Spencer Nathan Thal

PRO

Spencer Nathan Thal

4.9
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 35 years

Discrimination Lawyer at Poulsbo, WA
Practice Areas: Discrimination, Car Accidents, Personal Injury ... +8 more

PO Box 939, Poulsbo, WA

Virtual Consultation Available

Free Consultation

About Spencer

Biography

Offering remote consultations through video or voice from the comfort of your home, just call!

Practice Areas

11

Practice Areas

Discrimination 20%

34 years | 75 cases

20%
Car Accident 15%

34 years | 200 cases

15%
Employment and Labor 10%

34 years | 250 cases

10%
Personal Injury 10%

34 years | 100 cases

10%
Sexual Harassment 10%

10%
Wrongful Termination 10%

10%
Motorcycle Accident 5%

5%
Slip and Fall Accident 5%

5%
Trucking Accident 5%

5%
Wills and Living Wills 5%

5%
Wrongful Death 5%

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 20 minutes

Contingency

25%-40%

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2025 2024 2023
...
+ 6

Licenses

Licensed in Washington for 35 years

State: Washington

Acquired: 1990

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Oregon for 34 years

State: Oregon

Acquired: 1991

Inactive

No misconduct found

Location

Vanguard Law

PO Box 939, Poulsbo, WA, 98370

vanguardlawfirm.com

Law Offices of Spencer Nathan Thal

9125 - 15th Place South, Seattle, WA, 98108

vanguardlawfirm.com

Online Presence

Other places you can find Spencer online.

Spencer Nathan Thal's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

140 Client Reviews

Showing 6 - 10 of 53 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Ann-Marie | February 08, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

Impressed!

I hired Spencer and vanguard law firm to assist me with an MVA that occurred in November 2021. From the beginning Spencer and his team were thorough, compassionate, very communicative, and explain things well, so that a layman, like my husband and I, could understand what was going on. We just settl...ed the case, and the results far exceeded my expectations. If you are in need of a personal injury or an employment attorney, you would do well to hire Spencer and vanguard law firm!

Posted by anonymous | January 17, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor

Excellent, responsive and dilligent

Spencer promptly resolved my matter by laying out options and being very direct. He was extremely efficient with his communications both with myself and the opposing party. He is extremely responsive and also very clear and transparent about his billing and (very reasonable) fees. Spencer’s deep lev...el of experience of employment law comes out in all aspects of the matter hired for.

Posted by IAFF Local 656 | January 17, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor

Our "GoTo" legal advisor

Spencer provided excellent guidance during our union negotiations. We appreciated his reasonable approach and calm advise while assisting us with meetings and strategic planning. He was always accessible and responsive to any questions or guidance we required. Our local has utilized his expertise ...multiple times in the past and will continue to rely upon him in regards to any future labor issues that occur. Thank you, Spencer.

Posted by Dan | November 03, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Wrongful Termination

Superb lawyer, love the way he operates

I hired Spencer to represent me in a public sector termination without cause case. He deftly cut through all the noise and distractions to ensure my full severance package was honored. Additionally, he kept me and my spouse appraised of the situation at all times. He communicated superbly, and clearl...y explained what our options were, and which one(s) had the best chance of succeeding. He played the whole event perfectly, without a misstep or mistake. He applied pressure when needed, was patient when needed, and gave me sage advice always. I like the way he operates and would highly recommend his services.

Posted by Michael | August 31, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor

President/Executive Director of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees

The team at Council 2 was fortunate to have Spencer leading our legal department for several months. We contracted with Spencer after our previous counsel left unexpectedly. Spencer filled the gap with exceptional skill and professionalism during this transitional period. His support for me in my rol...e as President/ Executive Director of a statewide labor union was immeasurable. His ability to quickly understand our organization's needs and respond effectively was impressive. He provided terrific support, offering clear, concise legal advice on labor and employment issues that helped us navigate several challenging situations. His knowledge and experience in the field of labor law are exceptional, and I intend to use his services again in the future any time we need to retain outside counsel.

See All Client Reviews

Spencer Nathan Thal's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Spencer
Kevin Paul Smith headshot
Kevin Smith

Employment and labor lawyer | Feb 24

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I fully endorse Spencer. He has proven himself to be extremely knowledgeable and effective counsel. He is also very responsive to communications being sure to inform you of major developments every step of the way. Spencer will be my first contact for possible referrals of plaintiff side employment related matters."

Peter Altman headshot
Peter Altman

Employment and labor lawyer | May 16

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I've worked with Spencer at several different public agencies. He is a zealous advocate for his clients, but also fair and reasonable. If you're looking for legal counsel on labor & employment matters, look no further."

