​ Why Choose Tollefson
Arbitration & Mediation Services

Choosing Judge Brian Tollefson, retired, as your ADR professional brings the added benefit of the depth and breadth of his judicial experience.

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During his judicial career, he has handled almost every type of case within Superior Court’s Constitutional Jurisdiction including:

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• Family Law

• Probate (TEDRA)

• Personal Injury

• Real Property

• Employment Law

• Contract

• Business/Partnership Disputes.

In the area of family law, he served two years as one of two Pierce County Family Court judges whose task it is to manage what are considered high-conflict family law cases.

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Prior Experience:

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• Superior Court Judge for Pierce County (Twenty-seven years)

• Law Practice with Puget Sound area law firm (Ten years)

• Law Clerk to Chief Justice Charles T. Wright (Two years)

Judge Tollefson continues to strengthen and enhance his dispute resolution skills by being involved in the following continuing education (this is a partial list):

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• National Judicial College, Civil Mediation.

• National Judicial College, Managing Challenging Family Law Cases

• National Judicial College, Expert Testimony and Scientific Evidence

• Various CLE programs on Family law and ADR subjects sponsored by such organizations as the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association, the Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference, the Washington State Bar Association, and local County Bar Associations.

Judicial Highlights:

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• Pierce County Superior Court's Presiding Judge

• Member the Superior Court Executive Committee

• Family Court Judge (two years)

• Trustee for the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association (SCJA)

• SCJA Family and Juvenile Court Committee (various years)

• SCJA Education Committee (various years)

• 2,000+ mediation-style settlement conferences as a judge

Bar Association Membership and Service:

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• Washington State Bar Association – Active Membership

• Hon. Robert J. Bryan chapter XXV of the  American Inns of Court

•  President of the Washington State Bar Association (2021- 2022)

• Board of Governors, Washington State Bar Association  (2017-2023)

•  Washington State Bar Association Family Law, and Real Property, Probate and Trust sections

•  Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association and TPCBA Family Law section

Formal Education:

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• Masters in Judicial Studies (MJS, 2009) University of Nevada, Reno,

• J.D. cum laude (1976) Willamette University College of Law,

• B. A. in Business Administration (1973, Accounting Major). University of Washington, Seattle