Emily Albrecht

of counsel | seattle | LICENSED IN Washington

"To me, success as an attorney is a combination of client satisfation and a reputation of integrity among one's peers in the legal community."

Truly zealous client advocacy cannot exist in the absence of integrity and professional decorum.

Emily is a firm believer that it is possible to be both a dedicated, effective advocate on behalf of her clients and have pleasant interactions with opposing counsel.  Ultimately, when that happens it ends up being in the best interest of everyone involved – including, most importantly, that of her clients – and, more often than not, increases the chances of settling a case.

After graduating from Seattle University School of Law, Emily began her career in insurance defense litigation.  She has extensive litigation experience in a variety of practice areas and also takes great pride in her ability to resolve cases through alternative dispute resolution – particularly mediation.

In addition to insurance defense, Emily also has a passion for the niche practice area of funeral law/mortuary litigation and is one of a handful of attorneys across the country who work closely with the death care industry.  She is currently in the process of authoring a funeral law textbook for mortuary science program students which will also serve as a reference to legal practitioners, alike.

Outside of work, Emily is an avid reader, writer and enjoys spending time with her dog Ted Jones while sipping a glass of French rosé.

RECOGNITION:

Education

  • Seattle University School of Law – J.D., 2013
  • Georgetown University – B.A., 2009

Bar / Court Admissions

  • Washington State Bar
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • American Bar Association
    • GPSolo Division YLD Fellow (2022-2023)
    • Associate Editor, TYL Editorial Board (2017-2021)
    • District Representative for Washington & Oregon (2018-2020)
  • Birthday Dreams, Board Member (2018-2020)
  • Defense Research Institute State Membership Chair (2018-2020)
  • Federal Bar Association
  • King County Bar Association
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Associate Fellow
  • National Association of Women Lawyers
  • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers
    • Member, Pro Bono and Community Outreach Committee
  • Washington State Bar Association
    • Past-Chair, Washington Young Lawyer Committee (2022-2023)
    • Chair, Washington Young Lawyer Committee (2021-2022)
    • At-Large Representative, Washington Young Lawyer
    • Committee (2017-2020)
    • Member, WSBA COVID-19 Task Force (2020)
    • Member, Trial Advocacy Program Steering Committee (2015- 2017)
  • Washington Women Lawyers

 

Articles / Case Notes

Representative Cases

Represented funeral home, licensed funeral director and embalmer against claims of negligence, tortious interference with a dead body and violation of the Consumer Protection Act.  Successfully dismissed Consumer Protection Act claim as a matter of law on partial summary judgment and obtained unanimous defense verdict at trial.

Defense of a pharmaceutical company in personal injury and wrongful death actions involving extensive discovery and dispositive motions practice resulting in dismissals without appeal.

Secured early and favorable resolution for homeowner’s insurer with subrogation claim against third party insurer in contested liability case involving extensive water damage throughout a multimillion-dollar residence.

Obtained voluntary dismissal without compensation for fireplace manufacturer against claim of product defect.

Notable Trial & Appellate Victories

Paula Harmes v. Klontz Family Funeral Home, Inc. and Gary J. Klontz, King County Superior Court Cause No. 15-2-14365-4 SEA

Organizational Memberships

  • Cremation Association of North America, Industry Member
  • National Funeral Directors Association, Industry Affiliate
  • Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity International
  • Washington Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association, Member
  • Washington State Funeral Directors Association, Member
    • General Counsel (2018-2021)