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Mark W Muenster
About Mark
Biography
Mark Muenster attended four years of college at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut graduating with a B.A. in 1976. He studied law at Boston University School of Law, in Boston, Massachusetts and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1979. Mark has devoted most of his legal career to criminal defense work.
Mark is admitted to practice law in Washington, Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
Mark is a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and served as WACDL's president in 1997-98. He has also served on WACDL's Board of Governors, and as Chair of the Amicus Curiae Committee, which submits briefs to the Washington Supreme Court on the behalf of the organization in significant criminal law cases. He is currently a member of the WACDL's Legislative Committee, which advocates in the Legislature for reforms in the criminal law. He has received both a President's Award and Certificates of Appreciation for service to the organization.
Mark is also a member of the Washington State Trial Lawyer's Association, an organization of lawyers who represent people in personal injury litigation. He is a member of the Clark County Bar Association, and has been active in its District Court Bench Bar Committee. He has been named by Washington Law & Politics magazine as a "Super Lawyer" in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.
Mark has been a speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars on topics in criminal defense for WACDL and for the Washington State Office of Public Defense. He keeps current on the cutting edge issues of criminal law, and teaches others to do the same.
Mr. Muenster has served as counsel on appeal or as amicus curiae (Friend of the Court) in over 60 reported decisions in the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court of Washington since 1984. He was appellant's lawyer in State v. Gunwall, which established the principle in Washington of independent state constitutional review in search and seizure cases.
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
$ 150-200 per hour
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Washington for 45 years
State: Washington
Acquired: 1980
No misconduct found
Licensed in Massachusetts for 46 years
State: Massachusetts
Acquired: 1979
No misconduct found
Location
Law Offices of Mark W Muenster
1010 Esther Street, Vancouver, WA, 98660
Law Office of Mark W. Muenster
1010 Esther Street, Vancouver, WA, 98660
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Mark W Muenster's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
37 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
What Clients Mention
Showing 11 - 14 of 14 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge
Posted by anonymous | June 24, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Gun Law
AEH
I approached Mark with a very unique situation. An erroneous entry had been placed on my WSP Watch Report that resulted in a determination that I was no longer eligible to possess firearms, let alone be licensed for Conceal Carry. After having retired from almost 30 years with law enforcement and thi...
Posted by Gregory | April 21, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Gun Law
Restoration of Firearms Rights
I hired Mark Muenster to restore my firearms rights. Great experience! He was up-front, communicated what needed to be communicated, and made the process of dealing with the legal system an easy experience for me. I was considering "Pro se" as I had represented myself through a divorce, but my P...
Posted by Tony & Lisa | February 10, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Gun Law
Excellent Work
Mark Muenster is a top rate attorney. He has helped my husband and I with several issues. The most recent being gun rights restoration. Mark tirelessly went the rounds and made the hoops easy to jump through to get our rights restored. The establishment doesn't always want to give these rights back. ...
Posted by Ileana | January 03, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Expungement
Wish I would have found Mark Muenster 8 year ago
I hired Mr. Muenster this past fall to vacate my record . After calling 30-40 attorneys and not getting the answers I was looking for , I came across Mr. Muenster. When I had spoke to other attorneys they did not have the experience to help me . They wanted to research and find the law to help me o...
Mark W Muenster's Lawyer Endorsements
"Mark is an excellent appeal lawyer, his knowledge the law is vast."
"Mark is at the helm of an elite group of highly experienced local Clark County, WA defense lawyers. Clients as well as fellow defense attorneys know that when in doubt, the best policy is to call Mark."
"I have known Mark for more than 20 years. Criminal defense is an area in which the defendant is always David to the prosecutor's Goliath. But Mark works hard to change that balance so that his clients can get a fair shake. Mark is well read in the law, which means he is aware of the cases and arguments that will help his clients. I am pleased to endorse Mark for all areas in which he practices."
"I endorse Mark. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."
"I've referred many friends and clients to Mark. He has an exceptional legal mind."
"I endorse this lawyer. Mark is an excellent attorney. We have worked on several cases together."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Mark is an excellent lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Mark is one of my "go to" attorneys when I run into a statutory issue. Mark's knowledge of the law is second to none and he has always been willing to share advice and counsel. A truly valued member of the Clark County Bar."
"I endorse this lawyer."
Edward Dunkerly
Criminal defense lawyer
Miranda Shreeve
Criminal defense lawyer
Benjamin Melnick
Criminal defense lawyer
John Green
Criminal defense lawyer
James Gray
Immigration lawyer
Andrew Wheeler
DUI and DWI lawyer
Steven Thayer
Criminal defense lawyer
Nicole Dalton
Criminal defense lawyer
David Meyer
Personal injury lawyer
N. David Shamloo
Immigration lawyer
William Thayer
Personal injury lawyer
Experience
Honors
2006
Super Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
2005
Super Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
2001
Certificate of Appreciation, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
1994
President's Award, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
1991
Certificate of Appreciation, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Associations
2003 - Present
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
1995 - Present
Washington State Association for Justice
1987 - Present
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Sample of Legal Cases
State v. Gunwall 106 Wn. 2d 54 (1986)
State v. Phommahasay, (2000)
Not guilty, second degree murder
State v. Maxwell, 114 Wn. 2d 761 (1990)
Dismissal of drug charge affirmed
State v. Copeland, 89 Wn. App. 492 (1998)
reversal of conviction
State v. Radan, 143 Wn. 2d 323 (2001)
Affirming dismissal of gun charge
State v. Farr-Lenzini, 93 Wn. App. 453 (1999)
Reversal of conviction
State v. Breazeale, 144 Wn. 2d 829 (2001)
State v. Laviollette, 118 Wn. 2d 670 (1992)
reversal of conviction for burglary
In re LaBelle, 107 WN. 2d 196 (1986)
reversal of commitment order
State v. Galbreath (2005)
not guilty, child molestation
State v Keene, 86 Wn. App. 589 (1997)
Reversal of conviction
State v. King, 167 Wn. 2d 324 (2009)
conviction reversed
State v. Lavaris, 106 Wn. 2d 340 (1986)
State v. Hancock, 109 Wn. 2d 760 (1988)
State v. Adel, 136 Wn. 2d 629 (1998)
reversal of drug conviction
State v. Labanowski, 117 Wn. 2d 405 (1991)
State v. Brett, 126 Wn. 2d 136 (1995)
State v. Belgarde, 110 Wn. 2d 504 (1988)
reversal of murder conviction
Education
1979
Boston University School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1976
Yale University
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Languages
English