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 expertise in 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 expertise in election and political law, including recounts, election contests, campaign finance issues, and the administration of elections. Mr. Hamilton has represented numerous candidates in statewide recounts, including 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), 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.

Professional Recognition

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America, "Labor & Employment Law," 2008 - 2010
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America, "Commercial Litigation," 2010
• Listed in Corporate Counsel, "Labor & Employment Law," 2008
• Listed in Washington Law & Politics, “Washington's Super Lawyers,” 2003 - 2009
• Listed in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, "Best Lawyers"
• Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Leadership

• 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