Thomas F. Ahearne

Thomas Ahearne has over 30 years of trial court and appellate experience.  His practice focuses on two distinct areas: (1) representing policyholders & claimants in insurance coverage disputes, and (2) representing litigants in lawsuits involving constitutional law, statutory rights, and election issues.

Insurance Coverage:  Tom’s been successfully representing insureds and claimants in a wide array of state and federal court coverage suits since the 1980s. He’s a frequent speaker on insurance coverage at legal education seminars and association conferences, and was named Seattle’s insurance coverage “Lawyer of the Year” in the Best Lawyers® 2011 Insurance Law.

Constitutional Law, Statutory Rights, & Elections:  Tom’s experience over the past three decades includes (a) constitutional compliance suits such as the McCleary school funding litigation, (b) election disputes such as the series of state & federal lawsuits over the Rossi/Gregoire Governor’s race, (c) ballot title challenges including I-933, I-895, I-892, I-885, I-884, I-864, & I-860, (d) Public Records Act suits arising out of the Marysville Pilchuck High School & Seattle Pacific University shootings, and (e) suits over the validity of statutes & initiatives such as Washington’s Top-Two primary system and various Tim Eyman ballot measures.

EDUCATION:

• J.D., University of Chicago (with honors), 1984
• B.A., University of Notre Dame (magna cum laude), 1981

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• Washington (1984)
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington (1991)
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington (1984)
• United States Supreme Court (2006)

ACTIVITIES:

• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL)
• Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
• King County Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee (2003-2009)
• American Bar Association, Litigation Section & Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
• King County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Deputy Prosecutor, Felony Drug Task Force (1990-1991)