Summit Law Group

John H. Chun


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JOHN H. CHUN

Employment/Litigation Attorney
(206) 676-7000

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Practice: John Chun is a trial lawyer and client counselor whose practice focuses on employment, labor, and commercial matters.

Experience: John has extensive experience in state and federal court, arbitration proceedings, mediation, administrative matters, and investigations. He has represented businesses, public entities and individuals in various types of employment, labor, commercial, and international cases. His work has involved a broad range of industries, including aviation, financial services, venture capital, legal services, hospitality, telecommunications, fishing, construction, real estate, transportation, healthcare, computers and software.

Representative engagements:

Employment Cases
  • Lead counsel for employer/federal contractor in U.S. Department of Labor investigation of claims of discrimination by group of employees. Successfully obtained dismissal of all charges of discrimination.
  • Lead trial counsel for plaintiff in gender discrimination action. Successfully obtained judgment in favor of plaintiff at trial. Also obtained award of attorney fees and costs.
  • Lead counsel for employer in discrimination action. Successfully obtained dismissal of disability discrimination claim. Thereafter, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the remaining gender discrimination claim and the case.
  • Lead counsel for employer in action for wages. After approximately eight months of litigation, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case.
  • Represented city in gender discrimination action brought by former police officer. Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of city.
  • Represented employer in breach of contract action brought by former executive. Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of employer.
  • Represented employer in race discrimination action. Successfully obtained defense judgment at trial. Also obtained award of costs.

Commercial Cases

  • Lead trial counsel for hotels in breach of contract action brought by airport shuttle service. Successfully obtained defense judgment at trial. Also obtained award of attorney fees and costs.
  • Lead counsel for hotels in appeal of above case by airport shuttle service. Successfully obtained dismissal of appeal by using judgment on award of attorney fees and costs to execute on plaintiff’s claims.
  • Lead counsel for defendant in civil action under Washington’s Criminal Profiteering Act. While our motion to dismiss was pending, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed its claim against our client.
  • Lead counsel for trade associations in "reverse-FOIA" action against federal government. Successfully obtained injunctive relief prohibiting federal government from releasing information at issue.
  • Lead counsel for commercial landlord in fraud action brought by tenant. Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of landlord. Also obtained award of attorney fees and costs.
  • Lead counsel for foreign company in action to enforce foreign arbitration award against U.S. company. The court ordered the U.S. company to deposit the amount of the award into the court's registry pending the resolution of a related foreign arbitration proceeding.
  • Represented local software company in arbitration hearing against national wireless company. Successfully obtained arbitration award, including award of attorney fees and costs, in favor of software company.
Preston Gates & Ellis LLP (Partner, 2005-2006)

Mundt MacGregor L.L.P. (Partner, 2002-2005; Associate, 1995-2001)

Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. Eugene A. Wright, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1994-95)

Professional Recognition: Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America; "Super Lawyer," Washington Law & Politics (each year, 2004-2008); "League of Justice" and “Top Lawyer,” Washington CEO (2006 and 2007, respectively); "40 Under Forty," Puget Sound Business Journal (2005); "Rising Star," Washington Law & Politics (2003); Community Leadership Award, Korean American Bar Association of Washington (2007).

Education: Columbia College, Columbia University (B.A. 1991); Cornell Law School (J.D. 1994); Cornell Law Review (Note Editor, 1993-94; Associate Editor, 1992-93); American Jurisprudence Award, Torts.

Professional & Community Activities:

Academic: Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law (2002-2005)

Neutral & Quasi-Judicial Activities: Neutral, American Arbitration Association, Commercial and Employment Panels (2005-present); Rule 39.1 Neutral, United States District Court, Western District of Washington, Official Register of Qualified Mediators and Arbitrators (2004-present); Hearing Examiner Pro Tem, City of Seattle, Civil Service Commission (2004-2005); Arbitrator, King County Superior Court Arbitrator Panel (2002-2005)

Memberships & Associations: American Bar Association; Washington State Bar Association; King County Bar Association (member, Litigation and Labor & Employment Law Sections); Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington; Litigation Counsel of America; William L. Dwyer Inn of Court; American Arbitration Association; Delegate, Governor Christine Gregoire’s Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea (2006); National Asian Pacific American Bar Association; Asian Bar Association of Washington; International Association of Korean Lawyers (co-chair, Seattle 2006 Conference Planning Committee); Korean American Bar Association of Washington (President, 2003; Board Member, 2002-2004); Northwest Next Leaders Council (Member, 2006-present; Board Member, 2007-present)

Presentations & Publications:

  • Panelist, Statewide Diversity Conference, Washington Minority Bar Associations Collaboration Project, May 30, 2008
  • Presentation, “The Business of Summit Law Group,” Northwest Next Leaders Council Luncheon, January 28, 2008
  • Presentation, “Social and Legal Considerations of Video Interviews and Video Resumes for Employers and Recruiters,” Webinar, November 15, 2007
  • Co-Presenter, “Avoiding the Train Wreck: Don’t Let Procedural Rules Derail Your Discipline Decisions,” Labor Relations Institute, May 16, 2007
  • Presentation, “Just Cause and Grievance Arbitration,” State of Washington Training, April 18, June 13, and July 11, 2007; January 16, 2008
  • Co-Presenter, “Personnel Policy Hotlist,” Summit Law Group Employment Law Seminar, March 30, 2007
  • Presentation, "Legal Issues When Doing Business in Korea," Doing Business With Korea Conference, St. Martin's University, November 22, 2006
  • Presentation, Labor & Employment Law Panel, CLE, International Association of Korean Lawyers Conference, August 25, 2006
  • Author, “Surprise Decision: Washington Supreme Court Narrows Definition of Disability Under State Law,” Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington HR Advisor, August 2006
  • Presentation, "Reality HR: New Employment Cases," Preston Gates & Ellis Breakfast Briefing, October 26, 2005
  • Presentation, Employment Discrimination in Washington, At-Sea Processors Association Breakfast Meeting, March 17, 2005
  • Presentation, Labor & Employment Law Panel, CLE, International Association of Korean Lawyers Conference, September 24, 2004
  • Presentation, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Technical Assistance Program Seminar, September 14, 2004
  • Presentation, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Technical Assistance Program Seminar, August 26, 2003
  • Presentation, Motion Practice in Washington, CLE, December 6, 2002
  • Presentation, Current Employment Discrimination Law Issues, CLE, November 21, 2002
  • Co-author, Securing Insurance Coverage for Employment Law Claims, CLE, October, 2002
  • Presentation, "The Basics of Interviewing and Investigation in Washington," CLE, September 10, 2002
  • Presentation, "Employment Discrimination in Washington," FIS Marine, March 27, 2002
  • Presentation, "Addressing Employment Discrimination Complaints," Iquique, U.S., January 2001
  • Author, "The New Citadel: A Reasonably Designed Products Liability Restatement," 79 CORNELL L. REV. 1654 (1994)

Community Service: King County Bar Foundation, Future of the Law Institute (Board, 2005-2006; Governing Council, 2004-2005; Project Planning Committee, 2002); Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (Executive Board Member and Treasurer, 2005-2007); Board Member, North Seattle Boys and Girls Club (1999); Volunteer Attorney, King County Bar Foundation and Korean Community Counseling Center Legal Clinics (1996-2005).