Samuel John Elder JR

After working at a traditional law firm for 16 years, and after the birth of his daughter Lauren, Sam decided to transform his practice. He is committed to providing the best possible legal representation without all of the trapping of a traditional law firm. Sam and his paralegal Alisha work primarily out of their homes. He always made a lot of house calls for client meetings anyway. Working from home simply provided additional opportunities to take care of his family as well as his clients.

Sam’s practice used to consist of business litigation, tax advisory, and corporate formation practice. He found that work unrewarding, whereas representing injured persons felt right. Each case is an opportunity to help someone who is hurting, provide information and clarity, take stress out of people’s lives, and allow the healing process to be the primary focus. Insurance companies are trying to take advantage of people every day – Sam is the pushback within the system.

Sam attended Federal Way High School, Linfield college where he has bachelors of arts degrees in mathematics and philosophy, and University of Washington School of Law.

Sam’s practice currently includes personal injury claim (including car accidents, premises liability cases, medical malpractice, and chemical exposure cases), representing health care providers against insurance companies (reimbursement issues, Regence and Premera audits) or related Department of Health complaints, and some general civil litigation and advisory work (landlord-tenant disputes, contract disputes).

Sam regularly teaches his continuing legal education classes to other lawyers – both instructing on personal injury law and strategies and procedures related to personal injury litigation. His courses include: How to Litigate Your First Jury Trial, Subrogation, and Mandatory Arbitration Strategies. He brings special expertise in the application of courtroom technology to advocacy, developing innovative approaches to the cost-effective representation of his clients.

Sam works on small cases and large cases. Sam completed a ten-week jury trial in the case Bradford, et al., v. McDonnell Douglas Corporation, AlliedSignal, Inc. in King County Superior Court in which he represented twenty-six flight attendants for claims of toxic chemical exposures aircraft. He routinely tries jury cases and presents dozens of case in mandatory arbitration.