Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021 
Roger M. Townsend is a trial attorney with a practice focused on Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Labor and Employment. Based in Bainbridge Island, Washington, he represents individuals in disputes involving employment relationships, business matters, and the protection of constitutional and statutory rights. Roger has practiced in the Seattle area since 1995 and appears regularly in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation proceedings.
Roger’s work often involves representing individuals in disputes with companies, including claims related to workplace rights, business conflicts, and civil rights violations. He has served as lead counsel in numerous trials in Washington state and federal courts and in matters within the Ninth Circuit. His practice includes advising and representing clients at every stage of an employment relationship, from contract negotiations and workplace disputes to litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
In addition to his litigation practice, Roger is active in the legal community and public service. He has served as Chair of the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Program Chair of the Ninth Circuit Conference, and Chair of the Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representatives Coordinating Committee. He is also a past President of the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington.
Roger has been appointed by the Court to serve the Western District of Washington in several roles, including participation on the Workplace Advisory Committee and the Roadways to the Bench Program, which encourages diversity within the federal judiciary. His civic involvement includes service as a city councilmember, more than two decades of volunteer work with a pro bono civil rights legal clinic, and co-founding an educational program that introduces students to constitutional principles. He is currently Co-Chair of the M. Margaret McKeown Federal Bar Association Litigation Academy Committee.
He also frequently moderates and coordinates continuing legal education panels and discussions addressing developments in federal practice, civil rights law, and issues affecting the legal profession.
