About James
James Laukkonen earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2005 after completing a B.A. at Western Washington University in 2003. He moved into public defense work early in his career, taking Rule 9 internships at the Snohomish County Public Defender’s Office in 2006 and 2007. Those experiences helped shape his courtroom skills and introduced him to the practical demands of criminal practice.
After law school and the internships, Laukkonen joined Cordes Brandt, PLLC as a lawyer in 2008. That year also marks his admission to the Washington State Bar. He spent the next several years building experience in trial work and local court practice. In 2013 he began serving as a judge pro tem in multiple local courts, including Thurston County District Court, Olympia Municipal Court, and the City of Lacey Court. Those temporary judicial duties gave him perspective on case management and the decision-making pressures judges face.
In 2016 Laukkonen became managing member of Laukkonen Law, PLLC. That same year he took on a leadership role in the local bar community as president-elect of the Thurston County Bar Association. He later served on the Thurston County Bar Association Board of Governors from 2016 through 2022 and was the association’s president for the 2020–2021 term. Those roles involved organizing educational programs and advising on local court and bar matters.
Laukkonen’s affiliations reflect the mix of criminal and veterans work that marks his practice. He has been a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Washington State Bar since 2008. He joined the Washington State Veterans Bar Association in 2015 and served as Judge Advocate for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 318 from 2016 to 2020. Early in his professional life he was an associate with the Lexington Principles Project from 2007 to 2008.
Colleagues describe Laukkonen as a practitioner who moves easily between trial duties and court administration. He has hands-on experience in municipal and district court dockets, public defense settings, and bar governance. He now practices at Laukkonen Law, PLLC, handling criminal defense cases and legal matters affecting veterans.
