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Ken Masters: Resume

Employment History

  • Founder, Masters Law Group, P.L.L.C., 2011 – present

    Ken Masters arguing before the Washington Supreme Court

    Ken Masters arguing before the Washington Supreme Court

  • Owner, Wiggins & Masters, P.L.L.C., 1998 – 2010
  • Attorney, Edwards, Sieh, Smith & Goodfriend, P.S., 1995 – 1998
  • Judicial Clerk, The Honorable Elaine Houghton, ret., Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, 1994 – 1995
  • Attorney, Burgess, Fitzer, Leighton & Phillips, 1993 – 1994
  • Attorney, Albertson & Smith, 1992 – 1993
  • Professional Musician & Music Instructor, 1979-1989

Admissions To Practice

  • United States Supreme Court
  • Washington State Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court, Western District of Washington

Professional Affiliations/Committees

Trustee, Washington State Bar Foundation, 2016 – March 2019

  • President, October 2018-March 2019

Washington State Bar Association, 1992 – present

  • Chair, ECCL Rules Task Force, 2016 – 2018
  • Treasurer, WSBA Board of Governors, 2014 – 2015
    • Member, Budget & Audit Committee, 2012 – 2015
  • Governor, 1st Dist., WSBA Board of Governors, 2012 – 2015
    • Chair, Disciplinary Selection Committee, 2012 – 2015
    • Personnel Committee, 2012 – 2015
      • Chair, 2013 – 2014
    • Liaison, Court Rules & Procedures Committee, 2012 – 2015
    • Liaison, Escalating Costs of Civil Litigation Task Force, 2012 – 2015
  • Court Rules & Procedures Committee, 2004 – 2012
    • Chair, 2009 – 2012
  • RAP Subcommittee, 2004 – 2005, 2008 – 2009
    • Chair, 2008 – 2009
  • Subcommittee X, 2006 – 2008
    • Chair, 2007 – 2008
  • Amicus Committee, 2000 – 2003
    • Chair, 2001 – 2003

American Bar Association, 2001 – present

  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2014 – present
  • Member, Council of Appellate Lawyers

King County Bar Association, 1995 – present

  • Judicial Evaluation Committee, 2002-2009, 2011- present
    • Co-Chair, 2005 – 2006
  • Appellate Law Section, 2005 – present
    • President, 2008 – 2009
    • Executive Committee Member, 2006 – 2010
    • Charter Member, 2005 – present
  • Judicial Conferencing Committee, 2011, 2013 – 2015
  • Awards Committee, 2010-2012
  • CLE Advisory Committee, 2010 – 2012
  • Amicus Committee Chair, 2007 – 2009
  • Co-director & Volunteer, Fremont Legal Clinic, 1995 – 1996

Kitsap County Bar Association, 1998 – present

  • Volunteer, Bainbridge Island Legal Clinic, 2005 – present
  • Member, Kitsap (Volunteer) Legal Services, 1999 – present

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

  • Fellow, 2010 – present

Washington Appellate Lawyers Association, 2003 – present

  • President, 2007- 2012

Washington State Association for Justice, 1998 – present

  • Eagle, 1999 – present

American Judicature Society, 2001 – present

  • Member, Judicial Selection Committee

Litigation Counsel of America

  • Fellow, Order of Certus (appeals), 2012 – 2015

Pro Bono & Community Volunteer Activities

  • Washington State Supreme Court
    • Pro Bono Publico Service Commendation, 2004 – present
  • WSBA Special Disciplinary Counsel, 2002 – 2003, 2008, 2018 – present
  • Earshot Jazz, Seattle, Board of Directors, 2009 – 2012, 2019 – present
    • President, 2011 – 2012
    • Emeritus Board Member, 2013 – 2018
  • Moot Court Judge, approaching 100 law school competitions, 1993 – present
  • Volunteer Judge, We the People Constitutional Law Competition, 2004 – present
  • Bainbridge Island Music Center, Board of Advisors, 2009 – 2011
  • Board of Directors, Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council, 2006 – 2009

Professional Recognitions & Peer Reviews

  • Top 10 Washington Super Lawyers® Honoree, 2017, 2018 (“ranked #2”), 2019 (“ranked #1”)
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2014 – present
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, 2012 – 2015
    • Member, Order of Certus (appeals)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, “America’s Top 100 Attorneys”, 2016 – present
  • Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, 2010 – present
  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” Appellate Practice, 2010 – present
    • “Top Tier” Appellate Firm, 2013 – present
  • Martindale-Hubbell
    • “AV Preeminent”® – Judicial Edition, 2019
    • “AV Preeminent”® rating, 1998 – present
  • Various Publications (e.g., Super Lawyers®)
    • Top 100 Lawyers in Washington Honoree, 2008, 2012 – present
    • Top 10 Appellate Lawyers Honoree, 2009
    • Super Lawyers® Honoree, 2000 – present
  • Recipient, America’s Top 100 Attorneys® – Lifetime Achievement Award

