James E. Lobsenz

Seattle, WA Directions

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025

Awarded Practice Areas

Appellate Practice Criminal Defense: General Practice

Visit Website

Awarded Practice Areas

Appellate Practice Criminal Defense: General Practice

Works at

Carney Badley Spellman PS

11 Best Lawyers awards

Biography

James E. Lobsenz maintains an extensive appellate practice in both state and federal courts, with substantive experience in constitutional law, freedom of speech, police misconduct, civil rights, criminal defense, employment law, and evidence. After clerking for Associate Justice Mathew O. Tobriner of the California Supreme Court and Chief Justice Vincent L. McKusick of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, he joined King County as a deputy prosecuting attorney before serving as a public defender and transitioning to private practice. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Seattle University, teaching constitutional law, the First Amendment, and civil rights litigation.

Lobsenz is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and has been named a top attorney in Washington State by Super Lawyers Magazine for 22 consecutive years, including 2026. He has received the William O. Douglas Award from the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Civil Libertarian Award from the Washington ACLU, and the Community Leadership Award from Washington's GLBT Bar Association. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025.

Locations

Seattle, Washington

206-622-8020

701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3600
Seattle, WA 98104

Education

Stanford University, B.A. Political Science, graduated 1974
Stanford University, M.A., graduated 1975
University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1978

Bar Admissions

Washington, Washington State Bar Association, 1978

Court Admissions

Army Court of Criminal Appeals
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
U.S. Court of Claims
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Affiliations

Washington State Bar Association - Member
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Former Board Member
Stanford Club of Western Washington - Former Board Member
Society of Counsel for the Representation of Accused Persons, board of directors - Member
Northwest Women’s Law Center - Member
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington - Former Board Member

State Clerkships

California - Supreme Court

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^® 2026 for work in:

Appellate Practice
Criminal Defense: General Practice

Awards:

- Elected Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
- Recipient of the William O. Douglas Award (2009), Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Recipient of the Community Leadership Award (2010), Washington's GLBT Bar Association
- Recipient of the Civil Libertarian Award (1991), American Civil Liberties Union
- Recipient of the Human Rights Day Award (1985), Seattle Chapter of the United Nations Association
- Washington's Top Attorneys (22 consecutive years including 2026), Washington Super Lawyers
- Top Lawyer, Seattle Magazine
- King County's Top Lawyers (2010-2018), Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
- King County's Top Lawyers (2010-2018), Seattle Business Magazine

Case History

Cases

Representative Cases

Mr. Lobsenz has argued over 27 cases in the Washington Supreme Court and over 150 appeals in the state and federal courts. His past cases include the following:

Seattle v. Long, 198 Wn.2d 136, 492 P.3d 94 (2021)
In re Restraint of Bufalini, 4 Wn. App.2d 392, 423 P.3d 262 (2018)
Fisher Broadcasting – Seattle TV v. City of Seattle, 180 Wn.2d 515, 326 P.3d 688 (2014) (counsel for amicus curiae)
State v. Lau, 174 Wn. App. 857, 300 P.3d 838 (2013)
Tatham v. Rogers, 170 Wn. App. 76 (2012)
Yates v. Fithian, 2010 WL 3788272 (W.D. Wash. 2010)
State v. Sutherby, 165 Wn.2d 870 (2009)
Witt v. Department of the Air Force, 527 F.3d 806 (9th Cir. 2008)
Watada v. Head, 530 F. Supp. 2d 1136 (W.D.Wash. 2007)
M.L. v. Federal Way School District, 394 F. 3d 634 (9th Cir.) cert. denied 345 U.S. 1128 (2005)
State v. Stein, 144 Wn.2d 236 (2001)
King v. Olympic Pipeline Co., 104 Wn. App. 338 (2000)
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community v. Siland County, 87 Wn. App. 552 (1997)
Washington State Physicians Exchange v. Fisons, 122 Wn.2d 299 (1993)
Ski Acres, Inc. v. Kittitas County, 118 Wn.2d 852 (1992)
Employco Personnel Services v. Seattle, 117 Wn.2d 606 (1991)
In re Blauvelt, 115 Wn.2d 735, 801 P.2d 235 (1990)
Thao v. Control Data Corporation, 57 Wn. App. 802 (1990)
Watkins v. United States Army, 875 F. 2d 699 (9th Cir. 1989) (en banc), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 957 (1990)
Levison v. Washington Horse Racing Comm’n, 48 Wn. App. 822 (1987)

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.