Karen F. Jones
Managing Principal
Karen regularly represents and counsels public and private sector businesses on employment matters. Karen has served as lead counsel in matters before state and federal agencies and courts in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah and Alaska involving individual and class claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage hour issues, negligence, unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation and other related issues. She also represents clients in labor matters such as negotiations, union organizing, grievances and arbitrations, and she has served in a neutral role as investigator, mediator, and arbitrator. She is certified as a mediator under LR 39.1 of the Western District of Washington.
Karen also is a frequent speaker on employment-related topics, and regularly conducts training programs for management and non-management employees, human resource professionals, and attorneys.
Karen is a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and has served as a faculty member at NITA trial advocacy programs. In 1995, 2003, and in 2008, she was appointed by the Washington Supreme Court to assist in developing pattern jury instructions to be used in employment cases tried in Washington courts.
Prior to joining Riddell Williams in 1985, Karen was associated with the Dallas firm of Locke Purnell. Previously, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable H. Barefoot Sanders, Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Karen was elected Managing Principal of Riddell Williams in January, 2006.
Education and Admissions
Karen received her B.A. from Rice University, cum laude, in 1978, and her J.D. from the University of Texas, with Honors, in 1981. She is admitted to practice in Oregon, Texas and Washington.
Memberships
American Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Oregon State Bar Association, Washington Women Lawyers, Defense Research Institute, Federal Bar Association, Pacific Coast Labor Law Conference (Conference Chair 2001-02), Leadership Tomorrow (Graduate, 1991-92).
Professional and Community Activities
Karen is active in bar and civic programs. She is a past president of Washington Women Lawyers, Seattle-King County Chapter, a former trustee and treasurer of the King County Bar Association, past Chair of the Labor and Employment section of the King County Bar Association, past trustee for The Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington, and a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow. She currently serves on the board of YouthCare, and is a mentor under the City Year program.
Awards and Recognition
Karen has been listed for ten years as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers. She has also been repeatedly listed in Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business, a Washington Super Lawyer® and one of the Top 50 women lawyers in Washington by Super Lawyers®, one of Seattle's Top Lawyers by Seattle Magazine, and one of Seattle's Top Business Lawyers by Seattle Business Monthly. Karen has also received annual Pro Bono Publico Commendations from the Washington State Bar Association.
