Paul Wagner
January 25, 2019Eli Jacobsen
January 30, 2019Attorney
Attorney
Elaine Whaley joined SCPDA in 2018 after working as a legal assistant at the Office of Bob Goldsmith. Elaine earned her B.A. at Whitman College and her J.D. at Seattle University School of Law. During law school, Elaine worked as an intern at the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington & Idaho. She was also an extern to The Honorable Judge Stanley A. Bastian in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington.
“I became a public defender because, unlike other areas of law, public defenders are expected to fill many different roles. We are litigators, fighting every day to protect our client’s constitutional rights; social workers, helping our clients find housing or other treatment options; and therapists who listen and believe in our clients when no one else will. This work is challenging, sometimes draining, but so very rewarding. There is nothing else I would want to do.”