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Salvador A. Mungia

Partner
smungia@gth-law.com
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Phone: 253.620.6472
 Fax: 253.620.6565

Wells Fargo Plaza, 1201 Pacific Avenue, Suite 2100
Tacoma, Washington 98402

Primary Areas of Practice

Wrongful Death and Serious Injury Litigation, Real Property Litigation, Medical Negligence, General Aviation Air Crash Litigation, Business Litigation, Defense Litigation, Complex, Commercial & Environmental Litigation

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1984
cum laude
Administrative Editor, Law & Policy in international Business Law Review

B.A., Pacific Lutheran University, 1981
magna cum laude

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Washington State Courts
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
United States Supreme Court

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

Washington State Bar Association
Governor, Board of Governers (2005-2008)
President, Legal Aid for Washington (2002-2003)
Member, President's Task Force - Proud to be a Lawyer (2000-2001)
Chair, WSBA Bar Leaders Conference (1999)

American Bar Association
Member, Litigation Section
Member, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section

Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington
Member, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group for the Western District of Washington (2003 to 2005)
Selected by Judges of the Western District of Washington Federal District Court as a Lawyer Representative to Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference – three lawyers in the Western District are chosen per year (2003 – 2005)

Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
Co-chair, Judicial Evaluation Committee (2007-2008)
Member, Editorial Board (2000 to present)
President, (1999)
Trustee, Young Lawyers Division (1987 to 1989)

Washington State Trial Lawyers Association

Pierce County Minority Bar Association

Litigation Counsel of America

Latina/o Bar Association of Washington

GLBT Bar Association of Washington

American Board of Trial Advocates

Asian Bar Association of Washington

Professional History

  • 1984/1985: Judicial Clerk to Honorable Fred Dore, Washington State Supreme Court
  • 1985/1986: Judicial Clerk to Honorable Carolyn Dimmick, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
  • 1986: Joined Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell, Malanca, Peterson & Daheim
  • 1991: Became Partner at Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell, Malanca, Peterson & Daheim
  • 1993-1994: Adjunct Professor at Pacific Lutheran University

Representative Cases/Transactions

  • PERSONAL INJURY
    • Van Rosendael v. Puyallup School District, Pierce County, WA. Represented parents and estate of student in wrongful death action brought as a result of failure of school district to enforce transportation policies. Case settled on third day of trial for confidential amount.
    • Marez v. Pierce County Transit, Pierce County, WA. Represented plaintiff passenger of transit system who was struck by bus that resulted in loss of limb. Case settled before trial.
    • Garcia v. Royal Oaks Apartments, Pierce County, WA. Represented plaintiff child in action against apartment complex for failing to adhere to state requirements regarding water tank temperature setting. Excessive hot water caused third degree burns over large portions of plaintiff child. Reached confidential settlement before trial.
    • Guillen v. Pierce County. In 2002, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in case challenging, on both constitutional and statutory interpretation basis, Pierce County's application of statute withholding release of information regarding public highways
  • MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
    • Harris v. Buttorff, Pierce County, WA. Represented plaintiff patient in medical negligence action against vascular surgeon arising from surgery that resulted in partial permanent paralysis of patient. Reached confidential settlement before trial.
    • Schlenker v. Dr. J. Gregg Julin, Thurston County, WA. Represented patient in medical negligence action against defendant emergency department physician that resulted in partial permanent paralysis of patient. Reached confidential settlement before trial.
    • Purcell v. Children’s Hospital, King County, WA. Represented plaintiff child patient in medical negligence action against pediatric anesthetist resulting in permanent developmental injuries. Case settled before trial.
    • Sherrouse v. Fox, Pierce County, WA. Represented plaintiff patient in action against bariatric surgeon’s treatment that resulted in a month-long coma and six month hospitalization of patient.  Reached confidential settlement before trial.
    • Coleman v. Group Health, King County, WA. Represented plaintiff patient in medical negligence action resulting in misdiagnosis and mistreatment of neck fracture. Reached confidential settlement before trial.
  • REAL PROPERTY LITIGATION
    • Campus Crest Development v. Campus Crest Properties, King County, WA. Represented purchaser of 22.4 acres parcel with a purchase price of $12.5 million for 114 finished lots in breach of purchase and sale agreement by seller. Reached confidential settlement before trial.
    • Trinity v. Sunrise Corporation, Pierce County, WA. Represented purchaser of twenty-acre parcel with a purchase price of $2.4 million in breach of purchase and sale agreement by seller. Prevailed at trial and client was awarded specific performance under the contract. Defendant appealed to court of appeals. Court of appeals upheld the judgment.
    • Berry v. Pierce County, Pierce County, WA. Represented two homeowners of waterfront properties where Pierce County was claiming right-of-way that allowed placement of utilities. Brought lawsuit on behalf of clients claiming inverse condemnation and sought quiet title. Settled claim by having Pierce County paying all attorney fees and quieting title in homeowners' favor.
    • Fletcher v. McGowan, Pierce County, WA. Represented defendant seller where purchaser of lot claimed breach of purchase and sale agreement, misrepresentation, and violation of Consumer Protection Act. At trial, prevailed and obtain an award of attorney fees and costs for client. On appeal, affirmed with the award of attorney fees and costs incurred on appeal.
  • GENERAL AVIATION LITIGATION
    • Evans v. West Isle Air, Inc., Pierce County, WA. Represented defendant air carrier in wrongful death action brought by passenger’s spouse and children arising from crash of Cessna 172n. Tried case to conclusion in 2005.
    • Keen v. Textron/Lycoming, King County, WA. Represented Textron/Lycoming in defense of a 1997 air crash of a Pierre Robin HR 200/120B airplane in Scotland. Pilot’s estate brought suit alleging defect in manufacture of carburetor. Successfully moved to have case dismissed and transferred to Scotland.
    • Yoseph v. Textron/Lycoming, Mason County, WA. Represented Textron/Lycoming in defense of a 1996 air crash of a Hughes 269C helicopter. Passenger suffered significant injuries including a broken back. Plaintiff claimed that piston connecting rod was defectively designed. Reached confidential settlement prior to trial.
    • Bucko v. Textron/Lycoming, U.S. District Court, District of Montana. Represented Textron/Lycoming in defense of a 1996 air crash brought by estate of pilot. Reached confidential settlement prior to trial.
    • Miller v. Rockwell Int’l, Second Judicial Court of Nevada for the County of Washoe. Represented estate of pilot who died in 1992 in-flight breakup of a Rockwell Aero Commander 690B in Susanville, California. Issues in lawsuit involved defectively designed rudder in 690 series aircraft that allowed oscillation (flutter) leading to in-flight breakups. Reached confidential settlement prior to trial.
    • Turco v. Ameriflight and Rockman v. Ameriflight, Pierce County, WA. Represented Ameriflight, Inc., a California Corporation in defense of action brought on behalf of twenty passengers that died and two that were injured in a 1990 air crash of a de Havilland Twin Otter in Panama. Issues in lawsuit involved alleged manufacturing defect of fuel nozzles and alleged defective maintenance of fuel nozzles. Reached confidential settlement prior to trial.

