July 11, 2023
U.S. Senate Confirms Pacifica Partner Kymberly Evanson as Judge for U.S. Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington
Evanson joins a group of several Pacifica Law Group partners who have entered public service.
Seattle, WA—The United States Senate today confirmed President Biden’s nominee for federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Pacifica Law Group partner Kymberly Evanson. Evanson, who built her career as a civil litigator with a focus on constitutional, municipal, and administrative law, will leave Pacifica Law Group on July 14.
“This is a proud day for all of us at Pacifica,” said managing partner Denise Stiffarm. “Those of us who know and work with Kym understand her deep commitment to public service and the law. Of course, we will miss Kym. However, our happiness for our colleague and friend, and our belief that our federal judiciary has gained an exceptional steward of justice, far outweigh the sadness we feel at her departure.”
Evanson joined Pacifica at its founding in 2011. During her career, she distinguished herself as a litigator in cases of significant public impact. For example, she represented several major cities, including Seattle, Portland, OR, and Philadelphia in federal cases arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act. She also represented the Washington State Housing Finance Commission in a federal trial in the Southern District of New York, and the City of Seattle in multiple matters, including at trial on a public disclosure case in which the City ultimately prevailed before the Washington State Supreme Court. Evanson has also frequently represented King County and Sound Transit in matters of public importance in state and federal court, including complex constitutional cases. Over the course of her career, she has argued in trial and appellate courts across the country, including the Washington State Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her pro bono work included volunteering for the Seattle Clemency Project, through which she represented and secured release from prison the only woman serving a life sentence under Washington State’s Three Strikes law. She has also served on the Board of Legal Voice and as a longtime volunteer with the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington’s Federal Civil Rights Clinic.
The child of public school principals, Evanson was raised to value public service. After graduating cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, before pursuing a private practice with an emphasis on public clients and civic engagement.
Evanson joins a group of several Pacifica Law Group partners who have entered public service. Nick Brown, who recently returned to Pacifica, was the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington from 2021-2023. Taki Flevaris and Matthew Segal currently serve as King County Superior Court judges and Greg Wong serves as Seattle’s Deputy Mayor of External Relations.
