Darrell L. Cochran

Tacoma Attorney Darrell L. Cochran is a lawyer with a background not unlike many people in Washington. He was born in Shelton, Washington, and grew up in Olympia, with parents who worked hard to make ends meet. Early in life, people recognized the inner fire that fuels the success of Darrell’s legal practice. His kindergarten teacher called him “the sandbox lawyer” for his spirited arguments over Matchbox cars and marbles. Darrell went on to college at the University of Washington, where he graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He then followed his childhood dream to be a trial lawyer, graduating from the University of Michigan School of Law in 1993, one of the top five law schools in the nation.

Darrell began his legal career in 1993 at Gordon Thomas Honeywell. He became a partner in 1998 at the age of thirty. Since then, Darrell has helped clients win some of the largest and most important cases in the state of Washington. He has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law & Politics every year since 2003.

Darrell has been on the Boards of the Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims organization and the Tacoma Symphony, he is a supporter of the Special Olympics and Experimental Education Unit for children with disabilities at the University of Washington, he often sits as a judge for Seattle University School of Law’s mock trial competitions, and he is active in his children‘s PTAs. His wife, Wendy, a paralegal herself, is an active supporter of his practice and is PCVA’s Firm Administrator. Darrell has five beautiful children: Cooper, Cade, Skylar, Taylor, and Decker. When not cheering on his children’s sporting activities, Darrell can be found spending his free time snowboarding, hiking, mountain climbing or fishing.

Representative Cases/Transactions

• Joyce v. Department of Corrections, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 99-2-10179-6 - Obtained $22.5 million jury verdict for a family & estate of a woman killed by a dangerous parolee whom the state failed to supervise.
• Wright v. BCTI, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 05-2-05763-2- Class action lawsuit against a vocational school that failed to provide an adequate computer & career training. Recovered $13.25 million for roughly 1500 students.
• Couch v. State of Washington, Pierce County Cause No.: 99-2-11902-4 - $15 million jury verdict for woman raped & murdered by unsupervised parole offender.
• Aba Sheikh v. King County, DSHS & Shell Oil, King County Superior Court Cause No.: 02-2-05199-5 - $10.3 million jury verdict against DSHS, a $4.5 million settlement against King County, & over $300,000 in settlement from a store owner for a teenage boy who suffered brain damage when beaten by violent foster boys at a gas station.
• Thomas v. Puyallup School District, Cause No.: 01-2-08646-0 - Represented minority students against the school district with claims of race discrimination, securing a $7.5 million settlement & a landmark order from the court requiring special negotiations & procedures at the school to help reduce discrimination.
•  McFarland v. Department of Corrections, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 96-02005934-5 - $6.3 million jury verdict for slain teenage cheerleader stabbed to death by unsupervised parolee.
• Seyler v. Blair Construction, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 01-2-08881-1 - $4.75 million settlement for widow whose wife was struck & killed by a truck at a construction work site.
• Northern Oyster v. State of Washington, et al., Pacific County Superior Court Cause No.: 03-2-80472-5 - $1.4 million jury verdict against the State of Washington for unlawful and tortious conduct that interfered with the client's business expectations.
• Plemmons v. Pierce County, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 04-2-07032-1 - $1 million settlement against Pierce County for illegal strip search practices against detainee. The case was successful argued at the WA State Court of Appeals Div. 2, 134 WA. App 449 (2006).
• Mendoza v. Brewster School District, U.S.D.C. Eastern district of Washington Cb-05-327-rhw - Anti-racism injunction secured for Latino school students against Brewster School District; nationally acclaimed damage awards & measures to eliminate racism in district.