Bill Pickett | Yakima Personal Injury Lawyer

As the founder and sole attorney at The Pickett Law Firm, Bill Pickett has dedicated his practice to helping people in the Yakima, Washington, community. Since 1997, Bill has been a licensed attorney practicing in personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights (police misconduct), and medical malpractice matters.

Before college, Bill worked in Alaska as a Commercial Fisherman and Deep Sea Diver. That experience taught him to work hard and accept the risks that come from living life.

His legal path began with his curiosity of how intertwined our lives are with the law. As he got older, Bill realized that he wanted to understand the laws that we try to abide by every day. He saw many inconsistencies in people’s understanding of the law. People would talk about what “the law” tells them to do or prevents them from doing, but they wouldn’t have any basis for saying so. After completing his undergraduate education at the University of Washington, Bill graduated from Lewis & Clark College’s Northwestern School of Law in Portland, Oregon. Bill also holds an LL.M. degree in Trial advocacy from Temple Law School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bill is continuously driven by his work because he loves to help people. He understands the challenges he may face while representing them, but he knows his job is more than just legal representation; Bill’s job is to take all the puzzle pieces that go along with each of his clients’ situations and take a deep dive—much like he once did in the sea—to put the pieces back together. This exploration involves learning as much as he can about everyone that steps into his office in order to tell his client’s story as honestly and accurately as possible.

His passion to help people goes much further than Yakima; Bill is a board member for YWAM of Battambang, Cambodia. YWAM, “Youth with a Mission,” is a global organization that strives to bring hope and a future to people in need around the world. During the summer of 2014, Bill and his family traveled to Cambodia, where they helped build a classroom where Cambodian children will be able to safely learn and gain necessary skills to build better lives.

Bill served as the President of the Board of Governors for Washington State Bar Association from 2018 – 2019 and previously served as the Governor for the 4th District.

Outside of work, Bill is a family man. He and his wife, Laura, have three kids between the ages of 16 and 22: Jack, Grant, and Maddie. If he isn’t in the office, you can either find him spending time with his family, teaching mock trial to high school students, or cheering on the Seattle Seahawks. His favorite book is Just Listen by Mark Goulston, and he has a number of favorite TV shows and movies, including: It’s A Wonderful Life, Brave Heart, Mutiny on the Bounty, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Bill genuinely cares about what has happened to his clients, and he is willing to fight to set things right. He is driven by the people he encounters every day. Bill believes that walking side by side with hurting people is both an honor and a privilege. Helping clients heal and regain their lives following a tragedy is both miraculous and inspiring.

“I believe in the underdog. I cherish the Biblical story of David and Goliath. I believe that mean-spirited Giants still roam this earth, and that they continue to prey on anyone they perceive as weak. I am absolutely passionate about strengthening people to fight back.” – Bill Pickett

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Owner	The Pickett Law Firm	Yakima, WA	Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Lewis & Clark Law School	J.D.	Law School	1997
Temple University Beasley School of Law	LL.M.	Trial Advocacy	2007
University of Washington	Bachelors	Society & Justice	1994

State / Court	Date
Arizona	2016
Alaska	2011
Washington	1998
Oregon	1997

• Washington State Bar Association
  Oregon State Bar Association
  Alaska State Bar Association
  Arizona State Bar Association

• Currently serving a three-year term on the Board of Governors for Washington State Bar Association for the 4th District.
  Adjunct Professor Beasley School of Law | Temple University | 2008 - Present
  Washington State Bar Association | Board of Governors President | 2018 - 2019
  Washington State Bar Association | Board of Governors 4th District | 2015 - 2018
  Board Member | Youth with a Mission YWAM | Battambang, Cambodia
  Member | National Police Accountability Project
  Former Member | Washington State Bar Association Civil Rights Committee
  Washington State Trial Lawyer’s Association | Civil Justice High School Project.
  Oregon Trial Advocacy College | 2002
  ABA Tort & Insurance Section | National Trial Academy | 2000
  Ghormley Meadow Youth Outreach Camp | Volunteer Counselor

• Washington State Bar News | The Legal Community Honoring Doctor King's Legacy on His Holiday...and Every Day | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | With All Due Respect: Recognizing the Trap of Unresolved Offense | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | Building Bridges Cambodia 2019 | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | The Legal Profession Must Do What It Does Best: Lead During Times of Turbulence | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | Wherever We're Headed, Let's Go Together | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | A Word on Thankfulness | 2019
  Washington State Bar News | A Path Forward: Trust - Relationship - Service | 2018
  Washington State Bar News | Q&A With WSBA President Bill Pickett | 2018
  Washington State Bar News | In Service to Others | 2018
  Washington State Bar News | WSBA Restructure: What we know about the Supreme Court's "time-out" to review the Bar | 2018
  Washington State Bar News | Trust and Innovation: A Multi-state Perspective | 2018
  Washington State Bar News | Departures and Arrivals | 2018

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	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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