Works at
Jones Legal Group LLC

1 Best Lawyers award

Jones Legal Group LLC logo

Biography

Cynthia Jones is the appellate attorney with Jones Legal Group LLC in Seattle, Washington. Her practice focuses on Appellate Practice, including civil and criminal appeals in federal and state courts. She represents clients in matters before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Washington Supreme Court, and Washington appellate courts, and she also handles select matters at the trial court level in both federal and state courts.

Cynthia is a founding member of Protect Our Judges, alongside Tom Vertetis, and Mike Wampold. She has been recognized by Washington Law & Politics Magazine as a Super Lawyer and was previously recognized as a Rising Star.

In addition to her appellate work, Cynthia serves on the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. She currently serves as First Vice President of the King County Bar Association Board of Trustees.

Cynthia previously served as Chair of the Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative Coordinating Committee (LRCC) from 2022 through 2025 and participated on the Judicial Conference Executive Committee during her term. Her service included participation in the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference in July 2025, in which Cynthia interviewed Associate Justice Elena Kagan of the United States Supreme Court.

Cynthia's professional leadership roles also include serving as President of the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington (M. Margaret McKeown Chapter), President of the William L. Dwyer American Inn of Court, and Chair of the King County Bar Association Appellate Practice Section.

Works at
Jones Legal Group LLC

1 Best Lawyers award

Jones Legal Group LLC logo

Locations

Education

  • University of Washington, B.A., graduated 2001
  • Seattle University, J.D., graduated 2006

Bar Admissions

  • Washington, Washington State Bar Association

Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court, Western District of Washington
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas

Affiliations

  • KCBA Young Lawyer Division - Elected Board of Trustees (2008-2011)
  • Legal Voice - Board Member (2011-2012)
  • Seattle University Law Alumni Board - Board Member (2012-2015)
  • Volunteer Park Trust - Co-Chair of the Volunteer Park Trust Amphitheater Campaign (2019-2020)
  • Inn of Court - Immediate Past President (2020-2021), Executive Board Member (2008-current); formerly President (2019-2020), President-Elect (2018-2019), Mentorship Chair (2016-2018), Chair of Membership Committee (2013-2016), Treasurer (2008-2011), Member (2006-2008)
  • Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Legislative Committee (2010-current)
  • American Bar Association: Appellate Judicial Division and Criminal Justice Section - Member (2013-current)
  • Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society - Program Chair (2021-current); Board Member (2021-current); Advisory Council (2019-2021)
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals - Lawyer Representative, Chair (2018-2022)
  • Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Ninth Circuit and Western District of Washington - Apponintee
  • King County Bar Association Board of Trustees - First Vice-President (2026-current); Second Vice-President (2025); Trustee-Secretary (2020-2023)
  • Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative Coordinating Committee (LRCC) - Chair (2024-2025); Chair-elect (2023-2024), Vice-Chair (2022-2023)
  • Judicial Conference Executive Committee (CEC) - Member
  • Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington - Past President
  • William L. Dwyer American Inn of Court - Past President
  • King County Bar Association Appellate Practice Section - Past Chair
  • Seattle University School of Law - Adjunct Professor (Course: "Federal Litigation," 2022-present)

State Clerkships

  • Washington - Supreme Court

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Appellate Practice
Awards:
  • Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers: 2026

