Guest Profile

Andrea Brenneke

Ms. Brenneke's passion for justice drives her employment law, civil rights, sexual harassment and violence against women practice. Her success includes substantial settlements and trial verdicts that compensate her clients for violations of their legal rights and dignity as well as secure injunctive relief and policy changes that make a difference in society. She challenges gender, race, disability, age and sexual orientation harassment and discrimination, retaliation, free speech and whistleblower violations, violence, defamation, and government misconduct. In addition to her state and federal court litigation, Ms. Brenneke facilitates creative solutions and negotiated resolutions to legal conflicts. She supports employees in negotiations in all types of employment-related agreements and guides workers through disability accommodations and claim reporting procedures. Ms. Brenneke's dynamic energy, compassion, and tenacity, combined with over 19 years of experience representing plaintiffs, gets results. She continues the over fifty-year history of MacDonald Hoague & Bayless in promoting individual rights, freedom, and social justice. Ms. Brenneke facilitates Restorative Circles and supports communities in developing compassionate justice systems that both engage conflict and deepen connections among their members. She is also a certified LR 39.1 mediator.

Ms. Brenneke graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1992 where she served as an articles editor of the Harvard Human Rights Journal and as a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. She received her B.A., with distinction in Political Science, cum laude, from the University of Washington in 1988. Scholarship: Ms. Brenneke authored 'Sexual Harassment' in the Washington State Association of Justice Employment Law Deskbook 2nd edition, 2010. She is a contributing editor and chapter author of the treatise Violence Against Women Act: Law and Practice, West Group 1997, as well as the author of the article "Civil Rights Remedies for Battered Women: Axiomatic and Ignored," XI Law & Inequality; A Journal of Theory and Practice 1, 1992. She regularly contributes to continuing legal education programs and professional legal publications.

Ms. Brenneke served as the 7-E Congressional District Representative on the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association from 2002-2005, where she worked on initiatives to address the professional development of new lawyers, access to civil justice, and diversity within the legal profession. She is a long-time and active member of Legal Voice formerly the Northwest Women's Law Center and has served that organization in many capacities: as a policy group member, cooperating attorney, a board member, a Legal Committee Member, a Legislative Committee member, and the Chair of the Membership Committee. She is an active member of the Washington Employment Lawyers Association and its Amicus Committee. She is an Eagle Member of the Washington State Association of Justice WSAJ formerly WSTLA. Ms. Brenneke served as Chair of the King County Young Lawyers Division Board of Trustees 1999-2000. She is a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow 2000 and has a long history of engagement with local politics and grass roots organizations. Recognition: Ms. Brenneke was honored by her peers as one of Seattle's Top 152 Lawyers, Seattle Magazine, January 2005. Since 2003, she has been recognized as a 'Super Lawyer,' Washington Law and Politics.