Joel F. Murray
Attorney for Vancouver and Clark County Businesses
- Biography
I seek to provide cost-effective and value-adding legal, government relations, and legislative advocacy services to businesses of/from all sizes and industries. Diverse and extensive areas of experience and interest that include administrative law and appeals, business law, consumer protection, higher and K-12 education policy, election law, employment law, legislation and public policy, litigation, local government and municipal law, real property law, tax law, trademark law, tribal law, and shipping and transportation law.
My experience with state and local government entities includes various cities and counties as well as the Washington State Department(s) of Ecology, Employment Security (“ESD”), Financial Institutions, Human Rights Commission (“HRC”), Labor and Industries, Washington State) Legislature, Liquor and Cannabis (Board), Revenue (“DoR”), Social and Health Services (“DSHS”), and Utilities and Transportation (Commission).
Experience with federal government entities includes the United States (“U.S.”) Department of Agriculture, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), Federal Maritime Commissions, U.S. Congress, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and U.S. Department of Transportation.
I maintain relationships with current and former (Washington State) local, state and federal elected officials of all political affiliations. I Previously worked on multiple state-wide pro-education ballot measure campaigns, advocated for increased funding for public higher education, completed a legal externship and fellowship in the U.S. Senate, and chaired a national political organization. Published journal author on legal issues involving ballot initiatives and elections, consumer protection, and higher education. Named a Rising State by Super Lawyers. Rated Superb (9/10) by Avvo.
Licensed to practice law in Washington State and federal courts in Washington State.
- Practice Areas
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Municipal Law
- Trademarks
- Trademark Litigation, Trademark Registration
- Gov & Administrative Law
- Administrative Law, Election Law, Government Contracts, Government Finance, Legislative & Government Affairs
- Tax Law
- Business Taxes, International Taxes, Payroll Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Audits
- Cannabis & Marijuana Law
- Marijuana Business Formation, Medical Marijuana
- Maritime Law
- Video Conferencing
- Fees
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Eastern District of Washington
- Since 2022
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- Languages
- English:
Spoken, Written
- Professional Experience
- Attorney
- JFM Law
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2023 –
Current
- • Administrative Law and Appeals • Business Law and Commercial Litigation • Government Affairs and Legislation • Hospitality, Liquor and Cannabis • Local Government and Land Use • Political and Public Policy Law and Consulting • Tax • Transportation and Logistics
- Attorney
- McKean Smith
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2022 –
2023
- • Administrative Law and Appeals • Business Law and Commercial Litigation • Election Law and Government Affairs • Hospitality, Liquor and Cannabis • Local Government and Land Use • State and Local Taxation • Transportation and Logistics • Advocated for candidate that was elected as Congresswoman for WA’s Third Congressional District. • Settled highly contentious dispute over real property between family members • Resolved commercial real estate and business dispute over the sale of real property (convenience store), and UCC-1 secured property • Convinced opposing party to dismiss a products liability action based on the grounds of lack of personal jurisdiction over client
- Attorney
- JFM Law
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2019 –
2022
- • Administrative Law and Appeals • Business Law and Commercial Litigation • Government Affairs and Legislation • Hospitality, Liquor and Cannabis • Local Government and Land Use • Political and Public Policy Law and Consulting • Tax • Transportation and Logistics
- Attorney
- MDK Law
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2011 –
2018
- • Multi-practice law firm that provides legal services to small, medium and large businesses • Practice areas included administrative appeals and rulemaking, employment, general business, government relations, legislative history, land use, liquor and cannabis, municipal, public policy, real property, tax, trademarks, and transportation • Provided digital legal research via LexisNexis as well as print legal research • Drafted demand letters and briefs as required, depending on the client’s circumstances • Generally had three to six cases in active litigation in superior court • Depositions, discovery, motions to compel discovery, declarations, motions for summary judgment, motions to dismiss 12(b)(6), responses, replies, summons and complaints, discovery requests, and related documents
- Legal Fellow
- United States Senate
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2011 –
2011
- • Health Education Labor Pensions Committee, Subcommittee on Workforce Education chaired by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) • Analyzed and researched potential legislation involving tax code and 1998 Workforce Investment Act • Coordinated with business, government, legislative, and non-profit stakeholders to plan legislation to improve funding for education programs for lower-skilled workers, reauthorized Workforce Investment Act
