About Michael Schwartz

I attended Michigan State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Cum Laude, in 1974. Originally planning on obtaining a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I continued post graduate work while working in a crisis clinic and acute care in-patient psychiatric facility at St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Lansing, Michigan.

I moved to Seattle in the fall of 1975 and continued to work as a counselor. By 1977 the original plan had changed with the decision to go to law school. I attended and graduated from what is now Seattle University Law School in 1980.

I began work in the King County Prosecutor’s office as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney following graduation. I worked in the criminal division handling, mostly, high impact and violent crimes including murder, vehicular homicide, felony assaults, robberies and sexual assaults. I left the prosecutor’s office in 1986 to join the Criminal Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (“AGO”) as Deputy Director of a fraud unit based in Tacoma. By that time I had conducted approximately 125 felony jury trials and written and argued dozens of appeals.

In 1991, still at the AGO, I became the Director of a new unit within the AGO tasked with handling complex criminal investigations and prosecutions throughout the state of Washington. During my tenure with the AGO I was responsible for all legal and administrative functions including budget and funding, hiring and supervision of staff, case selection, directing investigations and conducting prosecutions. I also provided liaison and consulting services for state agencies in training, enforcement, and program modification. While with the AGO I wrote proposed legislation and testified about bills addressing criminal law issues.

I left government service for private practice in 1996. My current practice focuses on criminal defense and litigation in civil, administrative, licensing, and regulatory cases. The types of civil cases include personal injury, professional malpractice, wrongful death and governmental misconduct. I practice both in state courts as well as federal courts. My trial practice has continued throughout and now involves approximately 200 trials including a number of civil cases.

From 2002 to 2018 I taught courses in forensics, criminal procedure and investigations at the University of Washington.

Let me put the knowledge gained through decades of experiences on both sides of the criminal justice system to work for you. Call me now – and find out how I can help set things right for you.