TRIAL ATTORNEY - SINCE 1976 - PRACTICE IN ALL COUNTIES
EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS
PERSONAL INJURY - AUTO ACCIDENTS; HEAD INJURIES; MAJOR INJURIES; SLIP AND FALL; MEDICAL/HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE; NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE
CRIMINAL DEFENSE - FELONY DEFENSE IN FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS; DUI DEFENSE IN FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS; OTHER MISDEMEANORS IN FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS; TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS; APPEALS; PERSONAL RESTRAINT PETITIONS
The goal of our office is to help our clients achieve the best results possible, given the facts and the law in each case. We want to help each client attain the best outcome, whether it is a recovery for an injury or the result of a criminal case. Our experienced and competent legal staff will help you get through the tough times.
William R. Michelman is a sole practitioner located in the City of Lakewood in Pierce County, Washington. He is engaged in the general practice of law emphasizing personal injury law and criminal defense. His personal injury practice is broad in scope, including automobile collisions, slip and falls, wrongful death claims, and all other manner of injury. We deal with the insurance companies and medical offices so that you don't have to!
Mr. Michelman has an active criminal defense practice in both state and federal courts. The federal criminal cases include everything from complex multi-count, multi-defendant indictments to DUIs and shoplifting cases from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The state cases include DUIs, traffic infractions, drug offenses, sex offenses and all other felonies. Mr. Michelman also has experience handling state appeal and personal restraint petitions and federal appeals to the federal Circuit Courts of Appeal and to the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Michelman was born in New York City and he grew up on Long Island, New York. He graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Psychology. He graduated from the University of Puget Sound School of Law in 1976 (now Seattle University School of Law), where he was the Lead Articles Editor of the UPS Law Review while graduating 2nd in his class. Mr. Michelman is a former associate of the law firm of Estes, Damis & Felnagle, and a former partner of Walter & Michelman in Houston, Texas. He has worked as a sole practitioner at his current address since January of 1980.
Mr. Michelman has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at UPS Law School, where he taught federal taxation of trusts and estates. He also taught law related courses at Pierce College for many years, including Business Law and Law and Society. He frequently serves as an arbitrator in Pierce County. He has served as a judge pro tempore in municipal, district, and superior courts. Mr. Michelman is the Tacoma representative to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Standing Committee for the Western District of Washington, which operates under the auspices of the Seattle office of the Federal Defender. The Committee assists the United States District Court with the administration of justice within the Western District of Washington.
Mr. Michelman is an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ), which is the state trial lawyers' organization; and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL). He is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Michelman has over 60 relatives practicing law in virtually every large city in the United States.
Thank you for visiting our website. For more information, please call 253-582-3387 or email us at michelman@wa.net.
Our office is located at:
7512 Bridgeport Way West, Lakewood, Washington 98499. That is located approximately 1/2 block north of the intersection of Bridgeport Way West and Custer Road (74th Street) in Lakewood, which is also 1/4 mile south of the Wal*Mart on Bridgeport Way in Lakewood. From I-5 take exit 129 and travel west on 74th Street for 2.7 miles to Bridgeport Way West. Make a right turn onto northbound Bridgeport Way West and our office is approximately 1/2 block up on the left - a one-story gray building.
Pierce Transit Bus stops at our office!
We look forward to meeting you and to working with you to solve your problems!
