About Martha A
Martha A McLaughlin has built a steady career inside Washington’s legal community. Her work has touched both sides of the courtroom. She has moved from prosecutor’s office work to defense practice and clinic volunteer work in a way that has shaped her approach to case handling.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Puget Sound, awarded in 1984. Later she earned her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, completing the degree in 2007. The combination of a science undergraduate background and legal training informs how she evaluates evidence and constructs factual narratives for trial.
Early in her legal career she gained practical courtroom experience as a deputy prosecutor in the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office in 2008. That role put her on the front lines of criminal charging and courtroom hearings. She also worked as a legal intern at the Law Offices of Rachel Rolfes in 2008, where she assisted on case preparation and client interviews. In 2009 she volunteered with the Tacoma Pierce County Bar Expungement Clinic, helping clients understand and pursue record-sealing options.
By 2010 she joined Durflinger Oliver and Associates as a senior associate. Her time there built on her prosecutorial background and clinic experience. At the firm she handled courtroom appearances, client counseling, and case strategy in a busy practice environment. The job formalized her move into defense work and expanded the scope of matters she managed.
McLaughlin participates in a number of professional organizations. She is a member of the National College of DUI Defense since 2011 and has belonged to the Washington State Association for Justice since 2012. Locally she maintains memberships in the Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association and the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, and she continues to contribute to the Tacoma Pierce County Bar Expungement Clinic. Those affiliations reflect steady involvement in both statewide and local legal circles.
Her career shows a through line from public prosecution to private defense and clinic service. She brings courtroom experience and community involvement to client work. She currently practices at Durflinger Oliver and Associates, where her practice concentrates on DUI and criminal defense matters and on assisting clients with expungement issues.
