Mary Ruth is a graduate of the University of Washington Law School and is nationally rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for legal ability and ethics, in the top 5 % of women attorneys nationally. She has over 30 years of legal and jury trial experience and has multiple Washington Supreme Court precedent setting cases to her credit. She teaches annually at Seminars and Continuing Legal Education Programs for other Attorneys and the public. She consults with other attorneys in preparation of cases for jury trials.

Areas of Practice

Mary Ruth has years of experience in all facets of employment related negotiations and litigation. She works on wrongful death, sexual abuse, products liability and premises liability cases where there are serious losses including economic, physical and/or psychological injuries.

Bar Admissions

  • State of Washington, 1979
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 1979
  • Ninth Cir. Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court

Education

  • University of Idaho, BS, 1972, Interdisciplinary Studies
  • University of Washington School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1979
  • Trial Lawyers College, 1998
  • Trial Lawyers College Graduate Programs, 2002, 2003, 2004

Opponents in Successful Representation Include:

  • Corporations: Boeing (wrongful termination, race and gender, whistleblower retaliation); Weyerhaeuser Corporation (gender, sexual harassment and wrongful termination); Tyson Foods, Inc. (sexual assault and harassment on fishing vessels); Airborne Freight Co. (class action gender discrimination); Kansas City Southern Railroad (wrongful termination, civil rights and retaliation); Johnson and Johnson (injury from defective products); Grainger, Inc. (age and wrongful termination)
  • Governments: U.S. Government and Postal Service (employment discrimination and retaliation); Washington State Ferries (race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, retaliation and other employment rights); Washington State Patrol (disability discrimination and retaliation); Washington Dept of Labor and Industries (disability discrimination and retaliation); City of Oak Harbor (wrongful death in custody); King County (civil rights, race discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation); Snohomish County (government abuse and wrongful termination); Bellevue School District (Age Discrimination and Wrongful Termination)
  • Public Safety: Oak Harbor Police (wrongful death); City of Edmonds Police (gender discrimination); City of Seattle Police (wrongful discipline, racial discrimination); Highline Fire District (wrongful termination)
  • Education Institutions: Everett Community College (faculty abuse of students); University of Washington (race, national origin, gender, pay and contract issues); White Salmon School District (teacher abuse of students); Kent School District (racial discrimination)

Community Involvement

Our firm has over 30 years of active community participation working for justice, and we are still doing the “heavy lifting.” Here Mary Ruth joins with a diverse community group carrying the 4000 pound cedar Honor Totem Pole honoring slain Native American Carver John T. Williams to its permanent place of honor near the Space Needle in Seattle.

Totem pole to honor slain Seattle woodcarver

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published 08:45 p.m., Sunday, February 26, 2012

SEATTLE (AP) — A memorial totem pole in honor of John T. Williams is being raised at Seattle Center Sunday as a symbol of justice and community.

A procession of hundreds of community members carried the totem pole from Pier 57 to the Seattle Center, where it will be gifted to the city of Seattle.

John Williams was shot by Seattle police Officer Ian Birk in 2010. He had just crossed a street while holding a knife and a block of wood when Birk ordered him to drop the knife and then shot him to death. The killing outraged many, who saw it as an unnecessary use of force. Birk later resigned.

Williams’ brother, Rick Williams, and others carved the totem pole to honor the 50-year-old and Native American and First Nations tradition.

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