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Rory’s passion is civil appeals in state and federal courts.  He has been counsel of record in over 50 appeals.  He has argued in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and in all three Divisions of the Court of Appeals of the State of Washington.  He has filed amicus briefs in the Washington Supreme Court on behalf of national trade associations, insurance companies, and the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers.

Rory is proud to have represented many major American companies, including Volkswagen, Graco, Pep Boys, and Comcast.  What distinguishes Rory from his peers is his unwavering commitment to serving and building strong relationships with his clients.  He strives to be his clients’ ambassador of Kwan, so it’s no wonder that his favorite movie is Jerry Maguire.

Rory’s philosophy to service is the same for all his clients: deliver exceptional legal work to exceed his clients’ goals.  Clients can always count on Rory to provide the highest quality legal services.

Rory is routinely hired to serve as error prevention/preservation counsel.  In that role, he assists the trial team in preparing dispositive motions, motions in limine or objections to motions in limine, jury instructions and objections to jury instructions, and pocket briefs (among other things).  Through his efforts as error-prevention counsel, he has helped his clients secure defense verdicts or favorable settlements.  Rory’s deep understanding of appeals strengthens his service to clients in the trial court.

Before joining the firm, Rory clerked for the Honorable James R. Verellen at the Court of Appeals of the State of Washington, Division One, for two years.  His clerkship gave him valuable insight into the judicial decision-making process.  Rory uses that insight to assist his clients.  And while in law school, Rory clerked for the Oregon Court of Appeals in the Appellate Commissioner’s Office.

Rory understands the importance of diligence.  Before law school, he taught English in France for two years; sold merchandise at Nordstrom on the Las Vegas Strip; co-owned a painting business with his best friend in college; made breakfast at McDonald’s in high school; and delivered newspapers to his local community as an adolescent.  He still incorporates the skills that he learned at each of these jobs into his legal practice.

Outside of the office, Rory enjoys working out, traveling abroad, and spending time with his beautiful wife, precocious young sons, family, and friends.  Rory channels his love for basketball by playing in Spokane’s Hoopfest tournament—14 years and counting.  And no matter the weather, Rory will be found on the links working on his short game.

  • Rising Star (2018-2024) and Super Lawyer (2025), Washington State Super Lawyers Magazine
  • Roy Lockenour Award for Professional Responsibility
  • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Outstanding Associate of the Year (2019)
  • Yarwood Award, Top Dean’s Honor Student for Modern Languages and Literatures (2008)
  • Washington’s Strongest Apple Champion (2008)
  • Washington Ironman Bodybuilding Champion (2006)

J.D., Willamette University College of Law, summa cum laude, 2014

  • Class Rank:  2/113
  • Managing Editor (Vol. 50), Willamette Law Review
  • Honors Appellate Brief, Legal Research and Writing
  • Certificate in International and Comparative Law
  • Research, Writing, and Editing Assistant to Dean Emeritus Symeon Symeonides
  • Legal Writing Assistant to Professor Helen Mazur-Hart

B.A., Eastern Washington University, magna cum laude, 2008

  • Majors: International Affairs and French
  • Vice President, Sigma Phi Epsilon
  • Study Abroad, Université Stendhal III, Grenoble, France

French

  • State of Washington
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington

