John Chun is a trial lawyer and client counselor whose practice focuses on complex employment, commercial, and international cases. He also provides services as an investigator, arbitrator, and mediator in various types of matters. Before entering private practice in 1995, John served as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Eugene A. Wright, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Cornell Law School. John is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been listed as a Super Lawyer each year since 2004, has been listed among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Washington, and is a Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America. 

John has extensive experience in state and federal court, including trials and appellate proceedings; arbitration proceedings; administrative matters; and governmental and other investigations. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants, large and small businesses, public entities, and individuals in a wide variety of cases. John has represented clients locally, nationally, and internationally. His work has involved a broad range of industries, including aviation, financial services, private equity, legal services, hospitality, telecommunications, fishing, construction, sustainability and green building, real estate, transportation, healthcare, environmental services, industrial services, manufacturing, retail, software, Internet, and life sciences.  

John serves as a Trustee of the King County Bar Association and a member of its Judiciary & Litigation Committee, a co-chair of the International Litigation-Asia Subcommittee of the American Bar Association, a board member of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, and a member of Summit Law Group's executive board.

• Lead trial counsel for investor and his company in action regarding ownership of a business and damages—obtained judgment for plaintiffs at trial, reflecting jury verdict of more than $1.2 million in damages for plaintiffs and determination that investor owned the company at issue; obtained award of 100% of requested attorney fees and costs.
• Lead trial counsel for hotels in breach of contract action brought by airport shuttle service—obtained defense judgment at trial and award of attorney fees and costs.
• Lead counsel for hotels in appeal of aforementioned case by airport shuttle service—obtained dismissal of appeal by using judgment on award of attorney fees and costs to execute on plaintiff's claims.
• Lead trial counsel for industrial laundry in breach of contract action against restaurant chain—obtained judgment for plaintiff at trial and award of 100% of requested attorney fees and costs.
• Represented employer in race discrimination action—obtained defense judgment at trial and award of costs.
• Lead trial counsel for plaintiff in gender discrimination action—obtained judgment in favor of plaintiff at trial and award of attorney fees and costs; during the litigation, obtained discovery sanctions against defendant, including monetary terms plus the striking of all affirmative defenses.
• Represented local software company in arbitration hearing against national wireless company—obtained seven-figure arbitration award, plus award of attorney fees and costs, in favor of software company.
• Lead counsel for commercial landlord in fraud action brought by tenant—obtained summary judgment in favor of landlord and award of 100% of requested attorney fees and costs.
• Lead counsel for two paramedic-firefighters sued by a co-worker for defamation and other claims—through motions to strike and dismiss, which included arguments under the Washington Anti-SLAPP law, obtained dismissal of all claims, plus award of statutory penalties for each client and 100% of requested attorney fees.
• Lead counsel for city in action brought by police officer claiming wrongful termination in violation of public policy—through motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, obtained dismissal of all claims and award of costs.
• Lead counsel for transit authority in action involving claims of disability discrimination, retaliation, civil rights violations, and conspiracy brought by transit operator—obtained summary judgment in favor of transit authority.
• Represented city in gender discrimination action brought by former police officer—obtained summary judgment in favor of city.
• Represented employer in breach of contract action brought by former executive—obtained summary judgment in favor of employer and affirmance on appeal.
• Lead counsel for employer in discrimination action—obtained dismissal of disability discrimination claim; thereafter, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the remaining gender discrimination claim and the case.
• Lead counsel for employer/federal contractor in U.S. Department of Labor investigation of claims of discrimination by group of employees—obtained dismissal of all charges of discrimination.
• Lead counsel for employer in action for wages—after approximately eight months of litigation, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case.
• Lead counsel for defendant in civil action under Washington's Criminal Profiteering Act—while 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—obtained injunctive relief prohibiting federal government from releasing information at issue.
• 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.
• Lead counsel for American company in commercial action against European company—on appeal, obtained reversal of federal district court's dismissal of case on forum non conveniens grounds.
• Lead counsel for plaintiff in commercial matter—obtained discovery sanctions against defendants, including monetary terms, contempt order, and order that defendants were prohibited from opposing plaintiff's claims of conversion and misappropriation; the case then settled.
• Represented and advised law firms and attorneys in matters with law firms, former partners, and other parties.
• Numerous matters settled on favorable terms.

