Elizabeth Hanley

I am a trial attorney at SGB, focusing on individual and class wide employment law cases, wage and hour litigation, as well as wrongful death and complex personal injury claims. I have successfully tried employment cases to jury verdict in Washington’s state and federal courts, including in the wage and hour context and argued at the appellate level to successfully get jury verdicts affirmed. I have also been appointed class counsel in wage and hour class actions in both federal and state courts. In addition to putting law into practice in the court system, I enjoy work to advance individual rights in Washington. I have testified before the Washington State Legislature on employment discrimination and related laws as well as Washington’s wage and hour laws. I have been appointed to and completed work on a WSBA taskforce and on the WSBA Rules Committee. I am a member of the Washington Employment Lawyers Association (“WELA”) and have coauthored an amicus brief for that organization. I am also an active member of the American Association for Justice (“AAJ”), and have coauthored amicus briefs for American Association of Justice and Public Interest. I am a frequent speaker at legal conferences or “CLEs” on topics including wage and hour issues, evidentiary issues, discovery, and employment law. I have also authored various articles on legal issues. I am the author of the employment law chapters of the 2013, 2017 and 2022 Washington Civil Rights Deskbooks and the 2013, 2017 and 2022 Evidence Law chapter of the 2022 Washington Employment Law Deskbook. I am actively involved in several professional organizations and activities relating to the law. I presently serve by appointment of the Washington Supreme Court to the Washington Pattern Jury Instruction Committee. I am also President-Elect for the Washington State Association for Justice. I have recently been recognized by Best Lawyers of America as Lawyer of the Year for 2021-2023, named several times to the annual Washington “Super Lawyers” list, specifically, for years 2017-2022. I had previously been named as a Washington Super Lawyers Rising Star attorney for years 2010, 2012, and 2014-2016. I have been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Attorney by the National Trial Lawyers every year from 2013 to present. I have also been recognized twice by Washington’s SuperLawyers as a Top 50 Woman Lawyer.