Nicholas D. Kovarik

Darrell has won hundreds of cases and negotiated millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. He’s taken on and defeated some of the most powerful corporations, religious organizations, government agencies, school districts and many other entities for his clients. He’s brought the fight for justice all the way to the US Supreme Court, and won. He’s also served as co-counsel – often taking the lead at trial in the courtroom – for attorneys across the countr...

Austin Rainwater is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Austin, who practices law in Seattle, Washington, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Austin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Professional Overview Shawna M. Lydon is an equity partner at Schlemlein Fick & Franklin. Her practice is primarily in the areas of employment law and defense litigation, including employment practices liability, premises liability, product liability, and professional liability matters. Similarly, Ms. Lydon routinely advises private individual and business clients on employment law and human resource issues. Ms. Lydon was previously a Shareholder and member of the Litigation Practice Grou...

Erin Riley knows that strong relationships are the key to complex cases.As a partner in Keller Rohrback’s Complex Litigation Group, Erin has allowed these collaborative and long-lasting relationships to inform her work for over 20 years. Since 2001, Erin’s practice has focused on representing employees and retirees in Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) actions involving defined contribution, defined benefit, and health benefit plans. Erin has worked on n...

Marco de Sa e Silva is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Marco, who practices law in Bellevue, Washington, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marco is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Gagliardi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. John, who practices law in Seattle, Washington, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Elizabeth Hanley is a plaintiffs’ trial attorney and shareholder at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender in Seattle. She represents survivors of sexual abuse and discrimination, crime victims, and individuals and families impacted by wrongful death, serious injury, or unlawful treatment at work. Hanley is a past president of the Washington State Association for Justice and currently serves as secretary of the American Association for Justice’s Council of Presidents. She has been recogn...

Jason Froggatt practices employee benefits law, advising clients on employee retirement plans, plan qualification and plan fiduciary duties. He works extensively on equity-based compensation, including establishing stock option and employee stock ownership plans. Jason regularly counsels group health plans and their plan sponsors with respect to ERISA, COBRA and HIPAA compliance, and represents employee plans and plan sponsors with the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service.

Jaime Drozd is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Jaime, who practices law in Seattle, Washington, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jaime is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Otto has been involved in all aspects of employer representation in labor and employment law for over thirty years. He works with employers of all sizes, helping them understand their legal rights and responsibilities. Otto regularly takes the lead in bargaining negotiations for many public and private sector clients, and has represented numerous employers in both grievance and interest arbitration. Otto has also worked extensively on executive compensation matters, representing both executiv...