Mattawa Lawyers

I am a native of Olympia, and my family has been in the region for more than 100 years. I received my B.A. in Philosophy before graduating from Lewis and Clark Law School. I have been licensed to practice law since 1996 and have spent my career serving my community. I place an emphasis on attorney-client communication. This includes promptly responding to messages, regularly meeting with clients at my office, and providing an online portal through which clients may access their important records. I promise this level of communication to each and every client I serve.

Matthew Philbrook is a graduate of Clark College, Washington State University, and Gonzaga University School of Law. He has been a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association since 2001, and Oregon State Bar Association since 2005.

Matthew entered a career in law with a passion for protecting the legal rights of those in our community, with a competitive approach. He formed Philbrook Law Office, located in Vancouver and Battle Ground, Washington, in 2005, with the goal of championing the rights of people wrongfully injured or in legal jeopardy. Matthew’s years of dedicated service to his clients has...

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...

Per joined the firm in 2005. He has represented a wide range of clients in the negotiation and drafting of documents for large loan transactions, sales of assets, corporate restructuring, leases, real estate transactions and secured transactions. Per’s experience includes practice before the federal bankruptcy court and appeals in the federal courts and before the Washington Court of Appeals. Per and his family reside in Edmonds. He enjoys golf, bicycling and music.

David C. Tingstad joined the Firm in 1995, and has extensive experience in the areas of business and real estate transactions, limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations and real estate. David regularly counsels clients in all aspects of business combinations such as asset acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures. In addition, his practice includes assisting operating businesses with succession planning, financing, dissolution and disputes between owners. David is a member of the Washington State Bar Association’s Partnership Law Committee, which is currently working to revise Washington’s Limited Liability Company Statute. David is also a Member of the American Bar Association’s Committee...

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...

Samuel K. Darling is a general civil litigator whose practice emphasizes divorce, employment, and real estate law. Mr. Darling's legal experience also includes landlord tenant disputes, land use issues, personal injury, construction defect matters, creditor law, and business law. Mr. Darling received his bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 2002. In 2007 he earned his law degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where he graduated on the Dean's List with an "A" Average and was a Royal Stone Scholarship Recipient, a member of several student organizations, and a moot court Best Brief Nominee. Mr. Darling began his legal career 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....

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...

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.

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...

Aaron began his career as a city prosecutor and then transferred to prosecuting felony crimes for the government. Aaron then went into private practice continuing to work on criminal matters including DUIs, Sex Crimes, White Collar Crimes, Drug Distribution, and more. He expanded his practice by becoming licensed in Utah and Washington and operating offices in both states. The firm expanded from just handling criminal matters to including bankruptcy, wills & estates, family law including divorce, child custody, and parental rights with all areas of criminal law. Aaron held many contracts working with the government including as a public...

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 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...

National stature, practicing in Redmond, WA. One of the nation's premier federal tax litigators. Senior tax-dispute lawyer, practicing federal tax law since 1982. Formerly represented the IRS in court while with the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice, in DC; formerly a federal prosecutor; formerly a partner with a DC tax boutique and two ultra-large law firms in Chicago. Has litigated perhaps three or four billion dollars worth of federal tax cases; led the successful effort to recover about two billion dollars for the nation's teaching hospitals. Successfully persuaded DOJ...

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

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.

Attorney Shane P. Coleman (Shane) was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He began his legal career as an in-house attorney for first an insurance company and then with a national mortgage servicer where he managed and negotiated claims, lawsuits, bankruptcy and adversarial matters covering all aspects of consumer lending law and managed litigation for the company. Shane relocated to Spokane, Washington to accept an attorney position with the oldest law firm in Washington and the largest in Eastern Washington. His practice built upon his experience in consumer lending...

