Kosnoff Fasy welcomes Kara Tredway, our newest associate

By Dan Fasy

Tim Kosnoff and I are extremely please to announce the arrival of the newest member of our firm, Kara A. Tredway. She is a 2011 distinguished graduate of the McGeorge School of Law at University of the Pacific, Sacramento.

Kara will be particularly valuable to our firm as we take on clients from California, where she is a bar association member, as she is here in Washington state.

To give readers an idea of Kara’s background and aspirations, we posed a series of questions:

Why did you decide to go to law school?

I decided from a very young age that I wanted to become a lawyer. My parents were always supportive but also told me to keep an open mind about finally deciding on a career path. Throughout high school, college and beyond I continued to hold fast to my dream of becoming a lawyer. In all that time, I never once truly considered any other path for myself, so I decided to fulfill my dream and entered law school in 2008.

Did you go to law school directly after graduating from college?

I did not enter law school immediately after undergrad. After my undergraduate work, I pursued a master’s degree abroad in the socio-legal field. I spent a year living in a small university town in the Basque region of Spain taking classes with professors and students from across the world. It was a truly wonderful experience. After completing my masters, I worked as a legal assistant so that I could have first-hand knowledge of the inner-workings of a law firm. I thought gaining that experience was essential to help me determine whether pursuing a career in the law was the right thing for me.

What helped you decide where to attend law school? And why two law licenses – California and Washington?

Originally, I thought I wanted to focus on international human-rights law and the school that I chose, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, has an excellent international-law program. Also, I was considering the possibility of working with politics on some level and, since McGeorge is located in the state capital, Sacramento, it seemed like a good fit for my interests.

As I was nearing the end of my third year at McGeorge, I was not 100-percent sure whether I would practice in California or Washington. I am from California originally and I honestly never thought that I would live anywhere else. However, during my time in law school my husband was pursuing his own educational goals and was working toward earning a doctorate in political science from the University of Washington.

In Seattle, I always got the feeling that I was home. We finally decided that we wanted to live permanently in Seattle, so that is what prompted me to take the Washington bar exam. However, you never know where you will be years down the road, so I decided to take the California exam first just to have some options down the road.

Did you know what area of law practice you wanted to pursue?

My goal for wanting to practice law is to make a difference in people’s lives. I truly believe that plaintiff’s work is the best way to accomplish that goal so it has always been on my priority list in terms of practice areas. If I was not working on the civil side then I think I would consider being a criminal prosecutor for a city or county.

Kosnoff Fasy has a victim-advocacy focus. What about this approach appeals to you?

Anytime someone takes the step to hire a lawyer, he or she is usually in a difficult situation. Now, add in the complexity of wanting to hire a lawyer because you were a victim of childhood sexual abuse. There are so many emotions tied into bringing this type of case and, for many of our clients, it is an incredibly difficult thing to do.

What I appreciate most about Kosnoff Fasy is that the partners have recognized the need for a special kind of advocacy for victims of childhood sexual abuse and have structured their firm around that need. I appreciate that Kosnoff Fasy is singularly committed to seeking justice for victims of childhood abuse.

What do you most hope to accomplish during your first year?

I would like to see my work directly help those who have been victimized. I cannot imagine anything more powerful or rewarding than that.

Welcome, Kara!

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274
Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690
Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338
Kara Tredway, direct: 206-453-0579
Kosnoff Fasy, Seattle office: 206-257-3590