Dean Williams
Attorney
Practice
Dean is an Associate Attorney at JMMK. Dean’s practice focuses on negotiating with local jurisdictions for development approvals and representing builders in administrative and judicial appeals. He is also an active litigator with experience handling claims for adverse possession and prescriptive easement, water trespass, private and public condemnation, landslide damages, and various other issues arising from the ownership of real property.
Dean attended law school at night while working full-time as a litigation paralegal at a top-20 Seattle firm with a focus in land use law. It was not only his practical experience, but Dean’s passion for land use, development, and real estate law that made him a natural fit for JMMK.
Representative Matters
Dean has appeared before several hearing examiners on preliminary plats and associated permits, boundary review boards to advocate for annexation approvals, the Pollution Control Hearings Board to uphold Landfill Closures, and the Shorelines Hearings Board to reconsider waterfront proposals. If there’s real property involved, Dean will work with your engineers and planners to present the best possible case for approval before decision-makers at any level.
One of the impacts of modern technology is aerial photography and other easy-to-navigate resources for County and City Code Enforcement teams to bring to bear on landowners. Dean’s practice includes assisting property owners with negotiating compliance terms or challenging alleged violations before hearing examiners, with great success, especially with older, unpermitted structures. Dean’s commitment went further to assist one client with selling transferable development rights and a conservation easement to secure their financial future and vision for the property.
Dean also represents developers with permit applications in Kittitas, Thurston, Snohomish, and King Counties, and the Cities of North Bend, Edgewood, Sammamish, Issaquah, Kirkland, Lacey, Bellevue, Renton, and Redmond. The list continues to grow with Dean’s practice and integration with JMMK. Building relationships with these stakeholders is just one step in providing competent representation to our valued clients.
Background
Sole Practitioner, Dean Williams Law PLLC (2018)
Contract Attorney, Keating Bucklin & McCormack (2017)
Student Clerk, Justice Steven C. González of the Washington Supreme Court (2017)
Summer Intern, Land Use Section, Seattle City Attorney’s Office (2016)
Education
Seattle University School of Law, J.D., cum laude 2017
Managing Editor, Seattle University Law Review
Western Washington University, B.A., 2011
Professional Organizations
King County Bar Association
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
Civic Activities
Volunteer Attorney, Housing Justice Project of the King County Bar Association
Volunteer Attorney, Seattle United for Immigrants and Refugees
Volunteer, Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC)
Dean also enjoys backpacking, kayaking, and playing a game of cribbage.