Pomona College

Stanford Law School

Olympia, Washington, United States

The Minjares Law Office is a civil litigation and nonprofit advice practice representing individuals, small businesses, and 501(c) organizations in Washington and California courts.  We handle your civil litigation, and provide planning advice on liability and state/federal law.

Minjares Law Office, PLLC

Owner

I served as a judge pro tempore on the Thurston County District Court bench presiding over misdemeanors, pro se civil cases, restraint petitions, and criminal calendars.

Thurston County District Court

Judge Pro Tem

Attorney in the Torts Division, the trial unit of the AG's office responsible for defending all state agencies in civil damage lawsuits in federal and state court.

Three years as counsel for the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Banks (DFI) in aftermath of global financial crisis. Responsible for advising client on pending and imminent bank insolvency issues, receiverships, and other post-closure matters involving state-chartered depository financial institutions. Interact directly with counsel for the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, the NCUA, and private counsel for banks, bank directors and officers, and other litigants, typically dealing with preemption issues, competing nondisclosure and privacy laws, Dodd-Frank, FinCEN rules, and other federal and state banking laws and regulation. Protected consumers from financial fraud and abuse by enforcing laws and regulations governing non-depository institutions and licensees, such as the Mortgage Broker Practices Act, Consumer Loan Act, Check Cashers and Sellers Act, etc.  Litigated matters for Insurance Commissioner, including major insurance receivership.

Past and present work includes the active defense of state agencies involved in civil tort litigation. Clients included Departments of Corrections, Social and Health Services, Transportation, and Early Learning. Track record of successful resolution of high exposure civil cases (including involving multiple decedents) via settlement, motions, and summary judgment.

Washington State Attorney General's Office

Assistant Attorney General

Supervised all phases of litigation of high exposure products liability lawsuits. Retained and managed outside counsel defending Honda Motor Company, American Honda, and other Honda entities in all state and federal jurisdictions in United States and Puerto Rico. Duties included appellate briefing, risk management, internal discovery coordination, witness preparation, extensive travel for direct settlement negotiations and mediations, and implementation of long-term corporate strategy.

Honda North America, Inc.

Senior Counsel

Lead prosecutor of complex white-collar crimes involving multiple victims and seven-figure thefts. Responsible for investigation, search warrants, filing, pretrial motions, interlocutory appeal, jury trial, and sentencing.  Cases involved real estate home equity fraud, investment/securities fraud, embezzlement, construction fraud, loan fraud, and other major grand thefts. Worked closely with investigators and peace officers from the Dept. of Real Estate, Dept. of Corporations, California Highway Patrol, Financial Crimes Unit of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and other law enforcement agencies in pre-filing investigation, drafting and execution of search warrants, and vertical prosecution of sophisticated high-loss theft crimes.

Litigated civil asset forfeitures under "seize and freeze" statute; chaired multi-agency Real
Estate Fraud Task Force, managed team investigating $100 million public works fraud.
Tried as sole counsel numerous adult felony defendants to verdict before dozens of juries with excellent conviction rate. Cases involved defendants charged with murder, armed robbery, and other serious crimes against persons. Successfully moved to try murder co-defendants simultaneously in front of dual juries; convictions by both juries.

Victor Minjares