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Best Lawyers Recognizes 44 Stokes Lawrence Attorneys in 2026 Editions; Karolyn Hicks Named Seattle "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - Trusts & Estates

Aug. 21, 2025   Print PDF

Forty-four Stokes Lawrence attorneys are honored in the 2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. These annual guides recognize the top 5% of lawyers across 150 practice areas nationwide and are based entirely on peer review.

In addition, Karolyn Hicks has been named the 2026 Litigation - Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” in Seattle. Additional recognitions are awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region in a Best Lawyers edition. Only one lawyer is recognized as the "Lawyer of the Year" for each specialty and location.

Stokes Lawrence attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America® list are:

Seattle, WA

Yakima, WA

  • Charissa Johnston (2024)
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Garon Jones (2018)
    • Trusts and Estates
  • Brendan Monahan (2017)
    • Agriculture Law
    • Mediation
    • Native American Law
  • Sean Russel (2024)
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Sarah Wixson (2021)
    • Agriculture Law
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Dustin Yeager (2024)
    • Agriculture Law
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

The attorneys included in the 2026 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America are peer-reviewed attorneys who have been practicing for less than ten years. They are:

Seattle, WA

  • Amy Alexander (2023)
    • Labor and Employment Law - Employee
    • Labor and Employment Law - Management
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Leslie Berkseth (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2024)
    • Banking and Finance Law
    • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
    • Real Estate Law
  • Kathleen Burton (2023)
    • Banking and Finance Law
    • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
    • Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Joshua Harms (2024)
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Intellectual Property Law
    • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Brett MacIntyre (2024)
    • Commercial Litigation
  • Maricarmen Perez-Vargas (2024)
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Samantha Pitsch (2025)
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
    • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
    • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Duffy Romnor (2026)
    • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Carl Rubinstein (2024)
    • Real Estate Law
  • Valerie Walker (2026)
    • Intellectual Property Law
    • Labor and Employment Law - Employee
    • Labor and Employment Law - Management
    • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Rachael Wallace (2023)
    • Appellate Practice
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Labor and Employment Law - Management
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment
    • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Yakima, WA

  • Jaime Cuevas, Jr. (2026)
    • Native American Law
  • Michelle Mendoza (2024)
    • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Saul Tilden (2025)
    • Trusts and Estates

(Year) The first year that the lawyer was listed in the published list.

Best Lawyers® Methodology
Best Lawyers’ methodology is based on peer review, which captures the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

About Stokes Lawrence
With offices in Seattle and Yakima, Washington, Stokes Lawrence represents businesses ranging from small, closely held entities to larger corporations, and the families and individuals who run them. With a team of experienced attorneys dedicated to client advocacy, Stokes Lawrence combines in-depth legal knowledge with a personalized approach, ensuring that each client's unique needs are met with professionalism and care. Stokes Lawrence is a majority women-owned firm and is certified as a Women's Business Enterprise by the Women Business Enterprise National Council. The firm is also a proud member of the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) and the international network, Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW).