About Ashton Dennis
Ashton Dennis is a partner at Washington Law Center and a dedicated advocate for individuals and families confronting serious injuries, abuse, and institutional wrongdoing. His practice focuses on cases involving sexual abuse, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury, including claims against schools, government agencies, and other large organizations. Raised and practicing in Washington State, Ashton earned dual degrees in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Washington State University, followed by his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. For six consecutive years from 2014 to 2020, he was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in Washington State for Excellence in Practice, an honor reserved for just 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys.
He was also named one of the Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers for Washington State and included in the Premier 100 trial attorneys by the American Academy of Trial Attorneys. Ashton co-founded the BJH Believe in Miracles Foundation, which supports children and their families suffering from life-threatening or terminal diseases. He considers it a privilege to serve as a Deacon in his church and on the Board of Directors at his children's school.
Proven verdicts and settlements
A Pierce County jury awarded $16.7 million to the family of a pregnant Puyallup woman who died of H1N1 influenza after Summit View Clinic failed to tell her that Tamiflu was available to treat the infection. Ashton Dennis of Washington Law Center served as co-counsel for the family alongside Connelly Law Offices.
University Place School District agreed to pay $9.5 million to three former students sexually abused by volunteer wrestling coach David O'Connor, settling days before a scheduled four-week trial. Washington Law Center's Ashton Dennis served as co-counsel with Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala.
University Place School District agreed to pay $4.25 million to six former student-athletes who were sexually abused by convicted sex offender David O'Connor while he served as a volunteer wrestling coach at Curtis Junior High and Curtis High School.
Washington Law Center secured a $3.5 million settlement against the Marysville School District after two former students came forward with claims that art teacher and cheerleading adviser Kurt Hollstein sexually abused them in a school darkroom during the mid-1980s.
Washington Law Center attorney Ashton Dennis secured a $1 million settlement from the Marysville School District on behalf of a male former student who said art teacher Kurt Hollstein sexually assaulted him on school grounds starting in 1981, when the victim was approximately 14 years old.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.
