Gordon Tilden Thomas & Cordell LLP is a trial practice firm engaging only in litigation and litigation-oriented advice.

GTT&C represents individuals and Northwest, national, and international businesses in a broad range of complex civil litigation and trial work. Our practice generally emphasizes three areas: business litigation, insurance coverage advice and litigation on behalf of policyholders, and personal injury litigation on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. Our lawyers have extensive experience in the management and trial of complex civil litigation throughout the state and federal courts of the State of Washington as well as many other jurisdictions.

GTT&C limits its practice to civil litigation. From the outset, we decided that we could not and would not attempt to be all things to all people. Rather, we take advantage of our experience as trial lawyers and extend our professional services, on a matter-by-matter basis, to those clients engaged or soon to be engaged in active litigation.

Small-Firm Efficiency, Large-Firm Quality and Responsiveness

Prior to forming GTT&C in 1996, our founding lawyers practiced at two of the country's large firms, Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling. We are not a traditional "pyramid"-structured firm. Instead, the core of our firm is made up of experienced litigators who can work efficiently from the outset of each case. As a result, GTT&C's clients never pay for what amounts to the training of junior lawyers.

"Hands-on leadership—a Partner on day one. That's how we try lawsuits."

- Chuck Gordon, Founding Partner

"The jury room is the one place in America where the restaurant owner, the cook, the waitress, and the customer all sit down together, where all men really are equal."

- Jeff Tilden, Founding Partner

"It sounds cliche but client service is number one. That's why we're here."

- Jeff Thomas, Partner

"We focus on the laws. On the client. On the bottom line. We leave the drama to the other guy."

- Frank Cordell, Partner

  • April 2013: In a case of first impression, GTT&C client Meracord LLC obtained a ruling enforcing an arbitration clause in a D&O policy issued by Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company (PIIC). PIIC sought to avoid arbitration, and argued that the Washington Supreme Court's recent decision in Washington DOT v. James River Ins. Co., 176 Wn.2d 390 (2012), rendered the policy's arbitration clause unenforceable. On April 23, 2013, Judge Leighton . . . (more)

  • April 2013: Mark Wilner and Susannah Carr, along with co-counsel at Mundt MacGregor, obtain a $3.45 million verdict after a two-week jury trial in federal court. The firm represents the Hawkins family against a Maltese company in a maritime wrongful death and survival action arising out of the death of Lia Hawkins on October 21, 2010. Ms. Hawkins drowned after falling overboard from an unprotected gap on the fourth-level deck of the defendant's ship--the M/V SAHARA--while moored on the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Ballard.

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