Whatcom County Lawyers

Jacqueline Garcell is a senior partner and active trial attorney in maritime law for Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. She routinely handles passengers’ personal injury, sexual assault and wrongful death claims, as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. Ms. Garcell is the fastest attorney to ever make partner at the firm, having been promoted to the partner position after being with us for a decade. Ms. Garcell has helped settle hundreds of cases on behalf of both cruise ship passengers and crew members. She achieved one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in Florida in 2017 — this rare and...

I am a graduate of the University of Washington where I received my bachelor’s degree in 1989. In 1993 I graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law. After a brief stint working for the Pima County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, I realized my talents and passions were better served to defend people and not prosecuting them. The “obtain a conviction regardless of the individual facts” mentality has never appealed to me and seems counterproductive to obtaining a just result. I moved back to Washington and began my criminal defense practice.

Though I have defended people who have been charged with...

I began my insurance career as a casualty adjuster for Farmers Insurance in 1989. In addition to Farmers Insurance, I worked as a large loss property adjuster, supervisor, and claims manager for 21st Century Insurance and SAFECO, and have over sixteen years of property and casualty claims experience. In 2005, I received my J.D., summa cum laude, from Southwestern University School of Law, where I served as Lead Articles Editor for the law review. I earned my CPCU designation in 2008, and am currently serving as Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the CPCU Society....

Peter Schoening is a dedicated family law attorney who blends analytical precision with compassion to support clients through some of life’s most challenging transitions. His legal career began in technology licensing, intellectual property, real estate, and corporate law, but he soon found his calling in family law—where he could make a direct and meaningful impact on individuals and families. Raised in rural Montana by a psychologist father and a marriage and family therapist mother, Peter developed an early understanding of emotional dynamics, communication, and resilience. This background shapes his thoughtful and empathetic approach to legal advocacy, allowing him to connect with...

Janet George is widely recognized as one of the top family law attorneys in the state of Washington. She limits her practice to complex, high asset and high income cases, including those involving property characterization, business valuations, and the distribution of multi-million dollar estates. She has represented high net worth individuals across different fields, including business owners, corporate executives, legal and medical professionals, and professional athletes. Janet has received the top honors of her field. She has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) since 1992, serving as President of the Washington AAML chapter from 1997 to...

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...

Lindsay Noel is a family law attorney at McKinley Irvin, serving clients in Tacoma, Seattle, and Puyallup. She represents clients in a wide range of family law matters, including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, relocation, military family law, and LGBTQ+ family law. Known for her compassionate approach and strategic advocacy, Lindsay helps clients navigate complex and emotionally challenging situations with clarity and confidence.

Jim Vucinovich is President and Managing Partner of Rossi Vucinovich PC located in Seattle, WA and Denver, CO. James is a nationally-recognized FELA attorney with over 20 years of committed representation of injured railroad workers and their families. From the beginning of his legal career Jim has focused his practice on the individual, recognizing that it is often the “little guy” who needs the most help in winning settlements and verdicts in personal injury cases. Every client is important and every case is unique and, therefore Jim approaches each and every one of his clients with compassion, honesty and commitment...

Ray Weber has over 20 years experience in civil litigation. His practice concentrates on product liability, construction defect, personal injury, highway design, and insurance coverage. He has successfully defended product manufacturers in cases involving automotive, marine, medical and agricultural products; and local governmental entities in liability cases ranging from catastrophic injuries to public records act claims.

Mark B. Saku, Esq. is a Seattle-based attorney whose practice focuses on copyright and trademark law and the protection of intellectual property in the the entertainment and new media industries. Mark received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law with a focus in Intellectual Property. Mark's work commonly involves content and media licensing, business development, copyright and trademark law. Some of his recent work covered: contract negotiation involving media distribution and music publishing; legal counsel in the use of copyrighted images in live performances; and legal assistance in the development and negotiation of small business development and content licensing.

