About J.J.
J.J. Thompson earned his B.A. in political science from Washington State University in 2000 and went on to receive a J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2008. He entered the legal profession in Spokane and moved through a sequence of roles that placed him squarely in litigation work and community advocacy. Early on he worked as a law clerk at Layman, Layman & Robinson, PLLP in 2006, then returned to that firm as an associate lawyer after law school in 2008. He remained at the Layman firms through several name changes and promotions, becoming an associate at Layman Law Office, PLLP in 2011 and a partner there in 2014.
In 2017 Thompson joined Armitage & Thompson, PLLC as a member and owner. The move formalized a long relationship with local litigation practice and allowed him to shape the firm’s approach to client representation. Over the years he has handled matters in state and federal court. He is admitted to practice in Washington and Idaho and is active in federal court matters as well.
Thompson’s professional life extends beyond courtroom work. He belongs to a number of bar and trial organizations, including the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the Washington State Bar Association and the Spokane County Bar Association. He joined the Federal Bar Association’s Eastern District of Washington chapter in 2010 and has served on the Washington State Association for Justice Board of Governors since 2012. Those affiliations have anchored his practice in regional trial work and given him a steady stream of professional contacts.
Community service has been a notable thread in his career. He has been involved with the Brain Injury Association of Washington’s Spokane Chapter for many years, serving as vice president, president from 2012 to 2014, and continuing on the board afterward. Locally, he took on leadership roles with the Spokane County Young Lawyers Division, serving as treasurer, then president-elect, then president between 2009 and 2013. Colleagues describe his involvement as hands-on; he has combined organizational leadership with case work.
Collegially, Thompson’s tenure at several Spokane firms gave him daily courtroom experience and courtroom strategy practice. He has moved from clerking to partnership and then to firm ownership, a progression that reflects steady responsibility for litigation and office management. He remains active in professional associations and in the Spokane legal community. He now practices at Armitage & Thompson, PLLC, handling civil litigation matters in Washington, Idaho, and federal courts.
