Douglas W. Elston

Attorney Douglas W. Elston is a business law, estate/probate law and trial attorney focused on protecting the rights and interests of individuals and businesses throughout the King and Snohomish County area and beyond. He was a founding partner in a Seattle construction law firm that grew from six to twenty-six lawyers. After partnerships in several downtown Seattle law firms, he started his own practice, which offers personalized solutions, responsiveness and cost effective strategic advocacy to his clients.

Mr. Elston has experience in all aspects of litigation, from discovery, motion practice, and trial through appeal in state and federal courts. His proven ability to successfully handle complicated, discovery intensive and protracted legal disputes makes him an asset to every client. Most importantly, He understands the economies of litigation and strives, in every case, to keep costs down without cutting corners.

He has been practicing law since 1975 and has represented individuals and businesses in a variety of civil litigation matters, with particular emphasis on business and probate matters and the representation of owners, contractors and design professionals in matters related to the construction industry. He represents clients in federal and state courts, and in private mediations and arbitrations. His practice involves a variety of matters, including complex litigation, with multi-million dollar claims, contract drafting and negotiations, estate planning, and business law matters.

He has appeared in a number of different state and federal courts and has argued cases at all levels of Washington courts and administrative hearings including the Washington State Court of Appeals and the Puget Sound Pollution Control Hearings Board. He has tried and arbitrated numerous complex cases in a wide variety of subject areas and has represented clients and served as a neutral in numerous mediations and arbitrations.

Mr. Elston remains abreast of all developments in business law and offers cutting edge strategies to help his clients protect their rights and remain competitive in any industry. He enjoys working with businesses and entrepreneurs at all stages, from startups to mature corporations, helping them capitalize on an opportunity, reduce liability, resolve disputes or engage in litigation.

He takes a pragmatic, goal-oriented approach to helping individuals, families, and small businesses achieve success in developing solutions to a variety of legal problems. Whether drafting a living trust, negotiating a contract, or going to trial, his focus is the same: achieving his client’s goals at the lowest possible cost. To that end, he can be counted on to always give a client an honest analysis of the client’s case.

Mr. Elston holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the University of Washington and, following three tours of combat duty in Vietnam as a Naval Aviator, graduated with honors from Gonzaga University School of Law. He was then picked for a highly selective program to serve as a Coast Guard attorney at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut and at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey. While practicing law in Seattle, he remained in the Coast Guard Reserves, serving as Commanding Officer of several reserve operational units in Washington and Oregon, retiring as a Commander.

Outside of the office, Mr. Elston pursues many diverse interests, including sports, writing, reading, travelling and fantasy football. He is a member of Canyon Hills Community Church in Bothell, Washington and is currently on the Board of Directors of Breakthrough Partners, an Edmonds, Washington-based non-profit organization dedicated to economic and social development in distressed areas in third world countries. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his family. He is happily married with two children and four grandchildren, all of whom live in the area.