Jaime M. Olander

Long before Jaime Olander became an attorney, he had a connection with the law. Born in Seattle and raised on Lopez Island, Jaime grew up in a commercial fishing family during a turbulent period in Washington’s history. In the 1970s, his father Wilber Olander was a commercial fisherman deeply involved in the legal and political controversies surrounding salmon fishing rights.

In the years following the Boldt Decision’s expansion of tribal fishing rights, Jaime witnessed those conflicts firsthand. As a child, he was aboard his father’s fishing boat when armed Coast Guard cutter crews boarded the vessel. His father was later held in contempt of court by Judge Boldt; however, Wilber was exonerated on appeal. Those experiences helped shape Jaime’s understanding of the law, the power of government, and the importance of standing up for people whose rights are at stake – Native American and non-native alike.

Jaime spent his summers and school breaks working aboard commercial fishing and processing vessels in Alaska’s Bristol Bay and Prince William Sound. While the work was demanding, it taught him the value of preparation, persistence, and relying on the people around him. Those lessons have stayed with him throughout his legal career.

After graduating from The Bush School in Seattle, Jaime earned his B.A. in English with honors from the University of Washington. He went on to receive his J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1995.

Jaime has spent his entire legal career representing plaintiffs. His commitment to that work is rooted in the experiences that first drew him to the law: a belief that individuals deserve a meaningful opportunity to challenge powerful institutions and hold corporations, insurance companies, and government agencies accountable for misconduct.

Admitted Jurisdictions

• Washington State Bar Association
• Federal Bar, Western District of Washington
• Federal Bar, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• Federal Bar, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Federal Bar, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Tulalip Tribal Court Bar Association

Illustrative Cases

• Gold Root Investments, LLC v. Silver Lake Rest Stop LLC, Whatcom County Superior Court #21-2-00313-37, $2,250,000 settlement (fraud, breach of contract)
• Thomas v. Panek, King County Superior Court #16-2-18238-1 SEA, $143,845 jury verdict and settlement (timber trespass, infliction of emotional distress)
• Kurdelchuk v. Washington State Department of Transportation, City of Federal Way, King County Superior Court #11-2-40042-5 KNT, and Kurdelchuk v. Bergquist, King County Superior Court #10-2-05222-4 KNT, $375,000 combined settlement and agreed judgment (wrongful death, highway design, motor vehicle negligence)
• McGrath v. Six, Snohomish County Superior Court #24-2-00737-31, and McGrath v. Progressive Casualty Insurance Co., King County Superior Court #26-2-21353-4 SEA, $350,000 combined settlement (motor vehicle negligence, insurance bad faith)
• Burgess v. International Paper Co. et al, King County Superior Court #11-2-41185-1 KNT, $175,000 settlement (motor vehicle negligence)
• Rushing v. Bridgestone Tire Co. et al, King County Superior Court #12-2-12654-2 SEA, $250,000 settlement (motor vehicle negligence)
• Confidential v. Confidential, King County Superior Court, $1,000,000 settlement (product liability, design defect)
• Confidential v. Confidential, King County Superior Court, $750,000 settlement (product liability, design defect)
• Confidential v. Confidential, King County Superior Court, $300,000 settlement (wrongful termination)
• Anh Nguyen v. Thuong Nguyen, King County Superior Court, #97-2-21604-4 KNT, $1,300,000 settlement (premises liability)