  • Super Lawyers

  • Avvo 10/10 Rating

Additional Information

  • Presentations
  • Inside the Clerkship: Judges & Law Clerks Share How to Land the Opportunity” with Judge Roopali Desai, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; Judge Kymberly Evanson, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington; Judge Jamal Whitehead, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington; Luther Reed-Caulkins, Current Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Kymberly Evanson; Ruby Nagamine, Current Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Richard A. Jones, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington; and Dalvin Yarbrough, Former Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Reggie B. Walton, United States District Court for the District of Columbia.Seattle University School of Law, March 26, 2026
  • Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference 2025: Conversation with Hon. Elena Kagan, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States” with Hon. Elena Kagan, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States, and Hon. Michael T. Liburdi, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.July 24, 2025
  • “2025 Ninth Circuit Conference of the Chief District Judges and Lawyer Representatives Coordinating Committee” with Chief District Judge Brian Morris (District of Montana). Moderator for Criminal Panel on Mental Health Court featuring U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson (Western District of Washington), Magistrate Judge Kate Vaughan (Western District of Washington), Tessa Gorman, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, and Analiese Johnson, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office (Western District of Washington).March 6, 2025 – Richard H. Chambers U.S. Court of Appeals, Pasadena, California
  • “Ninth Annual Advanced Appellate Program – Amicus Briefs” co-presented with Lila J. Silverstein.Sponsored by Pincus Professional Education. Moderator.November 20, 2024
  • “Federal Courts Updates” with Hon. David G. Estudillo, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; Hon. Jamal N. Whitehead; Hon. Kymberly K. Evanson; and Hon. Tiffany M. Cartwright.King County Bar Association 2024 Bench Bar Conference. Moderator.November 8, 2024
  • “Chief Judge David Estudillo Presents: Nuts & Bolts of Consent, Seattle Edition – A Candid Conversation with Magistrate Judges About Consent Options in Civil Trials.”Selecting the Issues on Appeal, sponsored by Pincus Professional Education. Presented with Chief Judge David Estudillo, Magistrate Judge Michelle L. Peterson, Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida, and Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughan, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Moderator.March 27, 2024
  • “Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing”Selecting the Issues on Appeal, sponsored by Pincus Professional Education.March 19, 2024
  • “Eighth Annual Advanced Appellate Program” co-presented with Washington Supreme Court Justice Debra Stephens.Lessons Learned Across Four Decades of Appeals.November 7, 2023
  • “Getting to Know You – A Free FBA WDWA CLE” featuring Chief Judge David G. Estudillo, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; Nicholas Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington; and Colin Fieman, Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington.Moderator.February 16, 2023
  • “Seventh Annual Advanced Appellate Program” co-presented with Washington Supreme Court Justice Debra Stephens.Creating an Effective Record on Review, inter alia, Understanding How Best to Use It.November 4, 2022
  • “Federal Litigation” Course (2022)Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law.Course focused on providing students with practical exposure to federal court practice and developing oral and written advocacy skills.
  • “My Name is Pauli Murray” Panel Discussion and Screening.Organized for the Ninth Circuit Historical Society.With filmmaker Betsy West and panelists Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu, Dean Anthony Varona (Seattle University School of Law), and Amrita Mallik (Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals). Introduced by Chief Judge Ricardo Martinez and moderated by Beth Bloom, Esq.June 8, 2022
  • “Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing” co-presented with Judge Rebecca Glasgow (Washington Court of Appeals, Division II), Judge Rebecca Pennell (Washington Court of Appeals, Division III), and former Washington Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmage.Sponsored by Pincus Professional Education.March 15, 2022
  • “Sixth Annual Advanced Appellate Program – Amicus Briefs” co-presented with Lila J. Silverstein.Sponsored by Pincus Professional Education.November 17, 2021
  • “A Day in the Life: A Glimpse Inside a Small Firm Practice”Sponsored by the Joint Minority Mentorship Program and the King County Bar Association New Lawyer Division.October 2, 2021
  • “SCOTUS in FOCUS / Tired of These Fools” with Strict Scrutiny.Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.Moderator for the event presented with the Strict Scrutiny podcast team, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, and the Western District of Washington Federal Bar Association.June 23, 2021
  • “In Conversation with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky: A Discussion on Current U.S. Supreme Court Cases of Import and Court Culture”Sponsored by the U.S. District Court, Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representatives, Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, and WDWA-Federal Bar Association.Moderator and interviewer of Dean Erwin Chemerinsky as part of the 2021 Annual Meeting for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.May 6, 2021
  • “Not Farewell but Fare Forward: A Celebration of the Career and Experiences of the Honorable Mary Alice Theiler”Sponsored by the WDWA-Federal Bar Association and King County Bar Association.Moderator and interviewer of Federal Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler regarding her retirement.April 23, 2021
  • “SCOTUS in the Time of COVID-19”Sponsored by Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representatives for the Western District of Washington with the WDWA-Federal Bar Association.Moderated discussion with Washington State Solicitor General Noah Purcell regarding Chiafalo v. Washington, including discussion of substantive issues and preparation for telephonic argument before the Supreme Court of the United States.July 23, 2020
  • “Appellate Waivers: Their History, How to Avoid Them, and How to Overcome Them”Presentation to the Criminal Justice Act Panel and Federal Defenders for the Western District of Washington.July 16, 2020
  • “The POWER Act: The Western District of Washington’s Compliance Program Focusing on Vanishing Native American Women and the Pro Bono Opportunities Advocated by the Alaska Legal Services Corporation” with Chief Judge Ricardo Martinez.2019 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.July 22, 2019
  • “Bridging the Gap” CLE sponsored by the King County Bar Association.“Practice Management Panel for Solos and Small Firms: Nuts & Bolts.”March 28, 2019
  • “Tips from the Bench: Effectively Preserving Your Issues for Appeal”Sponsored by the Federal Bar Association and King County Bar Association.Moderator for panel with Chief Judge Ricardo S. Martinez, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; Acting Chief Judge Michael J. Trickey, Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I; and Judge Roger Rogoff, King County Superior Court.February 10, 2017
  • “Preserving Issues on Appeal”Co-presenter for the King County Bar Association Solo/Small Firm Section.November 9, 2016
  • “Winning Your Appeal at Trial: Tips on Preservation and Avoiding Error”Co-presenter for the Washington State Bar Association Solo and Small Practice Section.September 22, 2016

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