal Injury/Wrongful Death: Claims concerning personal injury or death caused by alleged negligence; cases involving issues of product defect(s) (e.g., in motor vehicles, industrial tools, food, drugs); premises liability (e.g., claims alleging dangerous conditions...

Stacy Heard is an attorney who practices exclusively family law in Seattle, Washington. Stacy has served clients for nearly 20 years in the Seattle area. Prior to and during law school, Stacy worked as a family law and civil litigation paralegal for 7 years. Her broad experience in family law includes cases involving complex financial issues, parenting plan/child custody issues, relocation, restraining orders, and child support issues. Prior to starting her own practice in 2005, she worked at a large Seattle civil litigation firm where she also gained valuable negotiation and litigation experience. Stacy chose to practice family law because she...

I have a different perspective than many Seattle DUI defense attorneys. After graduating in 1995 from Emory University in Atlanta, and obtaining my law degree (with honors) from Seattle University School of Law in 1999, I began my legal career as a DUI prosecutor. Working for the cities of Tukwila and Kirkland, I successfully prosecuted hundreds of DUI cases. But by 2002 I decided it would be best to focus my skills on advocating for those who have been accused of DUIs and other alcohol-related driving offenses. I joined the law firm of Stephen Hayne and by 2007 I became a named partner...

Patricia Pearson joined GTH in 2001 and is a member of our Labor and Employment group and Defense Litigation group where she represents and advises clients in a variety of matters including employment law and products liability. She particularly enjoys advising clients on all types of employment issues that arise and working with them to develop sound employment policies by drafting employment documents, including employee handbooks and non-compete agreements.

John is a international lawyer with multiple post graduate degrees from both U.S. and European schools. He is a certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Controls Specialist. He has extensive multifaceted experience in business law and litigation.

Do you need assistance navigating the complex probate process? Lead Attorney Sheila Ridgway from Ridgway Law Group, P.S. has more than 28 years of legal experience in this area and she can help guide you every step of the way. She focuses primarily on probate issues such as estate and trust litigation, guardianship, TEDRA, will contests, elder law, fiduciary services and mediation. Sheila has taken on very contentious and challenging cases in the past, but she has a proven track record of case victories under her belt. Attorney Ridgway provides individualized representation to her clients that are tailored to meet...

Nick is a trial attorney that joined Anderson Carey & Williams in 2015. Appearing for defendants and plaintiffs in federal and state courts throughout California, Arizona, Washington and other jurisdictions, Nick's litigation experienced includes successful resolutions of various Jones Act, food contamination, constructions defect, insurance bad faith, and product liability cases on behalf of many different businesses and individuals. Nick grew up in New Jersey and after highschool he attended New York University for undergraduate studies in music and business. After he graduated in 2007 with honors from NYU he moved over to Virginia for law school and attended...

Kristi O'Brien's practice is primarily in the area of business transactions and real estate transactions. Kristi represents business clients and medical practices in real estate, commercial, corporate planning, partnership, asset and stock purchase and sale, employment, and health law.

Ed Hones is an employment lawyer in Seattle, Washington, who focuses exclusively on workers' rights. He handles cases involving discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, and wage theft. If you think you were the victim of an unlawful employment practice, contact Hones Law today for a free consultation.

Morgan Adams limits his practice to cases involving tractor trailers, buses, dump trucks, box trucks, and other commercial vehicles involving wrongful death and serious personal injury. With offices on the East Coast and West Coast he is able to handle cases nationally. He has helped injured clients in 42 states to date.

Ryan joined GTH in 2012, where his primary areas of practice now include litigation, administrative regulations, and land use law. Ryan’s litigation experience spans a broad range of legal issues, but is frequently focused on products liability, land use, real estate, and business disputes. He is also breaking ground in the emerging area of cannabis business and regulation law, advising his clients as they develop some of the first legal marijuana businesses in the country.

Ryan moved to the Northwest to attend Seattle University School of Law in 2006 after growing up in the Midwest and obtaining a bachelor’s...

Thaddeus D. Sikes practices workers compensation law, fighting for the rights of injured workers trapped in an L&I bureaucracy captured by employers who exert inappropriate influence through their multiple agents and representatives, adjusters, third party administrators, retro groups, and defense attorneys. The balance of power has shifted to employers, to the overwhelming detriment of workers. Mr. Sikes has dedicated his education, training and life's work to resetting the balance. Mr. Sikes received his law degree from Seattle University School of Law, and subsequently obtained his license to practice in the State of Washington in 2003. He exclusively represents injured...

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....

Ford Law Firm focuses exclusively on education law matters and is located in the Pacific Northwest. We are committed to serving parents and students from preschool to college with high-quality legal service. We believe in a collaborative student-centric approach that places students first. Our practice areas include Special Education, Civil Rights (Section 504, Title VI & Title IX), Student Discipline, Student Bullying and Harassment and Student Injuries.