Statement:
My name is Jennifer Lamari, and I am running for Lakewood City Council. I run a solo law practice in Lakewood and have more than 10 years of litigation experience. I have served as Criminal Deputy Prosecutor, Civil Deputy Prosecutor, Assistant City Attorney, Indigent Defense Attorney, and Deputy Coroner. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Hawaii Pacific University and worked overseas for several years as a teacher in South Korea, Poland, and France. Subsequently, I graduated with a Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law.
I have a wide range of knowledge relevant to municipal governance that I will bring with me to office, including experience with a variety of regulatory, civil, and criminal laws such as the Washington State Growth Management Act, Public Records Act, Clean Water Act, National and State Environmental Policy Act, Green Infrastructure, Stormwater Management, Administrative Procedure Act, Fish and Wildlife, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, and multiple municipal codes to name few.
As an attorney, I swore an oath to uphold the rule of law, the Washington State Constitution, and the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, I swore to never reject the cause of the defenseless or oppressed or delay unjustly the cause of any person. I am a strong advocate for voting rights and believe that legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority.
My core values are rooted in inclusivity, respect, communication, and collaboration. I believe in equality, equity, and justice. I am a strong advocate for healthcare for all, housing for all, evidence based public safety policies to reduce gun violence, environmental preservation, clean water and clean renewable energy, criminal justice reform, due process for all, livable wages, equity and access for all people regardless of ability, race or gender, and for laws and policies that protect, support, and empower women, minorities, queer, trans, and intersex people.
I am running for Lakewood City Council because I believe that with my background and experience, I can make a positive impact on my community.
More About Me:
Growing up in Western Washington, I was fortunate to be able to enjoy the bountiful natural resources our beautiful state has to offer, such as camping, salmon and steelhead fishing, clam digging, collecting oysters, shrimping, and crabbing. Most of my free time as a child was spent reading fiction and practicing the violin. I regularly competed in orchestra competitions and received awards for Best Solo, Best Duo, Best Trio, and Best Ensemble, and I also played violin with the Southwest Washington Youth Symphony.
I attended Kelso High School and was active in theater and yearbook. During high school I participated in school, college, and community theater as an actor, director, and stagehand. In my senior year of high school I directed a play for the Southwest Washington One-Act Play Festival. I received the award for best director, my show took first place, and many of my cast members also received awards. In 1995, I graduated in the top of my class and lettered in Dramatic Arts.
After high school, I attended Lower Columbia College where I focused mainly on English and Theater. I also played violin for a quarter with the Southwest Washington Adult Symphony and graduated Phi Theta Kappa in 1997. Subsequently, I received a scholarship to attend Hawaii Pacific University. During university, I served as writer and editor for the Hawaii Pacific Literary Review.
In addition to the standard British and American Literature curriculum at most mainland universities, I also studied Asian Literature and History, African Literature, and Pacific Islander Literature, including Hawaiian, Māori, and many other indigenous authors. Studying at Hawaii Pacific University was a unique experience. My graduating class had students from over 100 different countries! I made friends from all over the world.
After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Hawaii Pacific University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, I accepted a position teaching English in South Korea. I lived and worked mostly in Gangnam-gu in Seoul, but I also worked for a time in a small village called Jinga-ri in Gyeonggi Province. I fell in love with Korean food, culture, and language, and lived in Korea for two years.
I came back to the States for a short time but decided to go abroad again. I took a job teaching in Poland for a bit and then moved to France. In Paris I taught elementary school at a trilingual school with a French/English/Russian curriculum. Upon returning to the States, I wanted to go to graduate school. I had always planned on continuing my education, but I wasn't sure in which direction I wanted to go.
I decided to ask myself, "What did you want to be when you were a little girl?" The answer was: a lawyer. Within six months I had moved to Spokane and was studying at Gonzaga University School of Law. Although it was a lot of hard work, I absolutely loved law school.
During law school I received an award for receiving the highest marks in Federal Indian Law and was an active member of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA). I was selected to participate in the NALSA National Moot Court Competition. We wrote briefs for the competition and also flew to Oklahoma for the oral advocacy portion of the competition where our team received high marks. This earned me a place on the Moot Court Honor’s Council. I also served on the Student Bar Association Diversity Committee and received a scholarship for promoting diversity.
As a Student Attorney, I interned for the Gonzaga University Legal Assistance Environmental Law and Land Use Clinic and the Spokane Riverkeeper. I also served as a judicial clerk for the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings in Spokane Valley. I graduated Cum Laude in 2014 from Gonzaga Law with a Juris Doctor.
After law school I worked as an indigent criminal defense attorney in Okanogan County before deciding to move back to this side of the mountains to be closer to family. I worked as Deputy Prosecutor for Pacific County, where I also served as Deputy Coroner. Subsequently, I took a position as Civil Deputy Prosecutor for Cowlitz County in the Child Support Division to be closer to my family. While there, I was also appointed Special Assistant Attorney General to represent the State in Child Support actions in Wahkiakum County. My mother passed away in 2021, and this marked a massive shift in my life. After my mother passed away, I took a position as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Tacoma Prosecution Division and relocated to Pierce County.
I eventually started my own practice based on sliding-scale fees with the goal to provide affordable legal services for a flat fee with payment options. I also provide pro-bono services for indigent defendants when I can. I believe that everyone should be able to get affordable help to navigate the legal system. I provided over 50 hours of pro bono legal services in 2024, which qualifies me for the 2025 WSBA Pro Bono Publico Honor Roll. I also contract with the City of Olympia to provide Public Defense for indigent defendants facing criminal charges.
As a defense attorney and prosecutor, my job required regular and frequent court appearances and working closely with law enforcement, judges, court staff, mental health providers, social workers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants, and victims. Additionally, having served as a defense attorney and prosecutor, I have the ability to see both sides of an issue and understand the importance of fair and impartial proceedings.
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