Lauren Heather Berkowitz headshot
Lauren Berkowitz

Personal injury lawyer | May 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Without reservation, I endorse Spencer. He is straightforward, honest, and easy to work with both as a lawyer and as a client of his. He has a talent for getting insurance companies to respond and negotiate in PI cases, and his wealth of knowledge in labor cases is formidable."

Robert H Lavitt headshot
Robert Lavitt

Employment and labor lawyer | May 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Spencer is an excellent, creative and highly experienced labor and employment attorney."

Jon Michael Zimmerman headshot
Jon Zimmerman

Employment and labor lawyer | May 15

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Spencer is one of the best (if not the best) employment attorneys in the Seattle area. He is like a ninja, only faster and smarter. Employers respect him and some employers fear him because they know he will go to the mat for workers. Spencer will use legal jiu jitsu on employers, stunning them into submission and creating victory for Spencer’s smart, hard-working clients. Wise workers have Spencer in their corner."

James Varro Smith II headshot
James Smith

Employment and labor lawyer | Feb 02

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Spencer is a brilliant attorney. I endorse him."

Mark Richard Busto headshot
Mark Busto

Employment and labor lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have worked with Spencer on Bar-related matters and cases. He is smart, committed and great fun to work with. I would trust him implicitly to represent me."

Dmitri L. Iglitzin headshot
Dmitri Iglitzin

Employment and labor lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Spencer and his work for almost 20 years. I can unreservedly recommend him for his professionalism, expertise, honesty and work ethic. Any worker who is in need of legal services would be well-advised to give Spencer a call."

Daniel A Swedlow headshot
Daniel Swedlow

Employment and labor lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Co-worker

"Avvo will only let me endorse Spencer Thal in one category which is unfortunate because in addition to being a fantastic labor and employment lawyer, he is also a highly capable personal injury attorney. Spencer has a razor sharp mind and consistently achieves outstanding results for his clients. I am proud to call Spencer a top notch lawyer, a partner and a friend."

View All Endorsements
David H Black JR headshot
David Black

Employment and labor lawyer

Mark Richard Busto headshot
Mark Busto

Unknown lawyer

Martin Garfinkel headshot
Martin Garfinkel

Class action lawyer

Daniel A Swedlow headshot
Daniel Swedlow

Employment and labor lawyer

Dmitri L. Iglitzin headshot
Dmitri Iglitzin

Employment and labor lawyer

James Varro Smith II headshot
James Smith

Employment and labor lawyer

Russell Louis Perisho headshot
Russell Perisho

Employment and labor lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2018

Appointment to Public Employment Relations Commission, Governor Jay Inslee

2001

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

1989

Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Columbia Law School

Work Experience

2016 - 2017

Senior Labor Relations Counsel, Air Line Pilots Association

2015 - 2017

Managing Attorney, Vanguard Law

2012 - 2015

Managing Partner, Swedlow Thal, PLLC

1996 - 2016

General Counsel, Teamsters Local Union No. 117

1993 - 1996

Attorney, Schwerin Campbell Barnard

1990 - 1993

Associate, Heller Ehrman

Associations

2018 - 2019

Public Employment Relations Commission

Commissioner

2005 - 2005

Washington State Bar Association

Chair, Labor and Employment Section

2003 - 2005

Washington State Bar Asssociation

Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Section

Sample of Legal Cases

Teamsters Local 117 v State of Washington

Victory

Race Discrimination

Significant Settlement

Employment Discrimination

Significant Settlement

Teamsters Local 117 v. Department of Corrections

Victory

Teamsters Local 117 v Port of Seattle

Victory

Teamsters Local 117 v. Golden State Foods

Victory

See More Legal Cases

Education

1994

Oxford University

MA - Masters

1990

Columbia University School of Law

J.D.

1986

Oxford University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2018

Washington Labor and Employment Relations Association Conference

Labor and Employment Law Meets Contract (CBA)

2017

Washington Labor and Employment Relations Association Conference

Advanced Contract Negotiations

2016

Washington Labor and Employment Relations Association Conference

Grievance, Gripe or Unfair Labor Practice

2015

Washington Labor and Employment Relations Association Conference

Advanced Collective Bargaining

2015

Teamsters Local 959 Steward Seminar

Contract Negotiations and Enforcement

2013

Washington Labor and Employment Relations Association Conference

Contract Negotiations: Layers of Players

2012

Training Academy

Union Representation

2011

American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section

Information Technology and Employee Rights

2010

LERA Conference

Negotiation Ethics

2009

Washington Labor and Employment Relations

Advanced Contract Interpretation

2009

Teamsters Leadership Academy

Advanced Arbitration

2008

Warehouse Division Conference

Bargaining and Costing Contracts

2007

LERA Conference

Hard Bargaining and Bad Faith

2006

Washington LERA

Negotiating Economics

Publications

1986

Oxford Journal of Legal Studies The Inequality of Bargaining Doctrine

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

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  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution