Biography
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Mr. Hennessey was born in Seattle, Washington on March 7, 1956. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Washington in 1978 and his J.D. in 1984 from Creighton University. He was admitted to practice in Washington in 1984, and was admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in 1986.
Mr. Hennessey regularly represents clients in need of help resolving complex disputes, primarily through litigation. He also regularly represents clients in arbitration and mediation contexts in cases involving a broad assortment of substantive legal issues. His practice currently emphasizes commercial litigation, fiduciary and trust litigation (including representation of trustees, beneficiaries, will contests and guardianship issues), tort litigation, contract litigation, employment and environmental litigation.
Prior to working at the predecessor firm of Smith & Leary, Mr. Hennessey served as a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County in the criminal division and worked in a civil litigation firm for two years emphasizing complex commercial and tort litigation. He has appeared in numerous state and federal courts in a variety of locations other than Washington, including Alaska, California, Oregon, Louisiana and Georgia. Mr. Hennessey has argued cases in the Washington State Court of Appeals and the Washington State Supreme Court. He currently is a member of the King County Bar Association, the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, the Washington State Bar Association, the American Bar Association (Member, Real Property, Trust & Estate Law and Antitrust Law Sections), and the Federal Bar Association (Western District of Washington). He was selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.