Representative Cases

Appeals

  • Schmidt v. Schmidt, 33 Wn. App. 2d 1024 (2024) (breach of contract and fraud; affirming summary judgments and awarding fees and costs on appeal)
  • Adams v. McCarthy, 32 Wn. App. 2d 1065 (2024) (marriage dissolution; affirming a divorce decree and the resulting property division)
  • Billing Associates Northwest LLC v. Addison Data Servs. LLC, 2025 WL 289171 (9th Cir. 2025) (breach of fiduciary duty and personal jurisdiction)
  • Ey v. Tagrisk LLC, No. 85096-2 (Wash. Ct. App. 2025) (vacating default judgment)
  • Sorrentino v. Volkswagen AG et al., 32 Wn. App. 2d 1025 (2024) (product liability and personal jurisdiction)
  • McCullough v. Anderson, 27 Wn. App. 2d 1062 (2023) (easement dispute; affirming a summary judgment preserving our client’s property rights), review denied, 2 Wn.3d 1028 (2024).
  • Pacific Lutheran University et al. v. Certain Underwriters et al., 2 Wn.3d 628, 541 P.3d 358 (2024) (antisuit injunction and forum non conveniens)
  • ROIC Washington, LLC v. R.F. Edmonds Joint Venture, 25 Wn. App. 2d 1006 (2022) (breach of contract)
  • Sumner Plains 84, LLC v. Wakefield, 23 Wn. App. 2d 1002 (2022) (breach of contract; partially reversing a summary judgment and remanding the client’s claim for trial)
  • Dearinger v. Eli Lilly & Co., 199 Wn.2d 569, 510 P.3d 326 (2022) (product liability; quoting and relying on our client’s amicus brief and rejecting the plaintiff’s argument that the learned-intermediary doctrine contains a direct-to-consumer advertising exception)
  • Singh v. University of Washington, 18 Wn. App. 2d 1061 (2021) (employment law; partially reversing a summary judgment and remanding the client’s disability-accommodation claim for trial)
  • Fife Portal, LLC v. Kotulan, 14 Wn. App. 2d 1019 (2020) (trespass)
  • W.H. v. Olympia School District, 195 Wn .2d 779, 465 P.3d 322 (2020) (WLAD claim; amicus brief)
  • Rosen v. Rosen, 11 Wn. App. 2d 1030 (2019) (business dispute; affirming summary judgement and awarding our clients attorneys’ fees and costs on appeal)
  • Sawyer Lake Veterinary Hosp., Inc. v. Pine Tree Veterinary Hosp., 8 Wn. App. 2d 1070 (2019) (affirming summary judgment)
  • Ada Motors, Inc. v. Butler, 7 Wn. App. 2d 53, 432, P.3d 445 (2018) (uniform trade secrets act; reversing a damages and attorneys’ fee award after a jury verdict and remanding for a new trial on damages), review denied, 193 Wn.2d 1013 (2019).
  • JDB Construction Corp. v. Hai Liang Zhang, 8 Wn. App. 2d 1024 (2019) (fraud)
  • Trahan v. Clayton Dublier & Rice, 741 F. App’x 397 (9th Cir. 2018) (negligence)
  • Ingersoll v. City of Mattawa, 3 Wn. App. 2d 1038 (2018) (employment law)
  • Noll v. American Biltrite Inc., 188 Wn.2d 402, 395 P.3d 1021 (2017) (personal jurisdiction)
  • Xia v. Probuilders Specialty Ins. Co., 188 Wn.2d 171, 400 P.3d 1234 (2017) (insurance coverage; amicus brief)

Embedded Appellate Counsel

  • Bundy v. Swedish Health Services, King County Superior Court (2025) (medical negligence)
  • Webb v. Aardvark Event Logistics, Inc., King County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Wilson v. Allied Universal Security Services et al., King County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Braden v. U-Haul Co. of Washington, King County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Razak v. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., Pierce County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Larsen v. High 5 Games, LLC, Western District of Washington (2025) (class action)
  • Berg v. NFS Unlimited WA, LLC, Pierce County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Riggs v. Bright Horizons, King County Superior Court (2025) (negligence)
  • Jok v. Safelite Fulfillment, Inc., Pierce County Superior Court (2024) (negligence)
  • Spencer v. University of Washington, King County Superior Court (2024) (premises liability)
  • Jok v. Safelite Fulfillment, Inc., Pierce County Superior Court (2024) (negligence)
  • Green v. Armani Group, Inc. et al., King County Superior Court (2023) (negligence)
  • Kemp v. Graco Children’s Products, Inc. et al., King County Superior Court (2022) (products liability)
  • Yeon v. Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack of Delaware, Inc. et al., King County Superior Court (2022) (negligence)
  • Anderson v. Comcast Cable Communications, LLC et al., Pierce County Superior Court (2021) (products liability)
  • American Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
    • Appellate Advocacy Section
  • King County Bar Association
    • Appellate Section Executive Committee (2016-21), Chair (2021)
  • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association
    • WDTL President-Elect (2024-25)
    • WDTL Executive Board, Treasurer (2023-24)
    • WDTL Amicus Curiae Committee, Annual Convention Planning Committee (2019, 2020)
    • WDTL Amicus Committee (2017-present)
  • Washington State Bar Association

 

  • Volunteer Attorney, Housing Justice Project (2015-20)
  • Volunteer Attorney, KCBA Neighborhood Legal Clinic (2015-16)

Assistant: Allie Keihn

Legal Support I Provide