Ruth Laura Edlund

Ruth has Twenty seven years of progressive litigation experience, emphasizing family law since 1992.

 

Ruth says "upon graduation from law school, I clerked for the late James M. Sprouse, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. To my knowledge Judge Sprouse was the only judicial officer at the time who was both a former Golden Gloves boxer and a former CIA agent. None of that has rubbed off on me. The New York State Bar Association granted me a President's Pro Bono Award in 1986 for my activities for The Legal Aid Society in New York City".

 

My experience includes acting as research assistant for two professors at Columbia, practice at very large firms in New York City and Seattle, work as a Special Deputy Prosecutor for the King County Prosecutor's Office, a short stint as an in-house corporate attorney, five years as a sole practitioner, and six years as a partner in my current firm. In addition, I spent seven years as the managing attorney of the Family Law Mentor Program of the King County Bar Association before entering sole practice.

 

 

EDUCATION: Columbia University, J.D., 1983. Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Lawrence A. Wien Scholarship.

 

Bryn Mawr College, A.B., magna cum laude with departmental honors, 1980.

 

BAR ADMISSIONS: 1984, New York and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

 

1985, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit;

 

1987, Washington, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

 

MEMBERSHIPS: Family Law Section King County Bar Association (Officer, 2002-2005)

 

Family Law Section, Washington State Bar Association (Member, Family Law Executive Committee, 2008-2011; Chairman 2010-2011).

 

Ad Hoc Local Family Law Rules Committee (2007)

 

LANGUAGES: Russian and Polish

 

AUTHOR/LECTURER:

"The Seven Deadly Subjects,"

"Family Law Basics," 2004;

"Parenting Responsibility in Washington State," 2005;

"Developing Your Family Law Practice" (chair),

"Ethical Considerations in Relationship Agreements," 2006;

"Development of Parenting Plans," 2007;

"A Roadmap Through Dissolution Proceedings," 2008;

"Drafting Good Declarations,"

"Division of Property and Parenting Plans," "Beyond the Mandatory Forms : Drafting Clear and Effective Parenting Plans",

"Family Law Judicial Forum", "Your Family Law Practice in the 21st Century",

"Current Events for Family Lawyers," 2010.

 

Please note that the Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification of specialties in the practice of law. Any certificate, award or recognition by a group, organization or association used by a Washington attorney to describe his or her qualifications as a lawyer or qualifications in any subspecialty of law is not a requirement to practice law in the State of Washington. See Washington Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 7.4(d)(3)(2006).