Licensed for 41 years

State WA

Acquired 1982

Status
Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

John W. Merriam

Admiralty and maritime Attorney at Seattle, WA

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Strongly Recommended

Seattles best Jones Act Lawyer

There are very few people I trust in this world but John Merriam is at the top of my list he not only is a man of outstanding character and morals as well as honest but he truly cares about his clients well being and situation he is not afraid to defend people with lets say a colorful background like myself and go the extra mile he mediated me an award against a major corporation and I received one of the largest settlements for an injury of my nature on record this was an almost no win case due to dishonesty about things in my case and my past. previous to John Merriam I had retained what was recommended as two of the top Seattle attorneys in my suits field. and they dropped me flat once some of the things in my past came out now this truly damaged my case as far as the courts and the company's attorneys were concerned see there attorneys who will only represent those cases that are a sure thing and then they will take any decent settlement that will make them money but John Merriam is a true victims advocate and will fight for his clients he was a true friend and a true god send. Sincerely Matthew Muse

About John

Learn John’s areas of practice.

Practice area

Admiralty and maritime

100%

PROBLEMS ON THE JOB? INJURED AT WORK? CHEATED ON YOUR PAY? CALL

John Merriam was an unlicensed seaman in the U. S. merchant marine for 12 years before becoming a lawyer, working his way through college and law school. He served aboard 17 freighters and tankers in 12 different job classifications for the deck, engine and steward departments.

    Other employment included 19 full-time jobs in eight states ranging from carpenter to cab driver, from roustabout in the oil fields to factory hand on the line. John paid law school tuition with a scholarship from the Seafarers International Union.

    Passing the bar in 1982, John practiced with a small firm through 1995 --- first as associate, then as partner. Cases handled ran the gamut of general practice with an emphasis on maritime personal injury.

    In 1993-94 John was the Chairman of the Maritime Section for the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.

Starting his own firm in 1996, John now restricts his practice to representing seamen on wage and injury claims.

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Contact John

John W. Merriam

4005 20th Avenue West

Suite 110

Seattle, WA, 98199-1290

www.merriam-maritimelaw.com

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Reviews

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5.0 / 5.0

2 customer reviews

5 Star

100%

4 Star

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2 Star

1 Star

Posted by Jamie | February 10, 2013

Strongly Recommended

John has helped me get my pay. He REALLY went up to bat for me, I can't recommend him highly enough.

Posted by Matthew | August 18, 2010

Seattles best Jones Act Lawyer

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Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.8 (Superb)

Work Experience

Attorney
Merriam Webb
2014 - Present

Owner
Solo Practice
1996 - 2014

Education

Lewis & Clark Law School
JD - Juris Doctor
1982

University of Washington
BA - Bachelor of Arts
1978

Associations

King County Bar Association
Member
N/A

Washington State Bar Association
Member
N/A

Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Member
N/A

Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Member
N/A

Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Chairman
1993 - 1994

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Languages Spoken

English

Honors and Awards

Distinguished
Martindale-Hubbell
2019

Peer Review Rated
Martindale-Hubbell
2018

Publications

Trial News
Don’t Concede the First and Last Days of the Maintenance Obligation
2014

Trial News
Are Unearned Wages and Maintenance Payable Beyond Maximum Cure?
2014

Trial News
When Setting Rates of Maintenance for Seamen with a House and Family, Should the Entire Mortgage Payment be Taken Into Account?
2014

Trial News
Is Employment of Fishermen ‘At Will‘ or is Just Cause Required for Discharge?
2014

Trafford Publishing
Aurora
2008

Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Do Seamen and Fishermen Injured in the Service of the Ship Have a Right to Medical Care for Life?
1994

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Speaking Engagements

Annual Seminar
Maritime Personal Injury in Washington
2012

Annual Seminar
Maritime Personal Injury in Washington
2011

Annual Seminar
Maritime Personal Injury in Washington
2009

Annual Seminar
Maritime Personal Injury in Washington
2008

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Attorney endorsements

Received (6)

Given (9)

Endorse John

Russell Williams

Admiralty and maritime Attorney | Sep 15
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work. John is a tireless and fearless advocate of mariners with injury and wage claims. He is the lawyer responsible for convincing the Washington Supreme Court that a manifestly inadequate maintenance rate set forth in a collective bargaining agreement is unenforceable."

Shane Carew

Admiralty and maritime Attorney | Aug 19
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have had cases with John and against John Merriam. He has the very highest ethical standards. I would hope law students would aspire to be like John Merriam. He is not afraid to make novel arguments for his clients, take them up on appeal, and challenge the system where he sees it is unfair. He has overcome long odds to make new law for the benefit of all Jones Act seaman. He is not intimidated by well funded insurance defense firms. But he is not unreasonable, and counsels his clients well when in negotiations."

James Causey

Admiralty and maritime Attorney | Aug 11
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"John Merriam is the most tenacious advocate I know for the rights of inury victims under marfitime law. From major damages cases to lesser wage claims, he is a veritable pit bull on behalf of his clients."

David Kubat

Admiralty and maritime Attorney | Aug 09
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer's work. John has been helping maritime clients for the past 28 years. He is an excellent and compassionate attorney, who I have known and worked with for 20 years. He is well regarded by his clients and by the legal community."

Derek Radtke

Personal injury Attorney | Oct 15
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"John is an authority on Maritime Law. I have worked with John on a few cases and found him to work extremely hard on his cases. On the cases we have worked on together, the end result was better than anticipated thanks to John's expertise. John places his client's interests far above his own."

Gordon Webb

Lawsuits and disputes Attorney | Jun 17
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work. John is an outstanding maritime lawyer. He works hard for his clients and gets good results in cases other lawyers can not afford to litigate. He is an honest, professional practitioner with a sharp pen for nonfiction short stories. John’s stories appear frequently in the Washington State Trial News and the Washington Free Press."

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