Community Activities

  • R. Merle Palmer Minority Scholarship Foundation
    • Member, Board of Directors (2004 – present)
  • Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
    • Member, Board of Directors (2003-2006)
  • Grand Cinema
    • Member, Board of Directors (2002-2004)
  • American Leadership Forum
    • Fellow (2001 to present)
  • ACLU of Washington
    • Member, Board of Directors (1987-1992)
    • Cooperating attorney (1986 - present)
  • Tacoma Human Rights Commission
    • Commissioner (1990-1996)

Honors, Publications & Presentations

  • HONORS
    • Outstanding Service Award, Award given for Exemplary Service to the Pierce County Legal Community.  Presented by the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, 2008
    • Bertha M. Snell Award, Award given for persevering in the face of adversity in becoming an attorney or overcoming adversity in the practice of law.  Presented by the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, 2008.
    • Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (by invitation only)
    • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (by invitation only)
    • Fellow, American Bar Foundation (by invitation only)
    • AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell
    • Named in Washington Law & Politics Magazine in multiple years as "Super Lawyer"

  • PUBLICATIONS
    • WSBA, Editor, Supplement to Washington Civil Procedure Deskbook, 2nd Ed., Chapter 12, Defenses and Objections

  • PRESENTATIONS
    • Presented at over 20 Continuing Legal Education Seminars with the most recent ones being the following.
    • Presenter, National Business Institute: "Handling Medical Negligence Claims," July 2007
    • Moderator, WSBA Litigation Section Mid-Year CLE: "Successful Litigation in a Changing Legal Landscape - the Diversity Litigation Allstars," Dialogue and Insights for Litigators on the Changing Courtroom, June 2007
    • Presenter, National Business Institute, "Litigating to Win," Effective Opening Statements 2007
    • Presenter, Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, "Ethics Panelist on Newly Adopted RPC Revisions," 2006
    • Presenter, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, "Winning Your Case in Discovery: Effective Use of Discovery and Depositions," 2004
    • Presenter, Tacoma-Pierce Country Bar Association, "Effective Oral Advocacy," 2004
    • Presenter, Washington State Bar Association, Trial Advocacy Program: "Expert Witnesses," 2004