Brady Douglas is a lifelong resident of the State of Washington. He graduated from Seattle Pacific University (B.A., 2009) with a degree in Business Administration and received his law degree in 2014 from the University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 2014). He is licensed to practice law in the State of Washington. Brady has been with the Menzer Law Firm since 2020. His legal practice focuses on the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, vaccine, and insurance law. Prior to working for the Menzer Law Firm, Brady was an in-house attorney for Amazon. Brady also...

Relax – You’ve Got the Support of an Experienced Law Team
Your personal injury is just that – personal. And although your personal injury case has a number, you will be treated like a person throughout the process.

While You Recover Your Team Promptly Handles the Details
By choosing the Law Offices of Steven D. Weier to handle your personal injury case, you are choosing the attention that is vital to your personal recovery, and the professional know-how that is crucial to your best possible settlement:

You and your case will simply receive more service thanks to our heavily staffed team. We understand your...

I am a resident of Gig Harbor, WA, and have lived in the community for over 20 years. I focus my practice on estate planning, including: wills, trusts, and probate administration.

Chong H. Ye is a Federal Way, WA personal injury trial lawyer who understands that when clients come to him with legal concerns, they need his experience and his readiness to fight the insurance companies on their behalf. Chong spent the first ten years out of college in ministry leading youth, college, and adults. His ministry experience is advantageous in ensuring his clients receive individualized attention with their cases. Furthermore, he advises his clients to continue receiving the necessary medical treatments and allow him to concentrate on preventing the insurance companies from taking advantage of them. Ultimately, his goal is...

Campos Avelar Law is committed to fighting for immigrant rights. Our goal is to gain justice and equality for immigrants through the victory of each case we take on. Our dedication is reflected in the energy and time that we commit to your particular legal matter. If you are looking for a passionate and experienced team, Campos Avelar Law is where your searching ends

James B. Feldman is an experienced trial and criminal defense attorney in Pierce, King, Kitsap and Thurston counties Tacoma and other areas of Western Washington. He is a graduate of the College of the University of Chicago and the University of Puget Sound School of Law. For twenty-eight years, he has been fighting to protect the rights of people accused of crimes both misdemeanors and felonies including DUI, domestic violence, property crimes, fraud and murder. He is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association, The Federal Bar of the Western District of Washington, the...

Christopher Morales grew up a military brat, whose family was stationed all over the western United States, including Phoenix, AZ, Albuquerque, NM, Denver, CO, and Corpus Christi, TX. While he enjoyed each place for its own unique charm, upon landing in King County, it was love at first sight. Christopher kept his higher education local for as long as possible, attending the University of Washington where he earned a degree in political science. He did leave Western Washington for a short period of time to attend law school at Creighton University in Nebraska but pined for the cloudy skies and...

Natalie is both a former public defender and an experienced private criminal defense attorney. She has spent the last 15 years defending adults and juveniles accused in criminal courts and in pre-charging representation. She is a highly experienced trial lawyer. Natalie also has significant experience with civil protection order representation, representing clients in multi-disciplinary therapeutic courts, and assisting families under investigation with DCYF/CPS. Natalie is a 2008 graduate of University of California School of Law - Davis, holds a B.A. in English and Journalism from the University of Washington, and is licensed to practice in the State of Washington, the...

I have dedicated my career to defending the accused. I have argued cases before the Washington Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Superior Courts, District Courts and Municipal Courts. I have tried over 35 felony cases to verdict. I have handled cases ranging from DUI to murder and sexual assault. I am highly competitive and hate losing. After nine years as a public defender trying cases in King and Snohomish counties, I spent another eight years supervising lawyers in the King County public defender's office teaching attorneys the nuances of legal advocacy and trial practice. I am battle hardened and well versed...

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.

