About WELA

 

WELA’s mission is to enforce and advance employee rights, in recognition that employment with dignity and fairness is fundamental to the quality of life. We do this by promoting and increasing public awareness of the rights of individual employees; enhancing the quality of legal representation of employees; advocating for employee rights before courts and legislative bodies; and assisting and supporting members in their practice of plaintiffs’ employment law. WELA began in spirit in the late 1980s as an informal network of plaintiff employment lawyers. In 1994, WELA began to develop formal programs including its Amicus Curiae Committee and education programs. In 1996, WELA was incorporated as a Washington non-profit corporation, and has been growing ever since. WELA’s Board of Directors consists of the four elected officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer), the Immediate Past Chair and eight appointed members. The appointed members serve as chairs of the Amicus, CLE Events, Programs, Membership, Legislative, Mentorship, and Communications Committees as follows:

WELA Board of Directors

Beth Terrell

Board Chair

Teri Healy

Secretary; Communications

(206) 220-6916 teri.healy@eeoc.gov

Lindsay Halm

Vice Board Chair; New Members Chair

(206) 622-8000 halm@sgb-law.com

Ada Wong

(206) 259-1259 ada@akw-law.com

Munia Jabbar

(206) 682-6711 mjabbar@frankfreed.com

Kathleen Phair Barnard

Immediate Past Chair

(206) 285-2828 barnard@workerlaw.com

Jeffrey Needle

Amicus Chair; Legislative Co-Chair

(206) 447-1560 jneedlel@wolfenet.com

Jesse Wing

Legislative Co-Chair

(206) 622-1604 jessew@mhb.com

Janelle Chase-Fazio

CLE Co-Chair

(253) 289-5104 Janelle@bcglawyers.com

Daniel F. Johnson

Treasurer

(206) 652-8660 djohnson@bjtlegal.com

Hardeep S. Rekhi

Events Chair

(206) 388-5887 hardeep@rekhiwolk.com

Robin Shishido

CLE Co-Chair

Blanca Rodriguez

Amicus Committee

Jeffrey Needle

Amicus Committee Chair

(206) 447-1560 jneedlel@wolfenet.com

Daniel Johnson

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 652-8660 djohnson@bjtlegal.com

Blythe Chandler

Amicus Committee Member

Michael Subit

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 682-6711 msubit@frankfreed.com

Toby Marshall

Amicus Committee Member

Christie J. Fix

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 567-9511 cfix@frankfreed.com

Jesse Wing

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 622-1604 jessew@mhb.com

Lindsay Halm

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 622-8000 halm@sgb-law.com

Joseph R. Shaeffer

Amicus Committee Member

(206) 622-1604 josephs@mhb.com

CLE Committee

Robin Shishido

CLE Committee Co-Chair

Janelle Chase-Fazio

CLE Committee Co-Chair

(253) 289-5104 Janelle@bcglawyers.com

Program and Social Events Committee

Hardeep S. Rekhi

Program and Social Events Committee Chair

(206) 388-5887 hardeep@rekhiwolk.com

Membership Committee

Beth Terrell

Membership Committee Co-Chair

Lindsay Halm

Membership Committee Co-Chair

(206) 622-8000 halm@sgb-law.com

Legislative Committee

Jesse Wing

Legislative Committee Co-Chair

(206) 622-1604 jessew@mhb.com

Andrea Schmitt

Legislative Committee Co-Chair

Kathleen Phair Barnard

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 285-2828 barnard@workerlaw.com

Alex J. Higgins

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 340-4856 alex@alexjhiggins.com

Toby Marshall

Legislative Committee Member

Jeffrey Needle

Legislative Committee Co-Chair

(206) 447-1560 jneedlel@wolfenet.com

Katherine C. Chamberlain

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 622-1604 katherinec@mhb.com

Marc Cote

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 682-6711 mcote@frankfreed.com

 

Hardeep S. Rekhi

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 388-5887 hardeep@rekhiwolk.com

Rachel Emens

Legislative Committee Member

206.838.2504 remens@hkm.com

Brendan Donckers

Legislative Committee Member

(206) 652-8660 bdonckers@bjtlegal.com

Clive Pontusson

Legislative Committee Member

Communications Committee

Teri Healy

Communications Committee Chair

(206) 220-6916 teri.healy@eeoc.gov

WELA Alert Committee

Jeffrey Needle

WELA Alert Editor

(206) 447-1560 jneedlel@wolfenet.com

Michael Subit

WELA Alert Editor

(206) 682-6711 msubit@frankfreed.com