Braden Pence

Braden is a civil rights and criminal defense attorney with more than twelve years of experience representing thousands of individuals at all stages of civil and criminal litigation, from pre-filing investigation through trial and appeal. Braden’s civil practice focuses on police misconduct, personal injury, and jail neglect in state and federal court.

Before and during law school, Braden worked with civil litigation and prosecution offices in a variety of capacities in King, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties, and the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska. After law school, Braden served as a law clerk for Snohomish County Superior Court (2010-12) and trial attorney with the Snohomish County Public Defender (2012-16) before working with legendary trial lawyer Pete Mazzone (2016-2022) and finally joining MHB (2022-present).

Braden has filed high-impact civil rights cases, including the landmark Trueblood v. DSHS.

Results

A representative sample of Braden’s (non-confidential) achievements in civil practice include:

• Obtained emergency federal injunction to force the City of Seattle to permit housing advocates to hold overnight protest in a city park.
• $3,100,000 settlement with Snohomish County to compensate for inmate’s suffering and death caused by jail neglect (exclusive of resolution of claim against private healthcare contractor).
• $1,550,000 settlement with City of Arlington, WA to compensate for police shooting a teenager.
• Jury verdict of $680,000 in general and punitive damages, award of more than $751,000 in fees and costs, plus temporary and permanent injunctive relief against City of Seattle and officers for free speech retaliation against four protesters for writing political slogans in children’s sidewalk chalk on public property (on appeal).
• $1,000,000 settlement with Spokane County to compensate for fatal police shooting of a homeless person.
• $950,000 settlement with United States government to compensate for wrongful death in vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision with an unhoused person.
• $225,000 settlement with the State of Washington and City of Seattle to compensate protester for injuries suffered in vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision.
• $150,000 settlement with the State of Washington to compensate for wrongful incarceration due to miscalculation of the sentence.
• $125,000 plus permanent injunctive relief settlement with Bonner County, ID (appearing pro hac vice) for free speech retaliation and censorship on government social media.
• $90,000 settlement with Island County to compensate unhoused person assaulted by sheriff deputy.
• $36,000 settlement with Snohomish County to compensate person injured by sheriff deputy during arrest.
• $21,000 settlement with Snohomish County to compensate a protester arrested booked into jail for taunting a sheriff deputy with a donut.
• $20,000 settlement with City of Lynnwood, WA to compensate disabled person injured by jail staff.
• $15,000 settlement with State of Washington to compensate disabled person for deliberate indifference to serious medical need.
• $10,000 settlement with City of Seattle to compensate unhoused person for property seized and destroyed during encampment “sweep.”

Education

• Garfield High School, Seattle, WA, 2001
• B.A., Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA, 2005
• J.D., Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, WA, 2010

Professional Licenses & Associations

• Admitted to practice before all courts of the State of Washington
• Admitted to practice before the United States District Court for both the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
• Admitted to practice before the Tulalip Tribal Court (lapsed)
• Washington State Bar Association, member
• Order of the Barristers, member
• National Lawyers Guild, member