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William "Bill" Pickett (/ˈpɪkɪt/; born December 14, 1963) is an American lawyer and former President of the Washington State Bar Association. Pickett has been a licensed attorney since 1997, practicing in personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights, and medical malpractice matters. He is best know for his work in lawsuits and litigation, and personal injury. He is a partner at Larson Griffee & Pickett Law Firm.

Early Life and Education
William Dalson Pickett was born on December 14, 1963 in Yakima, Washington, the middle of three sons of James L. and Ruth M. Pickett. Pickett is a third-generation Washingtonian.

Pickett attended West Valley High School, where he was a star athlete, graduating in 1982. He played football, basketball, wrestled, and most notably did track and field. During his senior season Pickett had initially planned on doing pole vault but was unable to do so after breaking his pole. At the recommendation of his coach Pickett switched over to high jump. He would go on to win the state championship that year, jumping on shoes he borrowed from a friend. Additionally that season Pickett set his schools high jump record at 6' 8, which he holds to this day.

After graduating from high school, Pickett moved to Kodiak, Alaska where he would work for many years as a logger, commercial fisherman and deep sea diver. Pickett earned his diving certification from the Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle, Washington.

Pickett attended the University of Washington, where in 1994 he received a Bachelor of Arts in Society and Justice - making him the first person in his family to graduate from college. He then attended the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, receiving a Juris Doctor in 1997. Much later in life he attended the Temple University Beasley School of Law, receiving a Masters of Law in Trial Advocacy. Most recently in 2012, Pickett attended the Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming, participating in the nationally acclaimed program founded by attorney Gerry Spence.

Legal Practice
Inspired by the blue-collar work of his father, and that of his own experiences, Pickett decided to dedicate his life to practicing law. Pickett affirmed this saying, "Before college, I worked in Alaska as a commercial fisherman and deep sea diver. That experience taught me to work hard and accept the risks that come from living life. I believe in the underdog. I cherish the Biblical story of David and Goliath. I believe that mean-spirited giants still roam this earth, and that they continue to prey on anyone they perceive as weak. I am absolutely passionate about strengthening people to fight back."

Early Career
After passing the Washington State Bar Exam in early 1998, Pickett accepted a position as an associate attorney at the Yakima firm of Lyon, Weigand, & Gustafson. Pickett handled insurance defense litigation and personal injury cases, was responsible for all phases of discovery and motions practice. After four years with the firm he was named partner.

Pickett eventually had a change heart and gained an interest in representing individuals instead of insurers. In an interview Pickett said, "The insurer doesn’t come with a story — they just want to protect their money” He continued, “But people come to you with a story. Injured, they can’t work, no money, unable to pay bills and sometimes lose everything as a result.” In the fall of 2002, Pickett left Lyon, Weigand, & Gustafson and started his own firm - The Pickett Law Firm.  In its earliest days the firm was based out of an office in Pickett's garage.

Arias v. Yakima Police Department
On January 4th, 2014 at around 3:00AM, Rocendo Arias was shot and killed in his car by a police officer at the Classic Auto Wash on East Nob Hill Boulevard in Yakima, Washington. An early investigation by the Yakima Police Department determined that the officer was checking a vehicle for suspicious activity, the result of which was the officer shooting and killing Arias inside the vehicle.

After further investigation the officer involved saw Arias holding a gun and claimed that he lunged at him, with what was eventually determined to be an air-soft gun. The officer then shot Arias four times, one of which fatally hit him in the head. Pickett disputed this saying, "The officer has asserted that there was a lunge, there was a phantom lunge, our position is completely contrary to that."

Yakima County Prosecutor's Office made an initial determination that the shooting was justified, and that no charges would be brought against the officer involved.

Pickett disagreed with that conclusion, and filed suit on behalf of Arias' family saying,"It is improper, and that type of improper conduct needs to be called out." Pickett called it a civil rights case based on excessive force and wrongful death. He would go on to say, "To have your family member wrongfully taken from you is a horrible event that no parent, that no brother or sister, that no wife or mother or father should ever have to suffer needlessly."

The case was eventually resolved in mediation after extensive litigation.

Ford v. City of Yakima
On July 17th, 2007 Eddie Ford was driving to work after midnight when he was stopped by a police officer in Yakima, Washington. The officer accused Ford of playing his music too loudly, which he denied. As a result the officer threatened to take Ford to jail unless he "shut his mouth", which was recorded numerous times from the dash cam of the officer's police car.

The officer asked Ford to step out and face the side of his car or "he was going to get tased". Ford complied but continued to ask "I'm facing my car for what?". The officer then said put your hands behind your back, and Ford immediately responded saying, "For what?" The officer responded saying, "Do it now or you are going to get tased." He repeated this multiple times, with Ford asking why he was being arrested.

At multiple points during the video the officer involved asserted that Ford would go to jail if he continued to talk. Specifically saying the following:

"If you talk over me, you are going to jail."

"If you run your mouth, I will book you in jail for it..."

"...shut your mouth, I'll give you a ticket and you can go."

"If you have diarrhea of the mouth, you will go to jail."

Ford complied with the officer, but was still taken to jail.

Pickett filed suit on behalf of Ford, asserting violations of free speech as a result of police misconduct. Filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, the case was dismissed following discovery and motions for summary judgment. Pickett appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which eventually ruled that Ford was, "...wrongfully arrested in a direct violation of one of America's founding pillars, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution". The court continued saying, "...a reasonable person would feel that Ford's right to free speech was violated when officers booked and jailed Ford in retaliation for his protected speech..."

In September of 2013, the City of Yakima agreed to pay Ford $65,000, which he accepted.

Personal Life
Pickett married Laura Cavanaugh on March 10, 1990 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington. They have three children Jack, Grant, and Madeline.

After finishing law school and the birth of their first born son, Jack, they moved to Yakima, Washington in 1998.