South Hill Lawyers

Valarie Zeeck joined GTH in 1997. Her primary area of practice is employment law and litigation. She advises and provides training to owners, managers, and employees in employment law in order to help them reduce litigation expense and risk. She also defends employers in employment-related litigation, focusing on extracting clients from litigation at the earliest possible stage.

Valarie has written and co-authored several papers for legal publications and periodicals and has been a frequent speaker on legal matters at educational and business seminars. She is a member of the Pierce County chapter of Washington Women Lawyers.

I aggressively pursue legal remedies on behalf of my clients to the fullest extent of the law by providing forceful, commanding, and bold attorney representation; as a result, I GET results! At the end of the day, I hope to make meaningful connections with honest hard-working people. Ultimately, my goal is to form lifelong relationships with my clients--I'll work on your case as if I were a member of your family; I invite you to consider becoming a member of ours. My practice areas include the following: (1) Employment Discrimination; (2) Disparate Treatment; (3) Disparate Impact;...

Darcel Lobo has served Normandy Park and the surrounding area’s legal needs since 2009. After working with other firms, she founded to better serve her clients. Darcel was born and raised in the area and is a graduate of Seattle University and Seattle University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Washington, as well as in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Darcel prides herself on her legal work, bringing practical solutions to real-life issues and helping clients plan for their financial future. She provides legal guidance in real estate matters and bankruptcy as...

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...

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...

Connor Jepson is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the United States District Court – Western District of Washington and limits his practice to criminal defense.

Mr. Jepson understands the complexity of the court system and how busy and stressful being accused of a crime can be. He prides himself on his ability to condense information into an easily digestible format for the client and the court. When he starts a project, Mr. Jepson sees it through to its end and thrives on achieving the best client experience. In addition, Connor is well-liked and well-respected by his...

I'm a proud Pacific Northwest native. After double majoring in both English and History at the University of Washington, I attended the University of Washington School of Law. Over the past few years, I have worked in the following areas of law: estate planning, probate, personal injury, and real estate. My firm currently focuses on estate planning. When not working on client matters, I explore the outdoors by hiking, backpacking, and snowboarding.

In the last 26 years, Erik Kaeding has represented hundreds of clients in DUI and DWI cases in King County. He has dedicated his practice to representing people facing criminal charges ranging from DUIs to Domestic Violence to Shoplifting. Even before establishing his own practice, Attorney Kaeding has always believed that every individual has the right to pursue justice, and he is committed to making sure this right is upheld for all his clients. With him on your side, you can trust that you will be aggressively represented and treated with respect and compassion. Erik also has a unique perspective as...

My practice is focused is focused on resolving debt issues, protecting assets, and litigation regarding the same for individuals and small to mid size businesses. Prior to founding Washington Debt Law, PLLC, I worked at one of the largest creditor side law firms, representing financial institutions in bankruptcy, eviction, foreclosure, and litigation matters. Having both creditor and debtor side experience brings a nuanced approach in dealing with creditors as I am familiar with their tactics, budgets, resources, and how best to find an effective approach. Our major solutions focus on litigation, settlement, bankruptcy, and out of court...

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...

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.

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...

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.

I was a prosecutor for 15 years for the cities of Kent and Seattle. I serve or have served as a pro tem judge for the cities of Kent, Federal Way, Des Moines, Algona/Pacific and Issaquah. Since 2011 I have practiced as a defense attorney doing criminal defense, civil rights restoration, and protection order litigation. I represent individuals on cases from murder in the first degree to traffic infractions.

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...

Greg McLawsen is a Washington State attorney practicing only immigration law. His practice uses technology and creativity to serve clients effectively and efficiently. Greg serves in the leadership of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and in the Washington State Bar Association where he leads the 900-member small practice section. Greg publishes nationally on a range of immigration law issues and is a regular presenter at lawyer education seminars.

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...

Jason Benjamin has spent the past 23 years immersing himself in the intricacies of Family Law and particularly Child Custody cases. He has personally handled more than 1000 cases where child custody is at issue. He particularly welcomes families who have emergency custody, domestic violence or restraining order issues, as he can typically obtain appropriate orders within hours to protect you and the children. From the beginning of his legal career, Jason has aggressively advocated on behalf of victims of domestic violence (even when domestic violence was not treated seriously by the courts). He understands the complexities of...

