Tom Brubaker joined Lighthouse Law Group in March, 2018, after 27 years with the City of Kent city attorney’s office, serving the last 16 years as Kent’s City Attorney. During that time, Tom worked in all areas of municipal law, and regularly assisted the city’s mayor, city council, and chief administrative officer with legal and strategic advice and planning. In his day-to-day work, Tom focused his expertise on all aspects of public contracting and public bidding, all things right-of-way, drafting and negotiating software agreements, franchise negotiations and agreements, and a number of high profile public-private partnership projects, including the Kent Station development, Kent’s Accesso ShoWare Center, and two significant mixed use residential developments. Tom also monitored Kent’s litigation and supervised an office of nineteen attorneys and support staff.
From 2006 to 2016, Tom accepted an adjunct faculty position with the Seattle University School of Law, where he taught a course in Municipal Law, and Tom is proud to note that many of his students now work as lawyers for many cities, counties, and municipal law firms in Washington State. Tom also regularly presents and provides papers for continuing legal education seminars, including over fifteen individual presentations before the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA). Tom served on WSAMA’s Board of Directors, including serving as its president, from 2010 to 2018. In 2009, WSAMA presented Tom with its Outstanding Service Award and, in 2017, with its highest honor, the Ernest H. Campbell Award for excellence in the practice of municipal law.