Elizabeth A. Adams is a member at Terrell Marshall Law Group, where she has practiced since 2015. She concentrates her practice on class action litigation and appeals on behalf of workers, consumers, and marginalized groups in both state and federal court. Examples of Elizabeth’s work include representation of workers wrongfully denied compensation for work performed and for missed breaks; constitutional challenges to state and local laws, policies, and practices; and appellate amicus briefing in support of worker and consumer rights. Elizabeth graduated from UCLA School of Law with Order of the Coif recognition in 2012. Prior to joining TMLG, Elizabeth served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson, the Honorable George Wu, and the Honorable John A. Kronstadt, all of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Seattle. After many years in other parts of the country for college, Teach For America, law school, and clerking, Elizabeth is happy to be settled permanently back in the Pacific Northwest. When not practicing law, Elizabeth enjoys running, hiking, reading, puzzles, and trips to the park with her three young daughters.

• Law Clerk to the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson, US District Court for the Central District of California
• Law Clerk to the Honorable George Wu, US District Court for the Central District of California
• Law Clerk to the Honorable John A. Kronstadt, US District Court for the Central District of California

• UCLA School of Law – J.D., Order of the Coif
  • Comments Editor, UCLA Law Review
  • Education and Law Society Member
  • Research Assistant, UCLA Law Library
• Williams College – B.A., cum laude with Honors in Mathematics

California

Washington

• United States Supreme Court
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• First Circuit Court of Appeals
• Western District of Washington
• Eastern District of Washington
• Northern District of California

• Public Justice Student Civil Rights Committee Member 
• Washington State Bar Association Member
• Washington Employment Lawyers Association Member
• California Bar Association Member

Employment

• Rutter v. Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Inc. — Filed in December 2022 on behalf of current and former childcare workers at Bright Horizons childcare centers in Washington state. The suit alleges that the company’s $5,000 penalty for families that hire a Bright Horizons employee to work directly for them is unlawful under Washington’s non-compete law, a relatively new statute that offers additional protections for Washington workers.
• St. Germain v. Phyt Rehab of Washington, Inc. — Filed in April 2019 on behalf of therapists and therapy assistants employed by Phyt and alleging violations of Washington rest and meal breaks, compensation, and overtime laws. The King County Superior Court granted final approval of the $1,000,000 settlement on behalf of a certified class in April 2022. 
• Lowry v. Ralph’s Concrete Pumping, Inc.—Filed in 2012 on behalf of 200 concrete pump truck operators who alleged violations of Washington rest and meal break, minimum wage, and prevailing wage laws.  Elizabeth spearheaded the briefing, successfully obtained partial summary judgement and defeated the defendant’s motions to decertify and for summary judgement, resulting in a $2.55 million settlement approved by King County Superior Court in December 2018.  

Consumer Protection

• Olson v. Unison Agreement Corporation — Filed in December 2022 on behalf of homeowners duped by Unison’s deceptive financial products. The suit alleges that Unison’s HomeOwner Agreements, which Unison purports are option contracts, are functionally reverse mortgage loans. Such loans are subject to specific rules regarding who can offer them, how much interest can be charged on them, and to whom they can be made. But Unison doesn’t follow any of those rules because it contends its product is “not a loan.”

Civil Rights

• Fuentes v. Benton County — Filed in 2015 on behalf of persons who were affected by Benton County’s practice of incarcerating and threatening to incarcerate indigent persons who were unable to afford the fines, fees, and costs imposed on them by Benton County District Court. In November 2016, the Yakima County Superior Court granted final approval of a class settlement that achieved sweeping reforms in Benton County, including cessation of the challenged practices.