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Spencer Nathan Thal
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About Spencer
Biography
From your first contact, you will reach me personally--not an associate, paralegal or legal assistant. You will have direct access throughout the representation relationship because I am committed to ensuring that you receive prompt, clear, and effective representation.
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
Car Accident
15%
34 years | 200 cases
Employment and Labor
10%
34 years | 250 cases
Personal Injury
10%
34 years | 100 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
Contingency
25%-40%
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
Awards
2025 2024 2023
...
+
6
Licenses
Licensed in Washington for 35 years
State: Washington
Acquired: 1990
No misconduct found
Licensed in Oregon for 34 years
State: Oregon
Acquired: 1991
No misconduct found
Location
Gallery
Online Presence
Other places you can find Spencer online.
Spencer Nathan Thal's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
140 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (140)
Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Practice Areas
Employment & Labor (64)
Lawsuits & Disputes (33)
Discrimination (14)
Car Accidents (10)
Wrongful Termination (10)
Contracts & Agreements (9)
Personal Injury (9)
Litigation (4)
Mediation (4)
Insurance (3)
Probate (3)
Speeding & Traffic Ticket (3)
Appeals (2)
Estate Planning (2)
Wills & Living Wills (2)
Administrative Law (1)
Arbitration (1)
Business (1)
Civil Rights (1)
Corporate & Incorporation (1)
Debt Settlement (1)
Employee Benefits (1)
Guardianship (1)
Medical Malpractice (1)
Military Law (1)
Social Security Disability (1)
Workers Compensation (1)
What Clients Mention
Showing 11 - 15 of 20 reviews | General Knowledge
Posted by Gerald | June 10, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Wrongful Termination
An outstanding advocate for his clients
Spencer Thal is an excellent advocate for his clients! He represented me in a wrongful termination action with my employer and provided excellent legal advise and counsel throughout the entire time. I have no doubt that the outcome of my case would have been significantly different, in a negative way...
Posted by Haley | October 03, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
Professional
I spoke with Mr. Thal on the phone about my case, my needs and my concerns. He flew to Spokane to meet me in person and immediately made me feel validated. He was knowledgeable and quickly familiarized himself with my line of work. He was fair and just in his actions and plan. He kept me thinking ab...
Posted by Christine | April 14, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor
Unparalleled excellence!
I spent 23 years working for an elected official who brutalized, belittled, denigrated and marginalized me. With the help of my heroic Teamsters Union rep I was able to find Spencer Thal of Vanguard Law. He believed in me. It was a difficult case but he was fearless. With his superior mediation skill...
Posted by Ric | October 30, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor
Revising my Separation Agreement from previous Employer
I hired Spencer to rework a Separation Agreement from my previous Employer. Since I have never hired a lawyer before, I was a little unsure of what to expect. Spencer was great. He listened patiently to my long explanation of my situation. Then he gave me a straight forward opinion as to what he thou...
Posted by Madeline | May 17, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Car Accidents
So easy to work with!
Spencer is responsive and knowledgeable. He made navigating insurance companies post MVA look easy. He continued to fight until the end, and was even able to pressure the insurance company to settle due to his negotiation skills. I will definitely utilize Spencer for any needs my family might have...
Spencer Nathan Thal's Lawyer Endorsements
"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."
"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."
"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."
"I endorse this lawyer. Spencer is an excellent, creative and highly experienced labor and employment attorney."
"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."
"Spencer is a brilliant attorney. I endorse him."
"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."
"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."
"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."
David Black
Employment and labor lawyer
Mark Busto
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Martin Garfinkel
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Daniel Swedlow
Employment and labor lawyer
Dmitri Iglitzin
Employment and labor lawyer
James Smith
Employment and labor lawyer
Russell Perisho
Employment and labor lawyer
Experience
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 CommissionCommissioner
2005 - 2005
Washington State Bar AssociationChair, Labor and Employment Section
2003 - 2005
Washington State Bar AsssociationExecutive 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
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
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
Q&A
Can I report/sue an employer that fired me after filing a sexual harrassment claim against my manager?
06 Jan 2021
Q&A
Is it illegal if my employer doesn’t let me take a lunch break and doesn’t pay me for it?
04 Jan 2021
Q&A
Do I have a case?
21 Dec 2020