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Valarie S. Zeeck

Partner
vzeeck@gth-law.com
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Phone: 253.620.6427
 Fax: 253.620.6565

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

Primary Areas of Practice

Employment Law and Litigation

Education

J.D., University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law, 1979

B.A., University of Missouri, Kansas City, 1976
Graduated with Honors

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
Missouri State Courts

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

Robert J. Bryan Inns of Court

Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
Chair, Continuing Education Committee, 1998

King County Bar Association
Member, Labor and Employment Law Section

American Bar Association
Member, Litigation Section
Member, Employment Section

Washington Women Lawyer’s Association – Pierce County Chapter

Washington State Bar Association

The Missouri Bar
Chair - Probate and Trust Committee, October 1993 -August 1994; Vice Chair, 1991-1993
Vice Chair - Legal Education Committee, 1990-1994
Chair - Subcommittee on Participation of Women and Minorities in Continuing Legal Education
Chair - Drafting Committee, Durable Power of Attorney for health care purposes

Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Executive Committee Member at Large, 1992-1994
Chair - Women in the Profession Committee, 1993-1994
Association of Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City, 1979-1994 (Honorary Membership after 1988)

Professional History

  • Joined firm, 1997
  • Judicial Commissioner, 16th Judicial Circuit, Jackson County (Kansas City), Missouri, 1988-1994
  • National Judicial College, 1989
  • Jackson County Merit System Commissioner, 1982-1988
  • General civil practice of law, Kansas City, Missouri, 1979-1988

Representative Cases/Transactions

  • Advises and trains owners, managers and employees regarding employment law with the goal of reducing litigation expense and risk.

  • Defends employers in employment-related litigation, focusing on extracting clients from litigation at the earliest possible stage

Representative Clients

Sprint/Nextel Corporation; Community Health Care; Tacoma-Pierce County YMCA; Chamber of Commerce of Tacoma Pierce County; Pacific Lutheran University; Cardiac Study Center; Tacoma Electric Supply; Lakeview Light & Power; Architects BCRA; Cascade Residential Design, Inc.; TAPCO Credit Union; White Rhino Retail Services; Regal Logistics; Reeder Management, Inc.; Puget Sound Title Company; I-5 Signs Design and Manufacture.

Community Activities

  • University Place Economic Development Task Force and Commission
    • Commissioner (2000 - present)
  • University Place Parks and Recreation Commission
    • Commissioner (1998 - 2000)
  • Families Unlimited Network
    • Member, Board of Directors (2007 - present)
  • Chambers Creek Foundation
    • President (2003-2004, 2006)
    • Member, Board of Directors (2000-2006)
  • Ark Institute of Learning
    • Member, Board of Directors (2000-2002)
  • University Place Presbyterian Church
    • Elder
    • Member of Personnel Commission (1998-2004)
  • R. Merle Palmer Scholarship Foundation
    • Member, Board of Directors (1995-1996)
  • Tacoma-Pierce County YMCA - Metropolitan
    • Member, Board of Directors (1995-1998)
  • Tacoma Philharmonic
    • Member, Board of Directors (1995-1996)
  • Charles Wright Academy
    • Member, Board of Trustee's Education Task Force
    • Member, Parent Committee Executive Committee
  • Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
    • Member, Board of Directors (1997-1999)

Honors, Publications & Presentations

Honors
  • President, Student Bar Association, University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law
  • First Place, First Year Appellate Advocacy Competition, 1992
  • Staff, THE URBAN LAWYER LAW JOURNAL
  • AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell
Publications
  • Co-author, Simes and Smith, Future Interests, 1994 Revisions, West Publishing
  • Drafter/Chief Editor, Probate Procedural Rules, Jackson County, Missouri;
  • Author, Chapter 5, Involuntary Civil Commitment, MISSOURI BAR DESKBOOK: GUARDIANSHIP
  • Author, Liability of Personal Representative in Real Estate Transactions, JOURNAL OF THE MISSOURI BAR (1992)
  • Author of approximately two dozen articles for Lorman Professional Seminars on Employment law topics (1998-2002)
Presentations
  • Lorman Educational Systems, Professional Lecturer on Employment Law topics, 1999 to date.
  • Washington State Bar Association, Employment Agreements, 1999
  • Judicial College of Missouri: Lecturer, 1993
  • The Missouri Bar, frequent lecturer on various topics in probate and business, 1988-1994
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, frequent lecturer on various topics in probate and business, 1988-1994
  • University of Missouri, Kansas City, frequent lecturer on various topics in probate and business, 1988-1994
  • University of Missouri, Spring 1992 lecturer, William Fratcher Annual Symposium, Litigation Problems in Probate
  • Law Day Keynote Speaker on the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution, Spring 1991
  • Longview Community College, Instructor, Paralegal Class, 1990 - 1992
  • Professional Education Systems, Professional Lecturer, 1990 -1992