Scott represents local and state governments, municipal entities, special purpose districts, and their elected/appointed officials, both as city attorney and as special or general counsel. Scott handles the full range of municipal and governmental issues including public law and procedure; ethics compliance and elections; constitutional and intergovernmental matters; entity management and operational issues; policy and strategy questions; and all related litigation and appeals. He currently serves as City Attorney to Medina and Town Attorney to Yarrow Point.
Scott also represents land owners, businesses and individuals on all aspects of land use, development and real estate law, including sale and acquisition; complex redevelopment; permitting, entitlements and enforcement actions; environmental characteristics and hazardous waste regulations; and administrative hearings, trials and appeals.
Scott received a double B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Western Washington University and his J.D. from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College.
Association Memberships
- Washington State Bar Association: Past Chair and Member, Administrative Law Section; Member, Environmental and Land Use Law Section
- King County Bar Association
- Kitsap County Bar Association (1985-1988)
- American Bar Association
- United States Supreme Court
- Western District of Washington
Education
- J.D., Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College
- Doctoral Program, Michigan State University
- B.A., Western Washington University
Professional & Community Activities
- Seattle Goodwill Industries Board of Directors: Member (1997-present); Board Chair (2005); Chair, CEO Compensation Committee (5 Years); Executive Committee (10 Years)
- Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (1985-Present)
- Western Washington University College of Humanities and Social Sciences Advancement Council:(2008-present;Inaugural Member)
- Philharmonic Northwest Board of Directors
- United Way Campaigns, Office Chair
Accolades
- Designated a Top Attorney In Washington by Seattle Met Magazine, 2010, 2015, 2017-present
- Recognized in numerous years as a Washington "Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyers Magazine®, most recently 2008, 2010, 2012-2015, 2017-2021
- Rated annually for many years by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer review as AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5.*
- Selected by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™ and listed in The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel magazine as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use And Zoning
- Named "Top 2010 Lawyer" in Land Use law by Seattle Met magazine, 2010
- Listed 2012 Top Rated Lawyers Guide to Energy/Environmental/Natural Resources Law, 2012
Representative Experience
- Represents and counsels businesses, individuals and governments in municipal, land use and development, shoreline, environmental and critical area issues, real estate; and handles related litigation in judicial and administrative forums
- Represented and counseled the Superior Court for Grays Harbor County and Superior Court for Cowlitz County in constitutional disputes with County Commissioners concerning adequacy of funding and observance of separation of powers requirements between co-equal branches of government
- Represented business clients in complicated land use and shoreline case regarding development of large hotel on Seattle's central waterfront
- Handles real estate transactions, easements, and other matters affecting residences and commercial properties
- Represents a large Seattle nonprofit regarding property acquisition and development, leasing, commercial facilities, and large scale campus redevelopment project
- Represents individuals owning waterfront properties regarding access, shoreline development, view protection, property attributes, and development entitlements
- Represented owner of large regional mall in obtaining zoning and development entitlements for conversion of mall to high density mixed use urban center
- City Attorney for the City of Mill Creek from 1988-2011 and 2015-2019, serving as general counsel on all of the City's governmental and proprietary matters
- Handled all legal work needed over 15-year period to plan, acquire, create and implement the award winning Mill Creek Town Center
- City Attorney of Medina 2018- Present
- Town Attorney for the Town of Yarrow Point 2018 -Present
- General Counsel for Northshore Fire District (2018-2019)
- Acting City Attorney for City of Bothell in 2008 and 2015, and as outside litigation counsel thereafter
- Represented elected officials in ethics and elections issues, employment matters, advisory issues, and intergovernmental activities
- Represented city council members in complex multi-case legal challenges involving recalls, public participation suits, and ethics challenges
- Served for approximately eight years as Special Deputy Prosecutor to the King County Ombudsman for ethics complaints related to the King County Council; thereafter as outside on-call Counsel.
- Served as Special Land Use Counsel to Town of Woodway for approximately six years
- Represented numerous clients and entities concerning environmental issues, underground storage tanks, contaminated soils, toxic exposure, and state and federal superfund sites
- Handled projects for clients throughout Western Washington, with an occasional foray to the eastside of the state, in the cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Bothell, Renton, Newcastle, Redmond, Milton, Kenmore, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Benton City; and the counties of Snohomish, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Whatcom, Grays Harbor, Cowlitz, San Juan and Island.
- Represented client in obtaining shoreline pier and dock access to single-owner island in San Juan County
smissall@omwlaw.com