Get an inside look at the culture and values that make GLP Attorneys a rewarding place to grow a legal career. Law Clerk Anna Lee (Kornish) and Senior Litigation Paralegal Curtis Williams share their experiences, the impact of the firm’s core values, and how GLP Attorneys continues to grow while staying deeply committed to its people and community.
What first brought you to GLP Attorneys?
Anna: After working for a corporation's legal department in downtown Seattle for ten years, I wanted to find work closer to home, and I saw that GLP Attorneys office in Burlington was hiring for a legal assistant position. I applied for the position, got hired, and I have now been with a firm for a little over 12 years. Over the course of 12 years, I have held many positions from legal assistant to senior paralegal, and most recently law clerk.
Curtis: I began my paralegal career in 2005 after graduating from High Line Community College Paralegal Plus program. I spent eight years previously working in retail and wanted a more professional career with opportunities for growth. My first paralegal job was working for a single attorney for a couple of years. He only handled long term disability appeals, and after a couple of years of doing that, I wanted to expand my opportunities to work in a law firm that had more diverse areas of law practice.
In November 2007, I answered an ad on Craigslist and was interviewed by John Webber and Cydney Campbell Webster, who hired me to work on a specific case that involved a lot of discovery and depositions. After we successfully resolved that case, I moved on to handling a variety of different cases within the firm, working primarily with Cydney and John on their various cases.
I quickly discovered that there was going to be a lot of opportunity to work on a variety of different cases while working at GLP Attorneys. This allowed me to stay intrigued and curious about different areas of law practice. Over the years, my role in cases has evolved from having a large caseload, to now working more on specific cases that involve severe injuries, complex issues, litigation discovery, and multiple depositions.
It seems like every six months I am learning about a new piece of equipment, machinery, or area of law and I never get bored with the work I do.
What makes GLP Attorneys a place worth building a career?
Anna: GLP Attorneys is very supportive of employees' career goals. For instance, when GLP Attorneys found out I wanted to be an attorney, without hesitation, they offered me a rule six mentorship to avoid the expense of law school. They support a healthy work life balance by allowing employees to work from home when necessary, and I very much appreciate the open door policy this firm offers.
Curtis: To me, it's the respect that is given to all employees at every level. And all my time here, I've never experienced an us versus them mentality between staff and management. Collaboration is one of the core values of our firm, and what sets us apart from other large personal injury law firms. This is something that I learned was not just a saying very early on.
After being hired, I immediately knew this was going to be the right place for me. In 2007, we were a much smaller firm. On every Wednesday we would hold case review meetings. At these meetings, all staff were invited to attend from senior partners down to legal assistants. Everyone was invited to provide input on a variety of cases in all opinions and comments were appreciated.
This was an amazing introduction to the collaboration that has been the DNA of GLP Attorneys my entire time working here. We continue to hold these weekly case review meetings to the present day. Another reason I've stayed with GLP Attorneys for so many years is the firm's genuine commitment to recognizing everyone who contributed to the success of a case. I have friends at other firms, and some of the stories they share sound like something out of a TV drama where people are more focused on personal credit than collaboration.
Things like coming up with a key idea, or identifying a critical issue, only to have an attorney take all the credit. That kind of environment simply doesn't exist at GLP Attorneys. Here there are no big egos, just a shared commitment to doing great work together. There's a real openness and appreciation for the value that every team member brings, no matter their role.
That culture of mutual respect and recognition is one of GLP Attorneys greatest strengths, and it's something I believe truly sets us apart. All staff are motivated to continue their learning and improve their careers. It's been wonderful to watch newly hired associate attorneys work their way up through the ranks to become partners. The same can be said with the legal staff, paralegals, and legal assistants.
Over my years, I've watched GLP Attorneys management help cultivate careers of paralegals who then move on into law school, as well as legal assistants to then advance on up into the role of paralegals. Opportunity for growth not only benefits the employees, but also benefits the company, as it only adds to the overall knowledge and expertise of all staff. I've always been treated well as an employee of GLP Attorneys.
I have watched over the years how the management has grown and changed with the times.
Simple things like moving on from high dress code requirements for office staff to a more casual atmosphere may seem like a simple thing, but really makes a difference in staff overall morale.
How do the values of the firm show up in your day-to-day work?
Curtis: Every day I come to the office, I have the privilege of working alongside people who are deeply committed to their craft and to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients. The cases I typically handle often involve complex issues of liability and negligence, requiring not only legal skill but also creative problem solving. That creativity is something I see reflected in our work daily.
What sets our team apart is the open door culture that encourages collaboration and the sharing of institutional knowledge across all levels. The compassion and dedication shown to each individual client continues to impress me year after year. It's truly a privilege to work with some of the most talented and respected attorneys in Washington State.
Anna: I treat each client as if they were my only client. Establishing good rapport with my clients is very important to me, because they need to know that I have their back, and I am here to help and support them in their time of need. Sometimes they just need a shoulder to cry on. Other times they need encouragement and sometimes they need hope.
Choose a single word and explain why it captures the spirit of the firm.
Curtis: Compassion. Our attorneys and legal staff are deeply committed to each client, treating every individual not as a case number, but as a person deserving of our highest level of care and attention. In this industry, especially as firms grow, it can be easy to lose that personal touch. But one thing I've consistently seen, as we've expanded into one of the largest personal injury firms in Washington state, is that we never have lost sight of the human side of our work.
Many of our clients are enduring some of the most devastating injuries and life altering circumstances and magical compassion, and more importantly, empathy, remains at the heart of everything we do. In every case I've worked on, I've seen firsthand how we prioritize understanding and honoring what our clients are going through.
Anna: Commitment. Once a person becomes a client of GLP Attorneys, we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that our clients have the best possible outcome in their cases, no matter how challenging their case might be. We will brainstorm as a firm to come up with a workable solution.
How has the firm grown or changed during your tenure?
Anna: When I first started, shareholder Heather Webb oversaw the Burlington office and the Wenatchee office. She used to travel to Wenatchee 1 to 2 times per month, and over the course of five years, Wenatchee became a fully staffed office of which I am proud to be a part of.
I appreciate the opportunities that this firm allows for me to engage in my local community. The firm enthusiastically supports me in giving back to the community. When I volunteer for organizations such as the Charlotte Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services, which often happens during working hours.
Curtis: Back in 2007, we were still a relatively small firm with just two offices, one in Seattle and one in Tacoma. Over the past 17 years that I've been here, it's been incredible to witness the steady growth and expansion of both our firm and our brand. We've opened offices across the state and evolved into one of the largest firms in Washington. Yet despite all that growth, we've remained true to our core values.
GLP Attorneys’ Award Winning Culture
In recent years, innovation has helped our firm to grow and achieve recognitions such as one of the Best Places to Work in Washington State and as a Best Law Firm in the Pacific Northwest. These are honors we take seriously. We remain committed to providing a purpose-driven work experience for our employees, and to advocating for justice in the communities and for the clients we serve.
We invite you to learn more about GLP Attorneys by connecting with any Shareholder, our Executive Leadership Team, or one of our outstanding employees.
Speak to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Today
GLP Attorneys has supported clients with their personal injury cases for nearly four decades and has experience achieving justice for clients who have been involved in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, construction injuries, brain trauma, wrongful death and more.
If you have been injured in an accident, call 800-273-5005 or email our attorneys at to schedule a free lawyer consultation.
