Ruth Ann Nelson

After reading the two reviews I felt the need to defend Ruth, as I just got out of a meeting with another lawyer and found myself singing her praises again and wishing she worked in corporate formation law. So let's get real: The Good Ruth knows her stuff, she's no-nonsense, and she absolutely OW...NED the courtroom when the time came to truly declare bankruptcy in court. She knew the (it's been a few years so forget the not-judge/offical Federal rep) and had a great relationship with him, it seemed. In stark contrast to the 10 or so other attorneys in the room that day (I was SHOCKED at how unprofessional, unprepared, and frankly criminally shoddy some of the work/speech/knowledge of the other attorneys was) Ruth had prepped me so I was minimally nervous, ran me through what he'd ask and how I was to respond (still messed it up anyway but Ruth made a joke and it was fine), she showed up on time, and, most importantly, she got my bankruptcy D-O-N-E. Her advice was fantastic and she got me back on my footing.. The Bad Four years in corporate finance negotiating contracts for a large corporation, I know lawyers a unique breed of person. Ruth is no exception. Lawyers are pretty clear, no nonsense, direct, and STRONG personalities. They have to be. Ruth is not a touchy-feely kind of lawyer. Frankly, I've not met one who is. She can be a bit prickly, but she has to cut through a lot of loca/cultural/WASPey fluff that's endemic to the Seattle area and Washington state in general. Personally, I was delighted by her more direct and gruff qualities as it's a refreshing change to most the locals. I'm from LA and SF - I can handle uncomfortable directness. If you can't, Ruth is NOT - repeat NOT - for you. The Ugly Per my statements above, most Washingtonians and Seattlites, with their ingrained submissiveness and self-defeating aversion to conflict or assertion of even the smallest amount, are probably to Vitamin D deprived to understand the problem is really themselves and not Ruth. Ruth is a lawyer. This is "The Ugly" bit of my review - the law is ugly. Most polite, sensitive, white Washingontians neither understand or can handle the uglier truths of life - like that people can be mean, rude, and cruel. Often. And repeatedly. Ruth isn't hear to coddle your feelings during bankruptcy - her skill at anxiety relief comes through getting the job done. Scattered local culture results in scattered local attorneys who embarass themselves and their clients in the courtroom. Ruth will not embarass with lack of knowledge or incompetence. She's good at what she does, she does what she says, and she WILL do what you ask. But don't expect your feelings to be handled with kid gloves. That's not a lawyers job. Their job is to get you out of trouble with The Law.