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John William Murphy
About John
Biography
Growing up in Seattle’s Rainier Valley in the 1950’s, I learned as a child that people worked hard to make a living. My mother’s favorite saying was by William Penn, “I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” My parents taught me and my siblings the meaning of the saying “An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay,” and they lived by those principles. So did I - I began working in the summers at the local steel mill at the age of 13.
Growing up, two of my heroes were Dr. William Hutchinson and coach Frank Ahern. Dr. Hutchinson, who later built the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in honor of his brother, performed surgery on me when I was 4 years old. The surgery took more than 5 hours and resulted in a bill of $50! Coach Frank Ahern spent hundreds of hours teaching me to believe in myself and my abilities. Both men, along with my parents, were instrumental in showing me the value of helping others, and leading me to a career in law.
I believe that each day I have the opportunity to do the best I can do. This is the reason I get out of bed in the morning. Every day, my life as a lawyer offers me the opportunity to make a contribution to some person or some ideal. Often, the person I am attempting to help is unable to help himself; the ideal is often one that would otherwise be disregarded.
Whether I am waiting for a jury to return with a positive verdict or negotiating a settlement that will allow an injured client to pay for medical bills, my work as an attorney is personally fulfilling. I am motivated by ensuring that justice is achieved for every person that I represent.
Practice Areas
3
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Contingency
33%-33%
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Washington for 51 years
State: Washington
Acquired: 1975
No misconduct found
Location
John W. Murphy Law
1002 S 3rd St, Mount Vernon, WA, 98273-4302
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John William Murphy's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
32 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
Lawsuits & Disputes (9)
Criminal Defense (5)
Litigation (5)
Personal Injury (3)
Administrative Law (2)
Business (2)
Employment & Labor (2)
Real Estate (2)
Arbitration (1)
Consumer Protection (1)
Contracts & Agreements (1)
Discrimination (1)
Domestic Violence (1)
Drug Crime (1)
Family (1)
Government (1)
Health Care (1)
Insurance (1)
Mediation (1)
Medical Malpractice (1)
Privacy (1)
Tax (1)
Wrongful Death (1)
Wrongful Termination (1)
What Clients Mention
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews | Litigation
Posted by Miriam | September 01, 2014 | Litigation
Owens Review for John Murphy
John Murphy was retained by my husband, now deceased, to represent him in a malpractice suit about five years ago. He and John Murphy had both practiced law in Skagit County for many years. During that time my husband always spoke of John with the highest respect, and often said to me that John was...
Posted by Jack and Kim | February 11, 2014 | Litigation
Gunner for justice
We were referred by a friend and ended up becoming very close friends with John. Stuck in a hopeless situation John's firm was reluctant to take the case, but John believed in the underdog and fought with both gloves on for over 2 years. We ended up getting more than expected! John kept in constan...
Posted by Maria | February 09, 2014 | Litigation
Outstanding lawyer
Because of the industry in which I work, I deal with dozens of attorneys, for both our clients and for ourselves in a very broad spectrum of practice areas including personal injury, employment issues and business litigation. I consider myself somewhat of an expert in judging lawyers. Of course,...
Posted by Kate | March 26, 2012 | Litigation
Above and beyond an excellent experience.
Over the past several years, John litigated an incredibly difficult real estate matter for my family and I. The circumstances of this matter affected our life greatly (where we lived, our financial future), and it was an incredibly stressful time for our family. There is no way that we could have mad...
Posted by morgan | February 23, 2012 | Litigation
A Credit to the Practice of Law
John Murphy was my attorney regarding some litigation matters. John was very attentive to detail and met with me, along with his staff, regularly. I rarely had to call John regarding my matters because he usually called me first. John is a credit to the practice of law. He is thorough, he is very...
John William Murphy's Lawyer Endorsements
"Seattle Mariners manager, Lloyd McLendon, made the following comment about Derek Jeter, who is retiring at the end of he season, on the occasion of the 06/10/14 New York Yankees visit to Safeco Field. "For me, for the last 20 years, Derek Jeter has been everything that is right about the game of baseball....I think he is a class act." This quote well describes John Murphy. John is everything that is right about the practice of law and he definitely is a class act! As a practicing attorney in Bellingham for the past 30 years, I have co-counseled with John and have had contentious cases against John. I have been impressed with his breadth of legal knowledge and have sought his counsel on numerous occasions. He is a tireless worker, tenacious, down to earth and is ethical to a fault. He is always totally prepared and has been highly successful in the courtroom as well as in negotiations outside the courtroom. To repeat, John Murphy is a class act and it is my pleasure to endorse him."
"I consider John Murphy, without a doubt, the top criminal defense attorney in our region (Snohomish County to Canada). John has tremendous energy, passion, experience and street smarts. John has handled some huge cases and deals with pressure very well. He is a street fighter but also a caring gentleman. For us younger (or semi-younger) members of the bar, John is a fine inspiration. In the past, John was always available to give me guidance on certain cases (and in some instances, was even willing to meet with them). I strongly endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. After trying cases against John, and trying cases with John, I remembered the old adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." That's when I asked John to join me at Brett Murphy."
