Masaki J Yamada

Masaki (“Saki”) James Yamada is a partner at Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC. His practice focuses on preparing and negotiating construction contracts (public and private), resolving complex construction claims, defending and appealing L&I/WISHA violations, prosecuting and defending construction defect claims, and handling construction related insurance matters. Mr. Yamada’s practice also includes commercial leases and communications law (i.e. cell towers). He regularly represents general contractors, subcontractors, developers, business and property owners, and design professionals. Mr. Yamada has successfully mediated numerous multi-million dollar construction claims and negotiated contracts for private and public projects in Washington State, Oregon and the City of Seattle. Mr. Yamada has represented his construction clients in a wide variety of venues and has extensive litigation and jury trial experience in state and federal courts, experience resolving disputes through private arbitration, experience before the Labor & Industries Board of Industrial Appeals, and experience in Washington’s court of appeals.

Mr. Yamada started his legal career at King County, where he worked fulltime as a paralegal while attending and completing the night program at the Seattle University School of Law. Upon passing the bar, Mr. Yamada was hired as a Civil Deputy Attorney to defend and advise King County council members, corrections officers, sheriff deputies, and prosecutors in civil rights and tort cases in superior court and federal district court and to assist with drafting agency policies and county codes.

Mr. Yamada is admitted to practice in all state, federal, and appellate courts of Washington and Oregon. He regularly gives seminars to contractors from all around the States of Washington and Oregon at events hosted by non-profit organizations, government agencies, and construction companies on insurance law, construction contracts, construction claims and laws regarding public works. He has also been selected as a “Rising Star” by Washington Law and Politics / Super Lawyers Magazine over multiple years.