PRACTICE AREAS:
Catastrophic Injury or Death
Medical Malpractice
Consumer Protection
Civil Rights
Sex Abuse
General Serious Personal Injury
Automobile Accidents
EDUCATION
Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania
J.D. - 1997
Honors: Member, Moot Court Team
Honors: Semi-finalist 1996 National Tax Moot Court Competition, Tampa Florida
University of San Diego
B.B.A. - 1994
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Alcala Award Recipient, 1994
Honors: Student Body President, 1994
Honors: With Honors
Major: Business Economics
HONORS
American Board of Trial Attorneys (ABOTA), Washington Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2019
Top 100 Lawyer in Washington, Washington Law & Politics, 2015-present
Super Lawyers, Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2013-present
"AV-Rated", Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Rating, 2012-2020
"Superb Rated", avvo.com Peer Review Rating, 2012-2020
Co-Recipient, Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association Pro Bono Award, 2002
Recipient, Peter Perlman Service Award, Litigation Counsel of America
"Boss of the Year," National Association of Legal Secretaries of Pierce County, 2008
BAR ADMISSIONS
Washington
U.S. District Court Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Oregon
New Jersey
BIOGRAPHY
Tom Vertetis is a trial lawyer with a passionate commitment to assisting those in need of help. Prior to law school, Tom was committed to his community by serving as the Student Body President at the University of San Diego, where he graduated with honors. He earned his law degree from Villanova University School of Law. After completing a clerkship with the Honorable Jane B. Cantor of the New Jersey Superior Court, he served as an assistant prosecutor in New Jersey prosecuting hundreds of criminal matters on behalf of injured victims.
Tom primarily represents injured victims in complex personal injury, including medical malpractice, wrongful death, sexual abuse, school liability, and civil rights claims.
As a trial attorney, Tom has tried in excess of 50 cases to juries and obtained plaintiff's verdicts in diverse cases including a $13.95 million medical malpractice jury verdict for a 22 year old client who suffered a catastrophic embolic stroke during an elective cardiac catheterization, a $4.5 million jury verdict in federal court for a 19 year old Amtrak passenger seriously injured following the train’s derailment, a $3.075 million jury verdict for the wrongful termination and defamation of a 20-year decorated senior county prosecutor, a $1 million medical malpractice verdict against a surgeon for an improper bladder laceration post-hysterectomy, a $1.4 million verdict against the State of Washington for unlawful conduct against a local business, and a $776,400 medical malpractice verdict for a nineteen year-old woman who suffered permanent injuries from a mistreated fracture to her right arm. He has also successfully resolved many important lawsuits short of trial including one of the largest dental malpractice settlements in the State of Washington for a client left with partial permanent facial paralysis after an over-injection of dental anesthetic, a $12.5 million medical malpractice settlement for an infant left with birth injuries due to a negligent delivery, a $5.425 million settlement for a client struck by a motor vehicle that suffered permanent injury and a $3.4 million medical malpractice settlement for a client that suffered a permanent brain injury as a result of a complication during a cardiac catheterization.
Tom has been consistently recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics, a recognition bestowed upon only 5% of eligible attorneys each year in the state. Since 2014, he has been recognized as a "Top 100" lawyer in Washington by Washington Law and Politics. Tom has achieved an "AV" peer rating, the highest rating available for legal ability and ethical standards, by Martindale Hubbell. He has been rated as "superb" by avvo.com. Tom was nominated to the "Top 40 under 40 in Washington" by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Tom sits as the vice-president and board member on Washington's Campaign for Equal Justice and is a past president of the Pierce County Bar Foundation. Recently, Tom was named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society where fellowship is by invitation only and is limited to less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. He has previously been awarded the "Local Hero Award" by the Washington State Bar Association, the coveted "Boss of the Year" award by the Pierce County National Association of Legal Professionals and the "Pro Bono Award" by the Pierce County Bar Association.
Tom's eldest child has autism. He is a strong advocate and champion for disabled children. He currently serves on the Board of Ashley House, a South Sound care provider for medically fragile children, and has served on the Board of the Academy of Precision Learning, an inclusive Seattle K-12 school which provides educational services to both typical developing and students on the autism spectrum. He also supports Autism awareness and is a regular emcee for the University of Washington Experimental Education Unit's annual auction.
Tom married his college sweetheart, Jennifer, and has three children: Peter, Mary and Glorian.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Washington State Association for Justice
American Bar Association
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
King County Bar Association
American Board of Trial Advocates, Associate
International Society of Barristers, Fellow
Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
American Bar Association, 1997
Washington State Association of Justice, Member, 2004
WSAJ, Medical Negligence, Section Chair, 2017 to 2020
Campaign for Equal Justice, Board of Directors, Vice-President
PRO-BONO ACTIVITIES
Pierce County Bar Foundation, President, 2009 to 2010
Campaign for Equal Justice, Board of Directors, Vice-President, 2019 to Present
Board of Directors, Ashley House for Medically Fragile Children , 2009 to Present
Friends of the University of Washington Experimental Education Unit, Member, 2011 to Present
University of Washington Autism Center & Experimental Education Unit, Advisory and Fund Raising Board Member, 2004 to 2005
Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association, Volunteer Services/Pro Bono Committee, Chair, 2002 to 2003
Board of Directors, The Academy of Precision Learning
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit, Annual Auction, Emcee
Appointed as Western District of Washington, 9th Circuit Lawyer Representative
Federal Bar Association, Western District of Washington, Trustee , 2020 to Present
CLASSES & SEMINARS
Regularly Scheduled Speaker, Trial Practice, Medical Malpractice and Evidence, CLE Seminars
Lecturer, WSBA CLE Courses
Lecturer, WSAJ CLE Courses
Weekly Tutor, McCarver Elementary School - Werlin Reading Program
Speaker, WSAJ Annual Convention 2019, 09/20/2019
Speaker, "Don't Let Your Case Drive You", WSAJ, 12/14/2018
Presenter, "Damages in Personal Injury", National Business Institute CLE, 09/28/2012
Faculty, "Civil Procedure and Judicial Review Outside of Trial", National Business Institute Seminar, 09/30/2011
PUBLISHED WORKS
Chapter Author, WSAJ Medical Negligence Deskbook, Washington State Association for Justice, 2016
