Karen L. Cobb Stafford Frey Cooper, PC 3100 Two Union Square 601 Union Street Seattle, WA 98101-1374 206.667.8257 Direct 206.624.6885 Fax Email: Karen L. Cobb Karen is a senior litigation associate at Stafford Frey Cooper. She has a varied practice, with an emphasis in defense of governmental agencies and their officers for allegations of police misconduct and civil rights violations. Karen also represents governments and law enforcement officers in inquest proceedings following officer-involved fatalities. Her practice also includes probate/trust/estate/TEDRA litigation, estate planning and probate administraion. Karen has served as a law school student mentor through the King County Chapter of the Washington Women Lawyers, and has been a guest lecturer for Pretrial Advocacy at Seattle University School of Law. Karen developed a training program to assist officers in dealing with officer involved-fatalities and in 2009 obtained her certification in Force Science Analysis through the Force Science Institute, Ltd.  Karen was named a “Rising Star” in the November/December 2009 issue of Washington Law & Politics magazine. Prior to attending law school, Karen worked for seven years in the insurance industry, the majority as an insurance fraud investigator. She was very involved in the Puget Sound Special Investigators Association (P.S.S.I.), and obtained her Fraud Claims Law Specialist designation. Karen was born and raised in Minnesota and migrated to the Pacific Northwest after graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in Criminology. Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends, entertaining, traveling, scrap-booking, reading and photography. Karen serves on her church advisory council, and is very involved in the women's ministry and youth ministry programs, participating in mission trips to a school for the deaf in Jamaica; to San Luis Potosi, Mexico and an inner-city ministry team; and to Biloxi, Mississippi to assist with hurricane relief efforts.Education • Seattle University School of Law, J.D. 2003 • Magna cum laude • University of Minnesota, Duluth, B.A. (Criminology) 1987 Representative Cases • Karen has represented numerous law enforcement officers from various agencies in inquests into law enforcement involved deaths.  In each case, the inquest jury returned a verdict in favor of the officers. • Price v. City of Seattle, et al., King County: Karen drafted a successful motion to partially decertify the class of 20,000 members in a multi-million dollar class action regarding vehicles impounded under City of Seattle DWLS ordinance. The ruling reduced the value of the claims by an estimated 75%. • In re Guardianship Matter, Island County: Karen assisted in representation of a limited guardian in a guardianship matter, drafting a successful motion in the contested matter for full reimbursement of attorney fees. • Yanni v. City of Seattle, et al.: with Ted Buck, Karen obtained a complete defense verdict in federal court for the City and two Seattle police officers sued for unlawful detention, unlawful arrest and excessive force. • Washington v. Alvarez, Keller, and Baldwin: Karen assisted Anne Bremner in the representation of a King County Sheriff's deputy who was charged with assault and unlawful imprisonment of a police informant. After a hung jury, the prosecutor's office declined to re-file charges and the deputy was returned to active duty. Memberships and Service • Washington State Bar Association • King County Bar Association • Christian Legal Society • Washington Women Lawyers • Defense Research Institute • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association   • Police & Government Liability • Trust & Estate Litigation • Estate Planning & Probate     Washington State Courts United States District Court for the Western District of Washington United States Court of Appeals: Ninth Circuit