My name is Lisa S. Tse and I was born and raised in Moses Lake, WA. I moved to Bellevue, WA for high school and attended the University of Washington at Seattle, WA. I went to Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, KS. This was the same alma mater that my father went to as an undergraduate. My father was an art professor at the local community college for 30 plus years. Growing up in a small town, living in a growing mid-size town, and then moving to the midwest, I have seen how Americans live and lead their...

Stefanie has spent the past thirty years in a courtroom fighting for justice for those without a voice. As a former prosecutor Stefanie understands how to hold people accountable for the harm they have caused. She has the respect of both her colleagues and the judiciary as a fierce advocate. While Stefanie has successfully taken the toughest and most tragic cases to trial, she is able to work on behalf of her clients to negotiate favorable settlements. Stefanie’s success is due in part to her ability to listen to and understand the needs of her clients. When not in a courtroom or...

John Guin has over 25 years of experience handling matters in the construction industry, including administrative appeals, trials, arbitration, and mediation. Matters handled include payment disputes, liens, bond claims, construction defects, delay and inefficiency disputes, professional negligence in design and construction management, safety violations, contract terminations, employment and labor issues, and insurance coverage matters. John Guin also serves as a mediator and arbitrator for construction and commercial disputes.

I grew up in Enumclaw, Washington, with a close-knit family who instilled in me the values of family, faith, and hard work. Growing up, I enjoyed fishing, skiing, and being outdoors. I have wanted to be a lawyer from my youth. The allure of fighting for the little guy,speaking up for the vulnerable, and seeking justice led me to a career as a personal injury attorney. To this end, I attended the University of San Diego and graduated Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law. After earning my degree, I served as an extern for the Seattle...

Since 2003, Ellen M. Hendrick has been providing legal services throughout Spokane. She earned her Juris Doctor from University of Washington School of Law in 2002 and is a participating member of many Washington state and county Bar Associations.
Ellen believes that is important each client receives her undivided attention, which is why she handles all tasks related to a case herself. Determined to get positive results and tailor each case around a client’s individual needs, she offers compassionate and honest legal representation for divorce and family law cases.
Ellen’s passion for helping clients settle contentious divorce or family law...

Sean M. Downs is a criminal defense attorney serving those accused of crimes in the states of Washington and Oregon. Sean started his law career at a small private firm in Spokane, Washington learning the ins and outs of criminal defense, traffic offenses, and driver's license hearings. He then moved on to work at the Spokane County Public Defender Office where he represented people accused of misdemeanor and felony offenses, as well as working on appellate cases. In 2013, after over twenty-one years of combined private and public practice, Sean joined together with attorney Diane Grecco to found the law...

Trial practice, real estate.

Bruce Winchell focuses his practice on business litigation, insurance coverage litigation, and business advice. Bruce has extensive trial, arbitration and mediation experience with a focus on preventing and efficiently resolving disputes.

Ronald L. Cohen is a Seattle native and practices law in Bellevue, Washington. He has more than 30 years experience and has an engaging and friendly manner in guiding individuals and families through their legal matters.

J.J. practices law throughout the State of Washington and North Idaho. His practice involves representing injured individuals and families who were injured or harmed by other people, corporations, or governmental entities.

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....

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...

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...

Early in his career, Don became a part of legal history when he served as counsel at the trial and appellate levels in the famous “snail darter” case (Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill, 437 U.S. 153 [1978]), litigated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The litigation resulted in a successful review by the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to practicing law in Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, Don has also taught law and served in senior administrative positions at the University of Puget Sound, University of Michigan, and University of Tennessee law schools.

Since joining GTH in 1982, Don’s practice...

I have been practicing law since 1996, primarily representing homeowners and commercial building owners with construction defect claims, property insurance claims, and other real estate-related claims. I also serve as local and national counsel for a variety of companies that supply construction materials or services.

In 2015, after a three-year legal battle, I settled the largest mass action lawsuit in Washington history on behalf of the owners of nearly 1,000 homes.

Our firm also practices general litigation, and for our construction supplier clients we handle preliminary notices, liens, and collections.

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...

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.

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...

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.

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,...

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...