OUR HISTORY
THE HISTORY OF PWRFL
In 1973, four young lawyers – Jan Eric Peterson, Christopher E. Young, the late Elizabeth (Betty) Bracelin, and William Creech – met to form the law firm Peterson, Bracelin, Creech & Young. Brian Putra and Kelby Fletcher joined the firm later in the 1970s.
Matt Knopp became a partner in 2000, Mike Wampold in 2004. Ann Rosato came on board in 2005. In 2007, Felix Luna, from the commercial side of law practice, joined as a partner, especially to try cases. In 2012, the firm name was changed from Peterson Young Putra to Peterson Wampold Rosato Luna Knopp.
Leonard Feldman, an appellate specialist, was added to the firm in 2015. In 2017, Tomas Gahan become a partner and the firm became Peterson Wampold Rosato Feldman Luna. Leonard left the firm in 2023 to become a Washington Court of Appeals Judge. The firm is now known as PWRFL.
Early on, the firm began specializing in plaintiffs’ personal injury work, representing ordinary individuals in extraordinary struggles against other individuals, corporations, insurance companies, and the government. The firm has been willing to match resources with much bigger defendants. A high-value lawsuit costs, tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars for research, discovery and trial. A good deal of the firm’s work comes from other lawyers.
PWRFL continues to represent a variety of clients besides those with personal injuries. We have had hundreds of successful cases, highlights of which include:
- The first successful sex discrimination class action in this state;
- Washington’s first medical malpractice jury verdict for over 1 million dollars;
- A multimillion dollar verdict for an Eastern Washington teenager, crippled for life because of the negligence of the home swimming pool industry;
- A confidential settlement for a Seattle Seahawks football player unnecessarily permanently injured for life by the negligence of team doctors;
- A multimillion dollar settlement for an eight-year-old boy who lost his right leg and sustained brain damage when an ER doctor left wood in a puncture wound.
We are privileged to be able to do this kind of work.
It is very rewarding to make a difference in a client’s life through successful litigation.
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