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Eric Gaston |
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Biography of Eric Gaston
Eric Gaston started his legal career as a prosecutor for Snohomish County where he prosecuted hundreds of DUIs and first became familiar with the many intricacies of that complex criminal charge. He was hired away by the Skagit County Prosecutor's office where his cases ranged from high profile DUI cases to vehicular homicide felonies. As a prosecutor he developed a reputation as a fair, but aggressive trial lawyer.
Eric's skill in the courtroom did not go unnoticed, and in 1998 he entered private practice with the Mount Vernon law firm of Weyrich and Verge. |
Eventually, he moved to Bellevue and co-founded the law firm of Veitch, Gaston & Kennedy, where he focused on the aggressive and innovative defense of DUIs and other serious traffic offenses. In 2005, Eric teamed with The Cowan Smith Kirk Law Firm in challenging recent changes in the implied consent law. Eric and Cowan, Smith and Kirk partner Bill Kirk argued the issue in 60 courts throughout Washington resulting in hundreds of breath tests being thrown out. He then accepted an offer to become a partner in our law firm which is now known as The Cowan Smith Kirk Gaston Law Firm.
Eric's status as one of Washington's premier DUI defense lawyers was recognized in 2002, 2005, 2006 and again in 2007, when he was distinguished in his field by being named "Rising Star" in Washington Law & Politics magazine. Additionally, Eric graduated from the prestigious National College for DUI Defense in 2005.
Eric has had articles published in the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers journal (Judge, Jury and Executioner: The DOL and Due Process in Administrative Hearings, 2001), and the King County Bar Association Practice Manual (Defending DUIs-A Defense Perspective, 2003). He lectured for the Washington Trial Lawyers Association (An Overview of Misdemeanor Practice, Early Years of Litigation Practice) in 2004 and has lectured numerous times in 2006 and 2007 on novel strategies for suppressing breath tests.
Eric is a member of the following organizations:
- The National College for DUI Defense
- Northwest Academy for DUI Defense (President 2005)
- Washington Trial Lawyers Association (Chair-Criminal Law Section 2005)
- Washington State Bar Association
Eric was raised in Kirkland, Washington and is a graduate of the University of Washington and Lewis
& Clark Northwestern School of Law. He is married and has two children. His passions outside the law include traveling and fly fishing. |
