Practice areas: Appellate, Civil Litigation
Licensed in Washington since: 2014
Education: University of Washington School of Law
Selected to Rising Stars: 2023 - 2025 Talmadge/Fitzpatrick
2775 Harbor Avenue SouthwestThird Floor, Suite C
Seattle, WA 98126 Phone: 206-574-6661 Email: Aaron Orheim Visit website
Aaron joined Talmadge/Fitzpatrick in 2018, and his practice focuses on civil appeals. He graduated summa cum laude from Seattle University with a B.A. in Political Science in 2009 in and with honors from the University of Washington School of Law in 2013. He clerked for Justice Susan Owens at the Washington State Supreme Court and worked for the Washington Attorney General’s Office in its Juvenile Litigation and Torts Divisions before joining his current firm.
Aaron has experience at every appellate court in Washington, the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He regularly submits briefs, drafts and defends petitions for review before the Washington Supreme Court, and argues cases. He has argued in all divisions of the Washington Court of Appeals and before the Ninth Circuit. Aaron also regularly handles appellate motions, including issues related to supersedeas bonds and appellate stays.
First Admitted: 2014, Washington
Professional Webpage: https://www.tal-fitzlaw.com/appeals/our-people/aaron-orheim/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Attorney – Talmadge/Fitzpatrick, 2018
- Assistant Attorney General – Washington State Attorney General’s Office, 2014
- Law Clerk, Washington State Supreme Court, The Honorable Justice Susan Owens, 2013
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Successful appeal vacating $1,288,620.24 jury verdict in civil construction lawsuit., 2024
- Successfully defended a $500,000 default judgment on appeal. , 2024
- Successfully overturned $749,393 sanction award on appeal., 2024
- Successfully defended appeal from order dismissing construction lawsuit., 2024
- Successful appeal overturning dismissal of a former dependent child's lawsuit against a county clerk seeking his juvenile records., 2024
- Successfully obtained reversal of a Public Records Act decision in Division I of the Court of Appeals, thereby holding a state agency liable for conducting an inadequate search for records. , 2023
- Successfully obtained a permanent disability pension on administrative appeal in Pierce County, the court adopting our interpretation of the Industrial Insurance Act over that of the Department of Labor and Industries, also successfully obtaining fees. , 2023
- Successfully reversed and reinstated a default order on appeal to Division II of the Court of Appeals., 2023
- Successfully obtained decision from Washington Supreme Court that whether an inadequately marked bollard on a bike trial is latent is a question of fact. 200 Wn.2d 231., 2022
- Successfully represented the Bellingham Municipal Court and its Presiding Judge, Debra, Lev in separation of powers lawsuit against the City's Mayor. https://apnews.com/article/bellingham-municipal-courts-courts-government-and-politics-5365479f608bd2f9dd901c937c77257c, 2021
- Successfully obtained decision from 9th Circuit that qualified immunity did not prevent an officer involved shooting case from going to trial. 810 Fed. Appx. 550. Case later settled favorably for the client., 2020
- Successfully obtained decision from 9th Circuit that qualified immunity did not prevent an officer involved shooting case from going to trial. 799 Fed. Appx. 555., 2020
- Successfully obtained decision from Court of Appeals that a primary care physician providing mental health treatment to patient could have malpractice liability for having sexual relationship with patient. 13 Wn. App. 2d 206., 2020
- Successfully obtained decision from Washington Supreme Court that a bicyclist qualified as pedestrian under medical expenses portion of insurance policy for injuries for being struck by vehicle. 196 Wn. 2d 631., 2020
- Successfully obtained decision in Court of Appeals that the First Amendment did not prevent a legal dispute among church members' corporate claims to go forward. 2019 WL 2180131, 2019
- Successfully sued to have the definition of child as found in the LEOFF1 state retirement plan held unconstitutional in that it discriminated against adopted children of law enforcement officers and firefighters. http://www.leoff1coalition.org/pdfs/LEOFF1_Newsletter_2018.pdf, 2018
Representative Clients
- Judge Tracy Flood Bremerton Municipal Court, 2024
- Bellingham Municipal Court and Presiding Judge Debra Lev, 2021
Pro bono / Community Service
- Volunteer legal services for the LEOFF1 Coalition and its selected members, ongoing.
Honors
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2023
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2022
- Excellence Award, Washington State Attorney General's Office, 2015
Educational Background
- University of Washington School of Law, J.D. with honors in law, 2013
- Seattle University, B.A. Political Science, Summa Cum Laude , 2009
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Invited to present CLE on appeals, Presenter (expected), Residential Evictions CLE - Appeals, Seminar Group, 2025
- Co-presented a CLE on appellate topics for the King County Bar Association. , Co-presenter, CLE 2023 Civil Appeals: An Emphasis on Preserving Error, Stays and Supersedeas, and Ethical Considerations on Appeal, King County Bar Association, 2023
- Journal article on discovery and social networking information., Co-Author, Get Outta My Face(Book): The Discoverability of Social Networking Data and the Passwords Needed to Access Them, 8 Wash. J.L. Tech. & Arts 137, Litigation, Tech, 2012
- Deskbook chapter on appeals for medical negligence practitioners., Co-Author, Chapter XVIII, Appeals and Discretionary Review, Washington Medical Negligence Deskbook, 2nd ed. (WSAJ 2021), Litigation, Medical Malpractice, 2021
Office location for Aaron Orheim
2775 Harbor Avenue Southwest
Third Floor, Suite C
Seattle, WA 98126
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2023 - 2025