Kevin J. Hamilton

Kevin J. Hamilton focuses his practice on labor and employment counseling and litigation. With over two decades of experience, Mr. Hamilton has addressed, through counseling, negotiation, or litigation, a broad range of key issues critical to the modern workplace. Mr. Hamilton has particular experience with non-competition, trade secret, multiple plaintiff, and class action litigation. Mr. Hamilton chairs the firm's nationally-recognized Retail and Consumer Industry practice group, including more than 160 lawyers throughout the firm who focus on issues across the spectrum confronting the retail and consumer products industry.

Mr. Hamilton has worked closely with a wide variety of clients on employment-related issues, including Starbucks, Microsoft, Vulcan, Inc., Experience Music Project, Eddie Bauer, The Boeing Company, and Puget Energy, among others.

In addition, Mr. Hamilton has particular experience with election and political law, including recounts, election contests, redistricting, campaign finance issues, and the administration of elections. Mr. Hamilton has represented numerous candidates in statewide recounts, including Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton (2010), Minnesota Senator Al Franken (2008), Washington Governor Christine Gregoire (2004), and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell (2000).  Mr. Hamilton represented both Senator Franken and Governor Gregoire as trial counsel in election contests in 2005 (Gregoire) and 2009 (Franken). Other election law clients have included U.S. Senator Patty Murray (2004 and 2010), U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (2006), Darcy Burner for Congress (2006 and 2008), Suzan DelBene (2010), Washington Families Standing Together (supporting Referendum 71, 2009), King County Executive Dow Constantine (2009), and various other federal, state and local candidates. Mr. Hamilton has been involved in redistricting litigation in Nevada, Minnesota, Texas, Ohio, Virginia, New York and Florida.

Professional Recognition

• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• Listed in Chambers USA, “America’s Leading Labor and Employment Lawyers”, 2012
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America, "Labor & Employment Law", 2008 - 2012
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America, "Commercial Litigation", 2010 - 2012
• Listed in Washington Law & Politics, “Washington's Super Lawyers", 2003 - 2011
• Listed in Corporate Counsel, "Labor & Employment Law", 2008
• Listed in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, "Best Lawyers"
• Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
  

  (AV®, BV® and CV® are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.)

Professional Leadership

• Principles of Election Law; American Law Institute, Advisor
• King County Redistricting Commission, Member, 1996
• American Employment Law Council, Member
• Georgetown University Law Center Alumni Board, Member

Community Involvement

• YMCA Youth & Government Board, Member
• Alki Foundation Board, Member
  (Political Arm of Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce)

Clerkships

• Hon. J. Skelly Wright, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1985 - 1986
• Hon. Howard M. Holtzmann, Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, 1986