John h. f. Ufkes

Mr. Ufkes has a breadth of experience that few can match. He thoroughly and meticulously researches each case, understands the nuances, examines the possibilities and finds creative and unique strategies to achieve positive outcomes for his clients.

Mr. Ufkes has since moving to Ellensburg in 2005 focused on civil litigation and advising the private clients and public agencies he represents.

He has for many years practiced land use law in both California and Washington, representing both developers and concerned citizens for over a decade.

Closely related to land use is the area of water law, in which Mr. Ufkes is currently very active.

For more than twenty-five years, he has represented persons seriously injured in personal injury, social security disability, and worker's compensation cases. Mr. Ufkes is skilled at understanding medical reports, accomplished in dealing with insurance companies, and very familiar with complex litigation.

Mr. Ufkes has taught a variety of continuing legal education courses since before 1990 and written extensively for legal publications including a major 2002 revision and update of Matthew Bender's "Social Security Practice Manual," chapter 15, titled "The Disability Adjudication Process."

He is currently a Judge Pro-Tempore for both the Upper and Lower Kittitas County District Courts. This allows him to utilize his experience in criminal law which initially began during law school when he clerked-externed for the California Supreme Court reviewing criminal appeals and writing recommendations to the justices, after he worked two successive summers, one for a district attorney's office (Orange County) and the other for a public defender's office (Contra Costa County). Mr. Ufkes has also represented criminal defendants at the trial and appellate level.

In addition to the above, Mr. Ufkes is highly competent in contracts, construction law. real estate law, business planning and formation, estate planning, probate, wills and trusts, general civil and commercial litigation and more.