William Kirk

Bill Kirk was a rising star in the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office until being hired away by the Cowan Law Firm in 2000. Mr. Kirk built a reputation amongst judges and defense lawyers as a fearless, but fair prosecutor, but mostly has a highly skilled trial advocate. Committed to eventually become a criminal defense lawyer, Bill interned for both the Spokane County and King County Prosecutors while in law school, and tried 19 cases, most of them DUIs before he had graduated from law school and received his license to practice law. Bill graduated from Washington State University in 1992, and from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1998. Impressed with his early demonstration as a top fight trial lawyer, the King County Prosecutor’s Office immediately offered him a permanent position. He was initially assigned to District Court Unit, where his primary function was to prosecute DUIs. He quickly rose through the ranks, next being assigned to the Juvenile Court, and then to the Felony Drug Unit where he prosecuted felony drug cases until joining this law firm in 2000. He now limits his practice exclusively to defending those accused of impaired driving.

Mr. Kirk was named a “Rising Star” by Washington Law & Politics in 2002 and 2003. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law & Politics from 2003 – 2010, one of only 250 attorneys in the State to receive such an honor. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, Mr. Kirk was named as one of the Washington’s “Top 25” criminal defense attorneys.

Bill has received certification in administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests in 2001. He was trained by National Patent, the manufacturer of Washington’s breath machine, in Mansfield, Ohio in 2003. He was named partner in this firm in 2004.

Bill has been very active and is a multiple time graduate of the National College of DUI Defense’s Summer Session (Harvard Law School) and its Winter Session. In 2009, Bill was named to the Board of Regents for the National College for DUI Defense, one of only 12 lawyers in the country to server on this board. Bill has lectured extensively both locally, nationally and internationally in all areas related to the defense of those accused of impaired driving.

Bill is also a member of the following organizations:

 
• National College for DUI Defense, Board of Regent
• Washington Foundation for Criminal Justice, currently serving as Vice President
• Northwest Academy of DUI Defense (Founding Member; President 2003)
• Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
• Washington State Bar Association
• American Bar Association

A lifelong resident of the Seattle area, Bill is married with two sons. He is also a season-ticket holder for the Seattle Mariners and a rabid fan of Washington State University where he served as President of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity in 1991 and President of the Interfraternity Council in 1992.

The Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification of specialties in the practice of law and the certificate, award or recognition is not a requirement to practice law in the state.