Service as Investigator

• Experience includes investigations for public and private entities in matters involving managers, non-management employees, and elected and appointed officials. Issues have included allegations of fraud (including accounting fraud), mismanagement, embezzlement, conflict of interest, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment, and other workplace policy violations.

Service as Arbitrator & Mediator

• John has served as an arbitrator and mediator in numerous cases involving complex employment, commercial, and other issues. He has served on the American Arbitration Association's Commercial and Employment Panels since 2005. And he has served as a Rule 39.1 Neutral for the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, Official Register of Qualified Mediators and Arbitrators, since 2004.

Presentations

• Process Leader, Managing Litigation as a Business, CLE, March 21, 2013
• Presentation, The Art of Arbitration, CLE, Washington State Bar Association, November 19, 2012
• Presentation, Washington's New Anti-SLAPP Act, CLE, Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys Conference, April 29, 2011
• Presentation, "Ten Mistakes Lawyers Make in an Arbitration," CLE, American Arbitration Association and ABAW, April 20, 2011
• Co-presenter, "Non-Traditional, Value-Based Approaches to Law Firm Services," CLE, C4CM, February 10, 2011
• Panelist, Civil Litigation Basics, CLE, WAMBAC, June 25, 2010
• Panelist, Basic Motions Practice in Federal Court, CLE, Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington, March 4, 2010
• Presentation, Employment Law Boot Camp Seminar, CLE, Washington State Bar Association, February 26, 2009
• Panelist, "Advice for Junior Attorneys," CLE, WAMBAC, 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, numerous presentations since 2007
• 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
• Presentation, "Reality HR: New Employment Cases," Preston Gates & Ellis Breakfast Briefing, October 26, 2005
• Presentation, Labor & Employment Law Panel, CLE, International Association of Korean Lawyers Conference, September 24, 2004
• Presentations, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Technical Assistance Program Seminar, August 26, 2003, and September 14, 2004
• Presentation, Motion Practice in Washington, CLE, Lorman, December 6, 2002
• Presentation, "Current Employment Discrimination Law Issues," CLE, Sterling Education Services, November 21, 2002
• Presentation, "The Basics of Interviewing and Investigation in Washington," CLE, NBI, September 10, 2002

Publications

• Co-author, "Levying on the Opponent's Claim Against Your Client," Washington State Bar News, Volume 62, No. 10 (October 2008)
• Author, "Surprise Decision: Washington Supreme Court Narrows Definition of Disability Under State Law," Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington HR Advisor (August 2006)
• Co-author, "Securing Insurance Coverage for Employment Law Claims," CLE, (October 2002)
• Author, "The New Citadel: A Reasonably Designed Products Liability Restatement," Cornell Law Review, Volume 79, 1654 (1994)

• American Bar Association (Co-chair, International Litigation-Asia Subcommittee, 2012-present)
• Washington State Bar Association
• King County Bar Association (trustee, Judiciary & Litigation Committee, 2012–present)
• Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington (trustee, 2010–2012)
• Litigation Counsel of America
• William L. Dwyer Inn of Court (2008-present)
• American Arbitration Association
• Participant, FutureFirm Competition, University of Indiana School of Law, April 18–19, 2009
• Delegate, Governor Christine Gregoire's Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea (2006)
• Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law (2002–2005)
• 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; mentor 2010–2011; Advisory Board member)

• AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
• Super Lawyer (each year, 2004–2012; "Top Attorneys in Employment and Labor," and "Top Attorneys in Corporate Litigation," Corporate Counsel Editions)
• Top 100 Super Lawyers in Washington (2007, 2011)
• Top Lawyer, Seattle Metropolitan magazine
• League of Justice and Top Lawyer, Washington CEO magazine
• Future Star, Benchmark Litigation (2013)
• 40 Under Forty, Puget Sound Business Journal (2005)
• Rising Star, Washington Law & Politics (2003)
• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Community Leadership Award, Korean American Bar Association of Washington (2007)

• Board member, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (2010–present)
• Volunteer (sandwiches), St. Martin De Porres Shelter (2010–present)
• Member, Alumni Board of the Catlin Gabel School (2010–present)
• Northwest Next Leaders Council (board member, 2007–2008; Mentor, 2008–2009)
• 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)

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

• Washington State
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court, Western District of Washington
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington

• Honorable Eugene A. Wright, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1994–1995)