"John Murphy is truly an exceptional attorney. His diverse background and extensive litigation experience give him an edge on all of his cases. John is a down-to-earth guy who is brilliant and creative and thinks outside of the box to get the best results he can for his clients."
"Simply can't say enough about John. He is an exceptional lawyer, a true lawyer's lawyer who puts his clients first in every case he takes on. I would not hesitate to recommend John to anyone who need help."
"I endorse this lawyer. I have known and tried cases with and against John Murphy for 30 years. No one works harder or gets better results for a client than John. No client could have a better criminal or personal injury lawyer than John. Good luck follows on the heels of hard work and John is an example of that vision. John cares for his clients well being and he does everything to protect them. Don"
"I am honored to endorse this lawyer. I have both worked with John Murphy as co-counsel in a number of matters, and appeared against him in court. His reputation as a top notch litigator precedes him, and once you have an opportunity to work with him you quickly understand why. He is an incredibly formidable opponent, a thoughtful and articulate advocate, and the consummate professional. If I were ever personally in need of representation, quite simply, I would want John in my corner."
"John Murphy is what I refer to as a “Lawyer’s Lawyer.†My family and my staff are well aware that John Murphy is my lawyer and is our law firm’s lawyer. In the 34 years that I have practiced law I have had cases with and against John Murphy. One cannot put John Murphy in a “Practice Category†as John is one of those rare lawyers that can handle any type of case competently. It makes no difference whether the case involves plaintiff/personal injury, defense/personal injury, real property or corporate law. A client can always, I repeat always, count on John to be totally prepared and formidable in the Court Room. John has the highest ethics of any lawyer I practice with. John has recently aligned his practice with another firm. The new firm is a “powerhouse†of lawyers with demonstrated success."
"John first came to my attention by the enormous respect he had from other lawyers in the community who I respected enormously. To me, there can be no better endorsement than the universal respect of your peers. And John has that in spades. He is skilled and knowledgeable, understanding, yet forceful when necessary. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone."
Eugene Moses
Business lawyer
Experience
Honors
2014
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine
2013
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine
2012
Super Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
2011
Super Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
2011
Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association
Work Experience
2011 - 2015
Attorney, Brett Murphy - Washington's Injury Lawyers
2011 - 2011
Faculty Member, Justice Advocacy Africa
1998 - 1998
Special Counsel, Commonwealth of Virginia
1998 - 2002
Committee Member, Washington State Committee of Jury Instructions
1997 - 1998
Chairman, Disciplinary Review Committee, Washington State Bar Association
1995 - 1995
Special Counsel, United States Bankruptcy Court
1995 - 1998
Board Member, Washington State Bar Association Disciplinary Board
1990 - 1995
Committee of Law Examiners, Washington State Bar Association
1990 - 1990
Judge Pro Tem, Skagit County District Court
1988 - 1988
Adjunct Professor, Skagit Valley College
1985 - 2011
Owner, John W. Murphy Law Office
1985 - 1985
Special Deputy Prosecutor, Skagit County Prosecutor's Office
1982 - 1984
Chief Criminal Deputy, Skagit County Prosecutor's Office
1978 - 1978
Litigation Conduct Professor, Gonzaga Law School
1977 - 1977
Adjunct Professor, Fort Wright College
1977 - 1977
Special Public Defender, Spokane County Public Defender's Office
1976 - 1979
Judge Pro Tempore, Spokane County District Court
1976 - 1976
Adjunct Professor, Columbia College
Associations
2008 - Present
Washington State Bar Association Admission to Practice Rule 6 Clerk's ProgramTutor
1989 - Present
United States Supreme CourtAdmitted
1978 - Present
United States District Court for the Western District of WashingtonAdmitted to Practice
1976 - Present
United States District Court for the Eastern District of WashingtonAdmitted to Practice
1975 - Present
Washington State Bar AssociationMember
Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Member
2002 - 2002
United States Court of Appeals For the Ninth CircuitAdmitted
1998 - 2002
Washington Supreme Court Committee of Jury InstructionsMember
1990 - 1996
Washington State Bar AssociationMember, Board of Bar Examiners
1978 - 1978
United States Tax CourtAdmitted
Sample of Legal Cases
Multi-million dollar settlement for collision
$4.2 million for plaintiff
Settlement for on-duty injury
$1,165,641 to $1,181,866 range
Settlement and future benefits for neck injury
$800,000
Wrongful death from cracked ribs
$786,000
Leg injury in gas station parking lot
$360,000
$175,122 settlement for accident with uninsured driver
$175,122
Education
N/A
Gonzaga University School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
N/A
Washington State University
Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2012
Whatcom County Bar Association event
Jury Selection Techniques
1999
Skills Training Course
Law Office Management
Publications
2013
JD Supra Legal News
Want Lower Insurance Premiums? Demand Insurance Reform!
2009
Bellingham Herald
Jury Divides Blame in Teen Death
2003
Skagit Valley Herald
Woman free after judge blocks prosecutors from filing charges
2003
Skagit Valley Herald
Woman acquitted of most serious charges in slaying of her husband
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Guides