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) School of Law, 1992
      • Merit Scholar at entry
      • Dean’s List
      • Law review, Lead Articles Editor
      • American Jurisprudence Awards in Contracts, Civil Procedure, and Legal Writing II (Appellate Advocacy)
      • Highest Grade: A+, Jurisprudence
  • B.A., Behavioral Science, Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO, 1984

Publications

  • Author, Cover Story: The Death of Capital Punishment in Washington, NORTHWEST LAWYER (WSBA May 2019)
  • Co-Author, Evidence Rule 413: Unpacking Washington’s New Procedural Protections for Immigrants, NORTHWESET LAWYER (WSBA July 2018)
  • Contributing Editor, Briefs on the Merits, Acceptance of Review & Authority on Review, Washington Appellate Practice Deskbook, (4th Ed., WSBA 2016)
  • Co-Author (with Shelby Frost Lemmel) Appeals in Medical Negligence Cases, Washington Association for Justice Medical Negligence Deskbook (April 2016)
  • Co-Author (with the Honorable Ann Schindler) Outstanding Judge:  Ron Cox (KCBA Bar Bulletin, June 2012)
  • Co-Author (with Shelby Frost Lemmel) Discovery Abuse: Our Supreme Court Holds the Line, WSBA LITIGATION NEWS (Vol. 23, No. 2, Summer 2011)
  • Author, Profile/Charlie Wiggins: A Tireless Life of Service (KCBA Bar Bulletin, Feb. 2011)
  • Contributing Editor, WASHINGTON APPELLATE PRACTICE DESKBOOK, 3rd Ed. (WSBA 2005 & Supp. 2010)
  • Co-Author, Basics of Appellate Practice, 15 WASH.PRAC. (1997 Supp.)
  • Co-Author, Editors’ Preface:  Predators & Politics: The Dichotomies of Translation in Washington’s Sexually Violent Predator Statute, 15 Univ. of Puget Sound L. Rev. 507 (Spring 1992); Kenneth W. Masters, Law in the Electronic Brothel, 15 Univ. of Puget Sound L. Rev. 415 (1992)

