Ken Payson

Ken Payson co-chairs the firm’s Class Action Defense Group. His practice focuses on class action defense, other complex commercial litigation and appellate work, particularly with respect to claims under state and federal statutes and regulations regarding privacy, consumer protection, employment, and product liability.

Ken represents clients from a variety of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, software, and digital and print media companies. He has obtained numerous orders dismissing putative class actions or denying class certification and has successfully defended them on appeal.

He serves as lead counsel in class actions across the nation. He has a particular practice focus defending so-called “blast text,” “blast fax,” and robocall class actions involving claims under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and similar state laws restricting unsolicited faxes and the use of autodialer, prerecorded, or artificial voice to place texts or calls.

Additional Qualifications:

• Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law, Seattle
• Shareholder, Heller Ehrman LLP, Seattle
• Law Clerk, Hon. Barbara Durham, Chief Justice, Washington State Supreme Court, Olympia, Wash.

Professional & Community Activities:

• Washington Leadership Institute Advisory Board, 2007-2010; Executive Director Search Committee, 2007; Judicial Recommendation Committee, 1997-2000 – Washington State Bar Association
• Board of Governors, 1999-2000; Alternate Governor, 2002-2005; Student Scholarship Committee, 2010-2016 – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• Co-chair, Joint Committee on Law Firm Diversity, 2007-2009 – Minority Bar Associations of Washington
• President, 2015-2016; Board of Directors, 2013-2018 – Asian Bar Association of Washington Student Scholarship Foundation
• Co-chair, Development Task Force – King County Bar Foundation Diversity Coalition, 2002

Education:

• J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 1996
  • Associate Editor, California Law Review
  • Editor-in-Chief, Asian Law Journal
  • Anthony Dragonette Memorial Award, Outstanding Student in Civil Trial Program
  • American Jurisprudence Award, Highest Grades and Rank in Civil Trial Practice and Pre-Trial Civil Litigation Courses
• B.A., California State University, East Bay, 1993, magna cum laude