Maria Hajar is the founder and principal attorney of the Law Office of Maria Hajar. She is a licensed attorney in the U.S. and a French legal counsel. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Her practice focuses on Immigration Law. Ms. Hajar has extensive experience representing clients in family-based immigration cases before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. consulates abroad. Ms. Hajar also represents clients in removal and deportation proceedings before the immigration courts in both non detained and detained dockets. Ms....

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...

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...

Soon after passing the bar, Troy had the honor of working with pre-eminent plaintiffs’ personal injury attorney, Tom Chambers, who went on to serve on the Washington State Supreme Court. Troy went on to work for 16 years in insurance defense litigation, mostly as a partner at the prestigious defense firm, Floyd, Pflueger & Ringer. There he defended insurance companies and their corporate clients against diverse claims for personal injury and wrongful death and property damage due to fire loss and construction defects. Since leaving FP&R, Troy has used this experience to represent and benefit his personal injury clients...

I have been practicing personal injury law in Seattle for more than 30 years and have successfully tried, arbitrated, and settled thousands of personal injury cases since 1986, helping clients recover millions of dollars.

The opportunity I have to serve, to help, to counsel people through their challenging times is humbling and satisfying. I love my practice and serving my clients and to make their lives better.

I’m also committed to mentoring a new generation of lawyers, and I’m proud of my work with Seattle University School of Law’s Solo and Low Bono Incubator Program and regularly speak about how to get...

I am a seasoned criminal defense attorney from Tacoma, Washington, with more than 26 years of experience in the field. My practice is primarily centered around criminal defense, where I have built a distinguished reputation for advocating for my clients and providing thorough legal guidance. In addition to my work in criminal defense, I have been a pioneer in cannabis law. I played a pivotal role in the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis in Washington State. Currently, I am working to influence the state’s efforts to legalize and regulate psilocybin.

I am J.D. Smith, a seasoned personal injury attorney from Mercer Island, Washington. Before attending law school and during my studies, I gained valuable experience working as a claims adjuster and underwriter. Throughout my career, I have successfully tried 60 civil cases to verdict and have completed over one hundred arbitrations. I have a strong passion for working with children and actively support local arts initiatives. Previously, I served as a member of the ABA House of Delegates and held the position of President for the WSBA Young Lawyers Division. I am currently a member of the American Board of Trial...

Robert V. Boeshaar is a sole-practitioner focusing on tax controversy work in Seattle, Washington. He helps individuals and small businesses find the best resolution of their disputes with the IRS and stay out of trouble. Prior to opening his own practice, he was an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel for over fourteen years. He is Past President of the Washington State Bar Association Tax Section.

I am a compassionate and empathetic individual, and I founded Akiona Law, PLLC to fully realize my passion for helping people in this turbulent and uncertain economic climate and to ensure people are being treated fairly and are not being taken advantage of. I practice family law in Snohomish County, Washington and my office is located in Everett. I support and encourage parties to work together to resolve their issues, especially when children are involved. The fact of the matter is when you have children, you are going to have deal with your former spouse for the rest...

Britt Birkenbuel is a graduate of Gonzaga University and the University of Oregon School of Law. She originally started her career working on criminal defense and personal injury cases before obtaining a judicial clerkship with Judge Bruce I. Weiss in Snohomish County Superior Court. As a judicial clerk, Britt gained invaluable experience researching, briefing, and working with the Judge on trials and motions that came before the Court. By working within the court, Britt has hands-on experience understanding jury trials and the litigation process.

Britt is passionate about fighting for the “underdog.” She works tirelessly to battle insurance companies and big...

Maki Imakura is a Registered USPTO Patent Attorney who is excited to work with entrepreneurs and business working on cutting-edge technology. She received a B.S. in Cellular & Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Washington. Maki received her J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law. Maki draws on her technical background in life sciences research and experiences with drug discovery involving large data sets and collaboration to provide a unique perspective for clients on their technology and intellectual property needs. During her scientific career, Maki worked in the fields of cancer research and drug discovery....