- Legal Extern
- United States Senate
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2010 –
2010
- • US Senate Health Education Labor Pensions Committee Oversight Office. Committee was chaired by now retired Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) at the time • US Senate investigation into for-profit colleges and universities • Compiled and analyzed enrollment and financial statistics using Microsoft Excel and SPSS • Analyzed military and veteran’s educational benefit programs, and contributed to first draft of the Committee report on for-profit colleges’ abuse of military and veteran education benefits
- Legal Counsel Intern
- Sound Transit
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2010 –
2010
- • Tri-county transit benefit district for the Central Puget Sound region of WA • Projects dealt with issues involving land use, federal and state regulations, transportation law, and mass transit development • Helped develop initial land use plans to allow for the construction of light rail from Seattle, WA to Bellevue, WA • Drafted an agency board of director’s motion and staff report authorizing sale of a bankruptcy claim against Lehman Brothers, legislative session summary, and multiple memorandums on land use and public law
- Law Clerk
- Tulalip Tribes
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2009 –
2009
- • Drafted memorandums on federal legislation that resulted in Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 • Conducted legal research and drafted memorandums on civil and criminal jurisdictional issues involving Public Law 280 • Drafted a variety of pleadings for prosecutorial matters
- Communications Director
- YES on EHJR 4204
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2007 –
2007
- • Successful statewide referendum campaign to allow public school levies to pass with a 50% majority in WA • Responsibilities included advance and organizing media events, coalition building, drafting press releases, elected official outreach, and representing campaign at events throughout WA
- Young Voters Outreach Coordinator
- NO on I-920
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2006 –
2006
- • Successful statewide anti-ballot initiative campaign to prevent repeal of the estate tax in WA and maintain funding for public education • Organized students and young voters against anti-higher education ballot initiative • Represented campaign at events throughout WA
- Education
- Georgetown University Law Center
- Visiting Student (2011) | Law
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2011
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2011 - • Completed final semester of law school at the Georgetown University Law Center
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- University of California – Davis
- J.D. (2008) | Law
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2008
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2011 - Honors: • Member, UC Davis Law Review
- Activities: • UC Davis Business Law Journal • UCDC Law Program • National President, Law School Democrats of America
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- London School of Economics and Political Science
- M.S. (2008) | Philosophy and Public Policy
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2007
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2008 - • Philosophy and Public Policy (Philosophy Department) • Studies focused on economic theory, and government regulation of the market • Dissertation critiqued socialist economic theory
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- University of Washington
- B.A. (2007) | Political Science (with Distinction); Economics
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2003
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2007 - • Honors thesis analyzed effort to repeal US estate tax • Active in student government and lobbied for increased federal and state funding for public higher education
- Honors: Honors Political Science
- Activities: • ASUW • Chair, Affordable Tuition Now • Vice-President/Founding Member, Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity
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- Awards
- Superb Rating (9.3/10)
- Avvo
- 2024
- Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals.
- Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers
- 2023
- Joel Murray was selected to Rising Stars for 2022. This peer designation is awarded only to a select number of accomplished attorneys in each state. The Rising Stars selection process takes into account peer recognition, professional achievement in legal practice, and other cogent factors.
- Professional Associations
- Washington State Bar Association
- Member
- Current
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- Clark County Bar Association
- Member
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2024 –
Current -
- Publications
- Policing the Ballot: Citizens for Tax Reform v. Deters and Prohibitions on Volume-Based Compensation for Paid Signature Gatherers
- Journal of Law and Politics
- October 3, 2012
- Professional Dishonesty: Do U.S. Law Schools That Report False or Misleading Employment Statistics Violate Consumer Protection Laws?
- Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law
- May 29, 2012
- Websites & Blogs
- Website
- JFM Law
- Contact & Address
- Rate This Lawyer