About Melanie
I was born in Everett, WA, but I didn’t learn English until I started preschool when I was 5. My parents immigrated to escape the Vietnam war. We grew up in section 8 housing where my dad mowed lawns and my mom raised us kids. Adapting to the new culture was a challenge for my parents and growing up in a traditional household was hard for us. My older sister and I shared a room with a bunk bed until I left for college.
In school, I realized that an education was a way out of poverty. I noticed that my parents were treated differently because of their accents. And I noticed that my community lacked adequate support systems. I had to work hard not only because I didn’t know the language at first, but because no one at home could help me. I wanted to have a future where I could do something about this fundamental disparity.
I was drawn to being a lawyer even though I wasn’t sure that I could ever be one. I am the only person in my family to graduate from college. I received a large scholarship to go to law school; I’m not sure I could have attended otherwise. After graduating, being selected to clerk for the Washington State Supreme was a huge accomplishment for me. And now I feel so blessed to be working at the Stritmatter firm that supports my passion and vision.
When I’m not at the office, I am outdoors, backpacking, climbing, or walking Cheddar my crazed beagle. We are a dog-friendly office, but Cheddar often manages to escape from my room so that he can zoom around looking for treats.
Education and Training
As a former law clerk at the Washington State Supreme Court, I was blessed to have the opportunity to work on complex and novel issues of law. The most personal to me was being involved in Court’s discussion on overturning the death penalty. Another meaningful project I worked on is an opinion affirming the Yakama Reservation’s right to travel. This case was appealed and recently affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States. See the SCOTUS opinion here.
"Really, this case just tells an old and familiar story. The State of Washington includes millions of acres that the Yakamas ceded to the United States under significant pressure. In return, the government supplied a handful of modest promises. The State is now dissatisfied with the consequences of one of those promises. It is a new day, and now it wants more. But today and to its credit, the Court holds the parties to the terms of their deal. It is the least we can do."
Seattle University School of Law, J.D., 2016
University of Washington, B.A., Law Societies and Justice, Political Science, Philosophy, 2010
