Emily brings to P.K. Schrieffer LLP a decade of experience handling personal injury, product liability, premises liability, professional liability, construction defect, sex abuse and asbestos defense litigation matters.  She has defended clients ranging from Fortune 500 retailers, manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies to insurers and contractors in construction disputes and has regularly appeared as local counsel for national complex litigation matters in both state and federal court.

Emily has extensive experience with written discovery, depositions, discovery motions practice, mediation, arbitration, dispositive motions practice, pre-trial motions practice, trial preparation and has been to trial through jury verdict.

In addition to insurance defense litigation, she also has a niche funeral law practice including general counsel work with nationwide clients concerning state regulatory and FTC Funeral Rule compliance, internal inspections and investigations, risk management, best practices and liability avoidance counseling for funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, funeral directors and embalmers, as well as mortuary litigation in the event that suit is filed.

In 2005, Emily obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University double majoring in Government and Psychology, after which she obtained a Juris Doctorate from Seattle University School of Law in 2013.

Prior to joining P.K. Schrieffer LLP, Emily worked at multiple prominent insurance defense litigation firms in Washington State.  She has served as Chair of the Washington Young Lawyers Committee and continues to hold leadership positions with both Washington State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.  She has also been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers from 2017 to 2023.

Admissions

Emily is licensed to practice in Washington, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Notable Victories

Obtained unanimous defense verdict for funeral home, funeral director and embalmer who were sued for alleged negligent embalming. Prior to trial, obtained partial summary judgment dismissal of Consumer Protection Act claim.

Obtained voluntary dismissal of personal injury claim against fireplace manufacturer following product explosion due to user error.

Settlement of multimillion dollar property water damage subrogation claim for six figures on behalf of water piping contractor.

Obtained dismissals of major pharmaceutical company from multiple asbestos defense litigation matters, including successful defenses on appeal.

Publications

Article, Finding Your Niche by Being Yourself, American Bar Association GPSolo Magazine (2023).

Article, Beyond the Bar Number, Washington State Bar News (2022).

Article, Finding Your Niche: A Perspective from a Mortuary Law Attorney, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s The Young Lawyer (TYL) Magazine (2021).

Article, Death Becomes Her: Plotting a Career in Funeral Law, American Bar Association Before the Bar (2017).

Article, A Detailed Analysis of How Funeral Homes Are Complying with the FTC Funeral Rule, Funeral Service Insider (2018).

Article, Every Family’s Worst Nightmare, American Funeral Director (2018).

Article, Next of Kin: When Should You Proceed With Caution?, American Funeral Director (2017).

Article, Pulling Back the Curtain – Risk Management Strategies for Dealing with Third-Party Crematories, American Funeral Director (October 2017); Republished in American & Cemetery & Cremation Magazine and The Independent Reporter (2017).

Article, Avoiding Those Million Dollar Mistakes, American Cemetery & Cremation (2017).

Article, Million Dollar Mistakes: Working Backward to Minimize the Risks of Cremation Liability, American Funeral Director (2017).

Article, Over My Dead Body: The Elusive Tort of Interference with Human Remains, NW Lawyer (2017).

Article, Setting the Record Straight: How to Save a Deposition When Defending Counsel Fights Dirty, DRI For The Defense, Trial Tactics Edition (2016).

Speaking Engagements

“Why Cremation Is So Hot Right Now: A Legal Perspective” virtual presentation given at the 2022 Cremation Strategies Conference.

“Mortuary Litigation” webinar presentation for the Ohio State Funeral Directors Association in 2020.

“Alkaline Hydrolysis: Facts, Myths & A Legal Perspective” virtual presentation given at the 2020 National Funeral Directors Association Annual Convention and Expo.

“Remote Work Tips and Tricks AMA” virtual CLE as part of Washington State Bar Association’s “Practicing During the Pandemic” series in 2020.

“Mortuary Litigation” presentation given at the 2019 Washington State Funeral Directors Association and Washington Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association joint Annual Convention and Expo in Leavenworth, Washington.

“Million Dollar Mistakes: Minimizing the Risks of Mortuary Litigation” presentation given at the 2018 New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association Convention and Expo in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“Mortuary Litigation” presentation given at the 2018 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Steps to Reduce and Avoid Cremation Liability” presentation given at the 2017 Cremation Strategies Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.