Seminar Presentations

  • Presenter, 2019 ETHICS IN CIVIL LITIGATION, Ethical Issues in Appellate Litigation (WSBA 2019)
  • Presenter (with Judges Worswick, Maxa, and Glasgow, and Catherine Smith), LIVE FROM DIVISION ii: CUTTING EDGE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE APPELLATE COURT AND PRACTITIONERS, The End of the Fisons Era? (Div. II, WALA, TPCBA 2019)
  • Panelist (with Judge John Ruhl), CIVIL PROCEDURE: THE RULES OF THE GAME OR GAMING THE RULES, State Bar Civil Litigation Rules Drafting Task Force: Overview of the Proposed New Pretrial Discovery Rule (KCBA/KCSC 2019)
  • Panelist, KING COUNTY APPELLATE LAW SECTION LUNCH, CLE, Handling Clients on Appeal (KCBA 2018)
  • Presenter (with Steve Bulzomi), 10th ANNUAL TORT LAW UPDATE, Afoa II & Appellate Law Update (TPCBA 2018)
  • Presenter (with Judge Rebecca L. Pennell), STATEWISE LEGAL ADVOCATE TRAINING, Systemic Change Through Appellate Advocacy (LFW/OCLA 2018
  • Presenter (with Justice Debra Stephens & Comm. Aurora Bearse), 3rd ANNUAL ADVANCED APPELLATE SEMINAR: Brief Writing & Oral Argument (Pincus 2018)
  • Panelist, 2018 DV SYMPOSIUM, Capitalizing on Our Success – Best Practices & Tools that Get Us There: ER 413 – Unpacking Washington’s New Procedural Protections for Immigrants (SU School of Law 2018)
  • Panelist (with Judge Stephen Dwyer), KING COUNTY APPELLATE LAW SECTION LUNCH CLE, Appellate Brief Writing: Thoughts From the Bench & Bar (KCBA 2018)
  • Chair and Presenter, Essentials of Persuasion: Appellate Legal Writing in Washington & Beyond (SU School of Law 2017)
  • Presenter, Preserving Issues for Appeal, Kitsap Bar Annual Meeting (2017)
  • Presenter, Appellate Case Update, TPCBA Tort Law Update, (TCBA 2017)
  • Chair & Presenter, Advanced Appellate Seminar, Settlement on Appeal (Pincus 2016)
  • Presenter (with Justice Mary Yu & Michael King), Appellate Practice: The Deskbook Edition, Appellate Briefs (2016)
  • Moderator, Brief Writing Panel, Seattle Convention of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers (AAL 2016)
  • Presenter, From Runnymede to the Temple of Justice – the Continued Relevance of Magna Carta and Tips on Appellate Advocacy, The Purpose of Each Brief on Appeal (Washington Courts Historical Society 2015)
  • Presenter, Family Law 101: What You Need to Know, Ethical Challenges in the Family Law Case (Pincus 2015)
  • Co-Chair, Moderator & Panelist, Appeals in Washington: Judges and Lawyers in Conversation (Seattle University School of Law 2015)
  • Lecturer, Judge Ann Ellington’s Appellate Advocacy Course at the University of Washington, Oral Argument (University of Washington Law School 2015)
  • Presenter, NALS Super Saturday, Appeals & Writing (NALS 2015)
  • Presenter, Seattle University School of Law Ready For Trial seminar, Great Legal Writing (SU School of Law 2014)
  • Presenter, Kitsap Bar Convention, Case Law Update (KCBA 2014)
  • Panelist/Moderator, TPCBA Bar Convention, Appeals – Everything You Wanted to Know (TPCBA 2014)
  • WSBA Re-admission CLE, Appeals (numerous presentations) (WSBA 2013, 2014)
  • Advanced Civil Appeals Roundtable, Update on Cases and Court Rules (Pincus 2013)
  • Presenter, The Persuasive Trial Attorney, Just in Case: Making Sure You Preserve Trial Court Errors (WSBA 2012)
  • Chair & Moderator, Appeals: Writing, Editing, Persuasion & Ethics (KCBA 2012)
  • Presenter, The Persuasive Trial Attorney, Just in Case: Making Sure You Preserve Trial Court Errors and What is Worth Preserving and What is Not (WSBA 2011)
  • Presenter, Ethics Workout, Court Rules (KCBA 2010)
  • Chair & Presenter, Washington Appeals:  New Rules & Expert Guidance through the Appellate Process, Ethical Issues on Appeal (WSBA 2010)
  • Panelist, Bench – Bar Conference, Plenary Session, Civil Appeals (KCBA 2010)
  • Panelist, 10 Things You Should Know About, Civil Appeals (Gavel & Hammer Society 2009)
  • Co-Chair/Panelist, Appellate Practice Institute (KCBA 2007, 2008)
  • Gemstones of Successful Appeals, Preserving the Appellate Record (TPCBA 2007)
  • Technology and the Law, Technology Tips and Tricks for Appellate Practice (Office of the Washington State Attorney General 2007)
  • Appellate Law Update, Meretricious Relationships & Other Family Law Issues (Kitsap County Bar Assoc. 2007)
  • Family Law “Hot Topics,” Whose Your Momma?  Parentage and Parenting in the 21st Century (KCBA 2006)
  • The Essentials of Appellate Practice, Stays, Attorney Fees, and Trial Court Authority During Appeal (WSBA 2006)
  • The Master Class on Appeals, Perfecting and Using the Record in a Digital Age (WSBA 2005)
  • Anatomy of An Appeal, Dissecting the Opening and Reply Briefs (KCBA 2005)
  • Navigating the Shoals of the Appellate Process, half-day seminars (Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Grays Harbor County Bar Assocs. 2002 – 2004)
  • Appellate Practice: Persuasive Brief Writing and Beyond, He Said/She Said: Telling the Truth From Your Client’s Perspective (WSBA 2002)
  • Anatomy of An Appeal, Deciding Whether to Appeal (KCBA 2001)
  • Improving Appellate Practice, Technology on Appeal: Advancing With the New Electronic Tools of the Trade (Washington State Courts Historical Society 2001)
  • Preserving Issues on Appeal (WSTLA Roundtable 2001)
  • The Appellate Practice, The Brief of Appellant (WSTLA 2000)
  • Subrogation & Liens, Mahler Update – Practical Suggestions (WSTLA 2000)
  • Winning Appeals, Brief of Appellant and Reply Brief (KCBA 1999)
  • Prosecutors’ Spring Training, Effective Appellate Advocacy (WAPA 1999)
  • Introduction to Appeals (Washington State Court of Appeals, Div. II 1998)