The leader of HLG, Mr. Hemmat helms the firm’s most complex cases. He is a former DOJ Trial Attorney and experienced mediator. He has litigated thousands of matters throughout his 35-year career.
Steve Hemmat is the founder of the Hemmat Law Group and has been practicing civil and family law for over 35 years. He is a former U.S. Department of Justice Trial Attorney working in commercial litigation, and a highly experienced Family Law practitioner. He has worked extensively as an advocate for both sides on hundreds of cases across Washington State.
An experienced arbitrator and mediator in civil and family law cases, Mr. Hemmat graduated from Whitman College in 1983 and earned his Juris Doctor Degree in 1986 from Lewis and Clark College. He served as a staff member of Environmental Law, a law review at Lewis and Clark, and was inducted as a member of the Cornelius Honor Society.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Hemmat worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, and the Civil Division and Commercial Litigation Branch of the Assistant Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Department of Justice, in Washington, D.C.
He is a member of the Washington State and American Bar Associations, and is licensed to practice in all Washington state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Steve has developed an appreciation for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) over the course of his career, and how it can bring about better results for parties in many different conflict situations. He has taught a number of continuing legal education classes to other legal professionals regarding family law and mediation.
Steve is actively involved in numerous community groups and has served on the board of several charitable and educational organizations.
He has also been volunteer mediator with the King County Volunteer Settlement Conference Program in family law cases for many years.
Steve is available to work with parties with lawyers or those representing themselves, utilizing the various mediation models, conducting mediation either in joint sessions or via shuttle diplomacy.