Eleana Stevens

The minute Eleana stepped into WA State Penitentiary in Monroe she knew she’d end up “doing something” in criminal law. She walked in with other students in the University of Washington’s Law, Societies, and Justice program to meet with University Behind Bars (UBB) inmates and discuss – in very real terms - mass incarceration and criminal justice reform. That’s when she decided she’d spend her career fighting for people caught in the system. She just wasn’t sure how.

Getting accepted to law school sealed the deal – she’d be a criminal defense attorney. After graduation, she jumped in with both feet—taking on a full caseload at the Snohomish County Public Defender Association. At any given time, she was managing more than 100 cases, filing motions daily, prepping trials, conducting plea negotiations, trying a half dozen matters, and standing up for clients who didn’t have anyone else in their corner. It was full immersion. And she thrived.

That deep-end experience shaped how she practices today: strategic, efficient, always grounded in the real-world needs of the person she’s representing. She’s not just defending charges—she’s helping people protect their futures. She is, perhaps it’s obvious by now, passionate about her mission.

She is always aware of what’s at stake for every client – her experiences at Monroe and time spent with monthly visits to the minimum-security unit at MCC to participate in a monthly book club with inmates are always a reminder of that.

Before joining Knauss Law, Eleana also worked in civil litigation, representing injured workers in L&I claims and developing a strong foundation in client advocacy and administrative law. Her range of experience from trial work to negotiations, from courtrooms to state agencies—makes her a flexible, confident advocate in a wide range of criminal cases.

Eleana earned her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law, where she co-led the Washington Innocence Project Student Chapter and represented clients in the Race and Justice Clinic. She holds a B.A. in Law, Societies, and Justice, where her undergraduate work focused on racial disparities in juvenile diversion programs.

When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her planning her next travel adventure, spending time with her husband or hanging out with their rescue pug, Vincent.