ABOUT SARAELLEN

I’ve been practicing law since 2005, and for over 15 years I represented plaintiffs primarily in consumer protection and consumer credit cases. 

I also have training in multiple coaching modalities, mediation and negotiation.

I became a mediator because I believe that justice is often best served when the trauma of protracted litigation, trial and years in appeal can be avoided.

Here’s more about my background.

SARAELLEN IS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE IN THE FOLLOWING JURISDICTIONS

Washington State

State of Alaska

United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington

United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington

United States District Court for the District of Alaska

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Pro Hac Vice:

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

SaraEllen has also been admitted pro hac vice to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, and the State of Colorado

NOTABLE CASES AND VERDICTS

Sedric Ward v. Shelby County, Western District of Tennessee Case No. 2:20-cv-2407-JPM-cgc ($561,000 jury verdict for economic damages against Shelby County for violating the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); jury finding that Shelby County’s USERRA violations were willful affirmed by Court; final judgment $1,570,035.18. See, 2:20-cv-2407-JPM-cgc Dkt. 191.

Brandt v. Columbia Credit Servs.,Western District of Washington Case No. 2:17-cv-703-RSM ($288,967 judgment against debt collector Woehler under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; see also 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164445)

Boldt v. Quick Collect, Inc., Pierce County, Washington Superior Court Case No. 13-2-14613-0 ($206,218.30 bench verdict for Plaintiff against Quick Collect, Inc.)

McCrobie v. Transworld Systems, Inc., Pierce County, Washington Superior Court Case No. 18-2-6502-5 ($132,820.58 judgment against debt collector TSI under the Washington State Consumer Protection Act.)

Douglass v. Convergent Outsourcing, 765 F.3d 299 (3rd Cir. 2014) (precedential opinion under Fair Debt Collection Practices Act)

Easbey & Hart v. Standley et al, Clark County, Washington Superior Court Case No. 13-2- 03133-1 ($50,000 bench verdict for Plaintiff)

Asset Recovery Grp., Inc. v. Wilson-Codega, 2021 Wash. App. LEXIS 2716, 2021 WL 5298592 (Co-wrote Amicus on behalf of Northwest Consumer Law Center)

Fangsrud von Esch v. Legacy Salmon Creek Hosp., 738 Fed. Appx. 430, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 25976, 2018 WL 4360993 (and, after this case was remanded and was dismissed by the court at trial, defeated defendant debt collector’s motion for sanctions; see: Fangsrud Von Esch v. Legacy Salmon Creek Hosp., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 50530, 2021 WL 1018926); prevailed on debt collector’s appeal of the order denying sanctions and Plaintiff was awarded costs; see: Fangsrud von Esch v. Asset Sys., 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 15084, 2022 WL 1772996.

For brevity, various other additional favorable rulings in trial courts are not listed here.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS 

Speaker, National Consumer Law Center Annual Litigation Conference, 2017, 2021 and 2022

Speaker, National Association of Consumer Advocates Webinars, 2017, 2021 and 2023

Speaker, Washington State Association for Justice Consumer Law Intensive, 2015

PUBLICATIONS

Published in The Warrior and WSAJ Trial News Executive Committee, WSBA Antitrust & Consumer Protection Section

Published in the Trial Lawyers College Warrior Magazine

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Juris Doctor, cum laude, Georgia State University College of Law December 2004 (Visiting 3L coursework completed at Seattle University)

Completed Mediating the Litigated Case 40-hour mediation training, Pepperdine University, January 2025

Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude Eastern Washington University, 1999

Graduate, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, July 2012

Certified Professional Coach, The Life Coach School, September 2020

Certified Advanced Deep Dive Coach, Master Coach Bev Aron, December 2021

Professional Psychodrama Training Workshop with John Nolte & Kaitlin Larimer, 2014, Corbett, OR