After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Utah with a degree in ballet, Shelly was unexpectedly called upon to support her family in Alaska at age 21. She worked as a dance instructor at the Alaska Dance Theater and earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching. From there, Shelly began teaching middle school students in a community with many disadvantaged families. But a career in the law held Shelly’s interest, and she moved to Washington to earn her law degree at Seattle University.
For the past 18 years, Shelly Speir has been a courtroom litigator with the respected Tacoma law firm, Troup, Christnacht, Ladenburg, McKasy, Durkin & Speir. She became the first and only female partner at the firm where her practice focuses primarily on representation of those who have been injured by the negligence of others. Shelly does battle with opponents like insurance companies, large corporations, and governments every day. Her clients trust her to do what’s right and fair.
Shelly Speir has honed her skills as an advocate in the courtrooms of Pierce County. She has been named a Super Lawyer by publisher Thomson Reuters, and Seattle Met Magazine called her one of the “Top Attorneys in Washington.”
Although Shelly has experience in real estate, probate, land use, and environmental law, her greatest success as a trial lawyer has been in representation of the injured. Some of her significant courtroom victories include:
A $2.2 million verdict against three dog owners and Pierce County for a pit bull attack
Two settlements in excess of $600,000 in cases of premises liability
A $250,000 settlement for a tenant who sustained a brain injury after slipping and falling on a stairway in a rental unit
A settlement of almost $600,000 for a developmentally delayed person who suffered seizures after a rear-end collision
Successful advocates often make the best judges. They know all sides of the argument and simply try to follow the law and the facts and do what’s right and fair.
Shelly Speir has become a leader with the Washington State Association for Justice, serving on its Board of Governors and as a frequent and respected speaker at legal education programs.
For the past decade, Shelly has given back to the Pierce County community through her fundraising efforts for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
She is an avid knitter, jewelry designer, and beekeeper at her home in Lakewood.
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