Attorney Moses has been defending juvenile and Family Law Clients in the courtroom since 1999. Whether your case is a divorce, legal separation, child custody and support, spousal support, domestic violence, or guardianship, he has the experience and resources necessary to achieve a successful outcome of your case. He has a strong background in defending the rights of individuals, and is competent to handle your case from beginning to end, with thoughtful attention to detail, whether it be at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.

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...

There are two things that are more important than anything to Assistant Managing Attorney Jonathan Moffitt, his faith and his family. Because of these values and his belief that every parent has a right to be intimately involved in the lives and upbringing of their children, Jonathan chooses to practice family law as a primary component of his practice. As a husband and father of four, Jonathan understands the bond between a parent and child. This is a bond that should not be interfered with lightly and one that should be fought for vigorously. Additionally, there are two characteristics that Jonathan values...

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...

Justia Bio Daniela Lazar has over 20 years of legal experience, beginning in her native Romania. After practicing in Romania for seven years, Daniela moved to the United States with her family in 2006. She initially earned her Paralegal Certificate from the University of Washington and worked as a paralegal for several years before earning her LL.M (Master of Laws) degree from UW in order to work as an attorney in the U.S. Daniela is not only an attorney, but a counselor for her clients, tailoring her approach to her cases based on the client’s individual needs. ...

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...

Kenneth Gorton is a litigation attorney in Washington. He has dedicated his career to advocating for injured and disabled people. He has recovered tens of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, and represented hundreds of clients in personal injury, consumer protection, and other types of cases. Mr. Gorton received the highest possible rating by AVVO, one of the best-known ranking services for lawyers, which rates him as 10 out of 10 (superb). He is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which only admits trial attorneys who have demonstrated “superior results in...

Matthew Zenner has been an associate attorney with Stewart MacNichols Harmell, Inc., P.S. since September 2016. He has represented thousands of criminal defendants in courts all throughout King County and Pierce County. He represents clients charged with misdemeanor and felony crimes. He is an experienced trial attorney and negotiator.

He also represents clients with civil protection order cases, such as domestic violence protection orders, anti-harassment protection orders, extreme risk protection orders, and sexual assault protection orders. Prior to joining Stewart MacNichols Harmell, Inc., P.S, Matthew practiced family law and represented clients in divorce, child custody, and adoption cases.

Matthew is a...

There are few attorneys in the Pacific Northwest who possess as much knowledge and experience in the field of elder law as Eileen Peterson. In fact, she is the only attorney in Pierce County certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation since the program began in 1994.

Eileen has also served as Chair of the Guardianship Task Force for WSBA Elder Law Section from 2007-2013 and was the recipient of the WSBA Elder Law Exceptional Service Award in 2009. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on a wide range of topics including elder law, guardianship,...

Kelsey Morfitt is a former United States Air Force attorney and hails from Enumclaw, Washington.

Kelsey graduated magna cum laude from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and majored in Spanish and Political Science. She graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington while serving as a member of Gonzaga Law Review and interning for the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, Washington State Attorney General’s Office Social and Health Services Division, Washington State Senate Committee Services, and the Chambers of Judge Robert Whaley in federal district court. Kelsey also completed service projects in Honduras with...

We are a dedicated team of legal professionals who are here to help you in your time of need and crisis. Our Washington State lawyers have the resources, the knowledge, and the experience to assist you with your legal matter in our practice areas.

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...

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 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.

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,...

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...

LINCOLN BEAUREGARD is a founding partner of Connelly Law Offices. He is a seasoned plaintiff trial lawyer with an in-depth knowledge of abuse of power, personal injury, civil rights and insurance bad faith law. Lincoln’s track record lists dozens of jury trials and settlements that far exceed multi-million dollar results on behalf of his clients. His powerful courtroom reputation brings him some of the best, most complicated cases in Washington state. Lincoln’s verdicts have frequently exceeded multiples of 10-50 times the last settlement offer and are consistently affirmed on appeal. Lincoln also has appellate expertise and has been...