Phone: (520) 349-3698
Email: cm@mgm-legal.com
Claire McNamara represents public, private, and non-profit clients in trial and appellate litigation. She counsels on a variety of issues including personal injury, medical malpractice, civil rights, constitutional, governance, public records and open meetings act, elections, and ballot measures.
Claire has successfully helped clients before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth and District of Columbia Circuits, the Washington State Supreme Court and various federal and state trial courts in Arizona and Washington.
Claire is committed to public service and social justice. She is currently the Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee for the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington. She has served on the Board of Yoga Behind Bars and as pro bono counsel for Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, for an unaccompanied minor through Kids in Need of Defense, as well as for the National Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Before joining the McNamara Law Firm, Claire was a litigation associate attorney at Pacifica Law Group. There, she represented multiple campaign entities and foundations in pre-and post-election challenges, in addition to assisting with developing policy and crafting messaging. Claire served as a Special Assistant Attorney General to support Washington State with implementing Keep Washington Working, a law meant to ensure immigrants’ safety, productivity, and dignity. She also represented the Washington State Association of Counties, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and the State Legislature.
Claire previously served as a judicial clerk to Judge Jill Johanson of Division II of the Washington State Court of Appeals. During law school, Claire was the managing editor of the Seattle Journal for Social Justice, volunteered with the International Refugee Assistance Project, and externed with the Washington State ACLU litigation team. Claire also represented youth charged with crimes in the Seattle University Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic and helped secure clemency for an adult client serving a life sentence without parole.
Prior to law school, Claire worked for OneAmerica and its sister 501(c)(4), OneAmerica Votes, to advance immigrant rights and volunteered for King County as a Court Appointed Special Advocate to evaluate and advocate for children in high-conflict, low-income families.
Bar Admissions:
- Washington State
- Arizona State
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education:
- Scripps College, B.A., English (major), Psychology (minor) cum laude
- Seattle University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude (Managing Editor, Seattle Journal for Social Justice, President, Dispute Resolution Board, Dean’s Medal & Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Kellye Y. Testy Scholarship for the Advancement of Women’s Leadership, Mary Wechsler American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Washington Scholarship for Social Justice in Family Law)
Honors:
- Western District of Washington Federal Bar Association, 2020 Litigation Academy Fellow
- Selected for Washington Rising Stars, 2018-2023
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Commercial Litigation, 2021
Speaking Engagements & Presentations:
- Pro Bono Civil Rights Representation: Basics of Addressing Federal Employment Law Claims, CLE Host and Organizer, February 2023
- Pro Bono Civil Rights Representation: Actions Against the Police, Prisons, and Jails, CLE Host and Organizer, January 2023
- The Nuts and Bolts of Taking a Pro Bono Case, CLE Host and Organizer, June 2021
- Stepping Up to Serve: Federal Pro Bono Representation, CLE Host and Organizer, May, 2019
- Appellate Practice Section Presentation, Dealing with the Large Record on Appeal, February, 2016
Publications:
- Federal Bar Association of Western Washington Newsletter, Step Up to Serve: Federal Pro Bono Panel (Published Fall 2019)
- Seattle Journal for Social Justice, A Call for Reform of Gun Rights Legislation and Policies to Protect Domestic Violence Survivors (Published Fall 2014, Volume 13, Issue 2)
Community Involvement:
- Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee, Western District of Washington Federal Bar Association, 2017-Present
- Yoga Behind Bars, Board Secretary and Governance Committee Member, 2018-2021
- OneAmerica and the American Immigration Lawyers Association Citizenship Day Pro Bono Volunteer, 2010-2018
- Cascade Bicycle Club Volunteer, 2015-2016
- Pramila Jayapal for Congress Campaign Volunteer, 2016