I am an experienced and knowledgeable Immigration Law Attorney. My practice areas include Family Sponsored Immigration, Naturalization/US Citizenship Applications, Nonimmigrant Visas and Employment Based Immigration. I am committed to providing exceptional service and representation for your immigration law needs.

I earned by B.A. in Political Science and Government from the University of Washington. In 1990, I received my J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. I am admitted to practice law in the State of Washington and am a member of the Washington State Bar Association.

I am fluent in German, and Japanese interpretation is available.

Doug Weinmaster has taken numerous cases to trial in state and federal courts in counties across Washington state in his 25 year career as a trial lawyer. His trial-team record includes multiple verdicts and settlements in excess of $1,000,000 in courts throughout Washington State. Doug has represented clients in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, products liability, and other types of legal matters. While no reasonable person wants to experience the risk and added stress of a trial, the Insurance Industry knows what lawyers are experienced and capable of taking a case to trial, if a fair settlement...

Maritime Injury Lawyer James Beard has a unique understanding and compassion for the clients he represents. For 30 years his legal career has been devoted to representing crewmen and commercial fishermen who have been injured while working at sea. He is widely recognized as one of the most experienced maritime injury lawyers in the Pacific Northwest in handling maritime wrongful death and personal injury cases. He has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for his clients located throughout the United States.

Beard begins each maritime injury case by making sure that his clients are getting the proper medical treatment and care...

Lanning M. Trueb has spent almost 30 years representing seamen in plaintiff maritime cases arising throughout the North Pacific; including waters off Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Russia. In addition to practicing maritime law, Lanning owned and operated his own commercial fishing vessel in the Alaska commercial salmon fishery. Lanning has been involved in over a thousand maritime matters covering a wide range of maritime issues - from commercial fishing injury and death claims, to serious injury and death claims involving oil spill response, tug and barge, SERVS, off-shore supply, tankers, and cargo vessels. He's represented crew and family members...

Paul is the founding attorney of North City Law. Paul offers business, estate planning, probate, dispute resolution and litigation advocacy. Paul is curious in his clients, as he has built businesses himself, including North City Law. Based on his understanding of his client’s position, Paul gives strategic options to empower choices. During client intake and interviews, Paul listens for key gaps in a story to root out hidden issues. In disputes and litigation, Paul helps clients reframe the situation to conform to the applicable legal theory. When clients trust Paul with their business, Paul ensures money is spent wisely on...

At the age of 20, Dan lost his father to a single car accident in the middle of the night and his family's life changed forever. This unfortunate experience led him on the path to become a lawyer and helping out clients who have been through difficult life changing experiences after a car accident. It has led him to be more empathetic, allowing him to sympathize with his client's emotions and to build stronger relationships with his clients. Prior to BGN Attorneys, Dan worked at Fielding Law Group on serious personal injury, wrongful death, DUI dram shop, medical malpractice and...

Bill Kessler helps businesses, individuals and families reach their goals by providing timely, thorough representation. He understands and facilitates each client’s big-picture objectives, and efficiently integrates his role in achieving those objectives. Bill has litigated Superior Court cases all around Washington and cases in the United States District Courts for the Western District of Washington and Eastern District of Washington. He has also argued cases to the Washington Court of Appeals and has been admitted pro hac vice to several federal and state courts around the United States. Bill conducts a range of business and real estate transactions, including...

At Cornerpoint Law, attorney Stacia Hofmann, JD, ARM, focuses on helping Washington and Idaho businesses and individuals draft, revise, interpret, implement, negotiate, manage, and enforce contracts. Stacia primarily spends her days helping new and established small business owners use the power of contracts, the rules of law, and concepts of risk management for more effective operations and enhanced legal protection. This typically involves drafting and revising business, employee, and customer agreements, and answering related legal questions. Stacia also assists individuals with business ownership offers, exits, LLC disputes, and employment contracts. Cornerpoint Law is a solo, mobile law practice, so clients work...