About Alexis
Alexis Shimada graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 2017 after earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from the University of Redlands in 2010. She entered law school after several years of community involvement and returned to the Pacific Northwest to build a practice rooted in courtroom experience and client work. Her academic record includes work in Willamette’s clinical program, where she gained early exposure to juvenile and family matters.
While in law school, Shimada served as a child and family advocacy legal intern for Willamette’s Clinical Law Program and worked as a judicial extern at the Marion County Circuit Court. She also held a law clerk position at Van Ness, Williamson LLP in 2015. Those roles placed her in front of judges and social services professionals, where she learned how procedural rules and human stories intersect in family law and related proceedings.
After receiving her law degree, Shimada joined Famulary, LLC, first as a law clerk and then as an associate in 2018. She took on greater responsibilities there and, in 2019, became owner and managing partner of the firm. Her time at Famulary involved case management, client intake, and courtroom preparation. The experience taught her both the business side of running a practice and the daily demands of representing individuals in contested matters.
Also in 2019, Shimada established Shimada Law as her own practice. As owner and lawyer, she built a small firm model that emphasizes direct client contact and hands-on casework. She has maintained licensure in three states: Washington, Oregon and Utah. That multi-jurisdictional standing enables her to advise and represent clients whose matters span state lines, and it reflects a practice that reaches beyond a single courthouse.
Colleagues describe Shimada as methodical and practical in the courtroom. She draws on early clerkship experiences when preparing hearings and trials. Her background in sociology and anthropology informs how she approaches client interviews and fact patterns. She prefers clear, plainspoken explanations of legal options, and she focuses on outcomes that can be achieved through negotiation as well as litigation.
She currently practices through her own firm and represents clients across Washington, Oregon and Utah.
