Jill Smith
Founding Partner
Jill@SSSLawGroup.com
Jill was born and raised in the Midwest and attended Wheaton College (IL) graduating in 1994. She came to the Pacific Northwest in 1997 to attend Willamette University College of Law. She was on Willamette’s Law Review staff, and graduated with a Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude in 2000.
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In 2000, Jill began her career as a clerk for Judge Walt Edmonds on the Oregon Court of Appeals. After that two-year clerkship, she served as an Assistant Attorney General at Oregon’s Department of Justice, in the Appellate Division, where she briefed and argued more than 40 appeals in two years.
Jill joined this firm’s predecessor, Roy & Simmons, in early 2005. She regularly appears in Whatcom, Island, Skagit, Snohomish and King County Superior Courts and federal court for the Western District of Washington. She frequently handles administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Washington Human Rights Commission.
Jill is a certified Title IX Investigator for K-12 Schools. Title IX prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities. She also conducts workplace investigations, not just for schools, but other public and private employers.
Finally, Jill is certified as a Hearing Officer under Title IX for Higher Education. She is currently serving as an interim Hearing Officer for University of Washington, in both student and employee conduct proceedings.
Jill is an active volunteer in the Bellingham community, including for Squalicum Girls Soccer Team, Bellingham Bay Swim Team, and Squalicum Boys Swim and Dive team. She is recognized among top lawyers in Washington having received a “Rising Star” badge from SuperLawyers, and a 5-star client rating on Avvo.com.