About Tom
Tom Evans entered the study of law after completing a liberal arts degree at Whitman College in 1970. He earned his J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law in 1973. Those formative years set the stage for a career centered on maritime and trial work.
He founded Injury At Sea in 1982 and has remained closely associated with the firm since. Over the years he has held the title of founding partner and currently serves of counsel to the firm. His professional life has been anchored in the Pacific Northwest, but his practice has extended to federal forums as well.
Evans is admitted to practice in all state courts in Washington. He is also admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit. That combination of state and federal admissions has allowed him to take cases from local trial courts to appellate and national levels when necessary.
Maritime law has been a consistent thread through his career. He served as section chair for Maritime Law under WSTLA/WSAJ, a role that placed him in the middle of the state's trial lawyer network on issues affecting seamen and vessel operators. He has been a member of the Washington State Bar, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and the Maritime Lawyers Section of the State Trial Lawyers since 1982. Those memberships have informed his understanding of both procedural and substantive aspects of maritime injury litigation.
In court, Evans has handled claims that arise from incidents at sea. His work has required familiarity with maritime statutes, admiralty procedural rules and the interplay between state and federal remedies. He has practiced both at the trial level and on appeal, using the admissions he holds in state courts, the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court to advance his clients’ positions when cases demanded broader review.
Colleagues describe him as an experienced courtroom lawyer who has spent decades on the maritime docket. He has balanced trial work with mentoring roles inside his firm, then stepping into an of counsel position as the firm's roster evolved. That trajectory reflects a common path for lawyers who start firms and later move into advisory roles while maintaining a caseload.
As of 2026, Evans remains active in the legal community and at Injury At Sea. He continues to handle maritime injury matters and related litigation for clients in Washington and federal courts.
