Background:

Avelin served as an attorney for four years with the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps (last tour at Ft. Lewis) beginning in 1971. He began private practice in Olympia in 1975. His practice is focused on arbitration, mediation, personal injury, workers’ compensation and Social Security disability law.

Arbitration and mediation are more economical methods than litigation to resolve disputes. Avelin has been a member of the Mandatory Arbitration Panels of Thurston and Mason County since their inception. He has developed a private practice mediating personal injury disputes at the request of plaintiffs’ attorneys, defense attorneys, the state of Washington and insurance companies. He has also served as District Court Judge Pro-Tem intermittently since 1975 and conducts mediation and pre-trial conferences for civil jury cases in Thurston County District Court. However, the main focus of his practice continues to be the representation of injured people.

Education: Trinity University, B.S. in Business Administration (1968)
University of Texas School of Law, J.D. (1971)

Community: Capital Bicycling Club member and YMCA Moot Court Rater for statewide competition.

Avelin is a long-time member of the American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America), the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. He has received an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating attainable for competence and integrity in the practice of law. Avelin has been identified by the monthly publication Washington Law and Politics as one of the 500 best lawyers in the state of Washington.

Areas of Practice:

     • Personal Injury

     • Social Security Disability

     • Workers' Compensation 

     • Arbitrator

     • Mediator