Meet The New 2025 Board Of Trustees

Nina Caldwell

Law Firm/place of practice: Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/Criminal Prosecution
Number of years in practice: 5 years in August
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Spending time with family and friends.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Get involved with TPCBA, find a mentor and give yourself grace to make mistakes.
How do you create work/life balance? I don’t- lol. But on a serious note, I am grateful to live so close to my family that they help me with my work/ life balance. They get me to stop with Saturday brunches, game night and my nephews’ basketball games.
What would you like to be remembered for? That I served my community to the best of my abilities and I helped make a difference.
What is your favorite quote? “Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.”
What is your favorite movie? Love to go to the movies but I am a TV girlie. Favorite show would be Game of Thrones or Abbott Elementary.
President-Elect What is your perfect day off? Sleep in, then, brunch date with my mom and sisters then, a cozy night in playing games.
What is your favorite website? 15percentpledge.org
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? You can learn from other attorneys; take time out to go watch others in court.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? My family.

"Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come." - Diane Helbig  

 

Laura Groves

Law Firm/place of practice: Law Offices of Laura M. Groves
Number of years in practice: 20 years
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Sitting on a beach some place warm.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Find a mentor.
How do you create work/life balance? I set boundaries with clients and keep them, spend time with friends, family and my dog and I spend time out in nature.
What would you like to be remembered for? Being a kind person.
What is your favorite quote? "I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks." RBG
What is your favorite movie? I'm not sure that I have a favorite movie, but I do have a favorite genre…Horror.
What is your perfect day off? A sunny day where I am out hiking with my dog.
What is your favorite website? Instagram
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? Everyone deserves some grace.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? Samuel Mose Groves  

 

Jason Johnson

Law Firm/place of practice: Torrone Law
Number of years in practice: 24
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Right now what I am doing, helping people with their problems.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? There is no substitute for trial work as a foundation for your career. You need many repetitions, and the failures associated with it. Do not skip this step.
How do you create work/life balance? We no longer live our lives at a human scale or at human speed. Our every waking moment is about efficiency, ROI, and working towards some goal. You can work towards work life balance but know that you will fail. The only thing you can do is get outside once in awhile, touch grass, garden, and take a long leisurely walk in a beautiful place without purpose or destination as often as you can. If you fall asleep outside in the sunshine on a blanket with a book half open on your lap several times a year, then you are winning.
What would you like to be remembered for? My Swedish pancakes.
What is your favorite quote? TR’s the “Man in the Arena” speech. It’s too long to quote here, but it applauds those who fail when daring to do great things and decries the do-nothings on the sideline who only offer complaints and critiques of those that do. I think that section of the speech sums it up for me.
What is your favorite movie? The Grand Budapest Hotel.
What is your perfect day off? Any day off in the woods.
What is your favorite website? Washington Trails Association (www.wta.org)
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? What wins cases is not usually done in the courtroom with slick lawyering with fancy lawyer words—cases are usually won outside court during the boring, gritty, unseen part of digging up additional facts or finding that document that ties it all together that wins cases. You win most of your cases before you even get to trial.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? Jose Alberto “Pepe” Mujica Cordano—former president of Uruguay, revolutionary, political prisoner, and flower farmer.  

 

David Snell

Law Firm/place of practice: Small Snell Weiss & Comfort
Number of years in practice: 34
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Traveling the world and assisting injured workers.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Listen more than talk, if possible.
How do you create work/life balance? Make family and friends a top priority and have a law partner with similar values.
What would you like to be remembered for? Kindness and grit.
What is your favorite quote? “Good talk, Rusty.”
What is your favorite movie? Godfather Trilogy.
What is your perfect day off? Few or no plans and a sunny day, free style’n it.
What is your favorite website? Ancestry.com
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? Helping people feels reall
y good
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? Pastor Scott Harris  

 

Sven Nelson

Law Firm/place of practice: Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
Number of years in practice: 30
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Climbing Mt. Everest.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Find an area of practice that you really enjoy. If you are not having fun – try another area of the law until you find your passion.
How do you create work/life balance? Keep a list of hobbies and life- giving activities and schedule time for them along with the most important people in your life. Don’t work more than 6 days a week.
What would you like to be remembered for? As someone who is fair and fun.
What is your favorite quote? “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” - Mark Twain
What is your favorite movie? Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs.
What is your perfect day off? An early morning hike followed by an afternoon Mariners game with a buddy and a beer – followed by a dinner date with my wife and closed out with a family movie night.
What is your favorite website? Washington Trails Association. Wta.org
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? Reputation is of paramount importance and there is more than one way to look at all legal issues.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? My Dad (who doesn’t even like coffee) because he died over a decade ago and I would give anything to talk with him again. If the person has to be actually living – I would enjoy a cup of coffee with Bono.

 

Carlos Sosa

Law Firm/place of practice: Sosa Law Firm, PLLC
Number of years in practice: 44
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Attending the Canada-US Hockey final tonight at the TD Boston Garden 4 Nations Tourney.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Always continue to learn!
How do you create work/life balance? If you love what you do it is a tough balance, but carve out playtime when you can.
What would you like to be remembered for? A good lawyer whose word is his bond.
What is your favorite quote? “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”
What is your favorite movie? Tie - A Man for All Seasons; The Lion In Winter
What is your perfect day off? Watching an NHL or NFL game, with my 2 sons, and relaxing; going to a nice supper with family at one of our favorite spots. Enjoying our home in Puyallup and looking at Mt. Rainier from the backyard.
What is your favorite website? Real Clear Politics; TSN Hockey
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? Never underestimate your opponent – especially a pro se.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? Tie - David Bowie and Winston Churchill

 

Brenna Quinlan

Law Firm/place of practice: Balsam Quinlan PS
Number of years in practice: 4
If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now? Laying on a beach in the sun with a fruity drink in hand.
What is the best advice you have for new lawyers? Get involved in the legal community, find mentorship in more experienced lawyers, and go down to the courthouse on Friday morning to watch the judges’ motion dockets.
How do you create work/ life balance? Invest in your health and find hobbies that bring you fulfillment. I am currently keeping busy doing DIY projects around the house!
What would you like to be remembered for? Being a good person and making positive change around me.
What is your favorite quote? "Success is not about the position you hold, but the positive impact you create."
What is your favorite movie? Currently, Wicked!
What is your perfect day off? A day with no plans.
What is your favorite website? Is it bad if I say TikTok?
What is the most important thing you have learned as an attorney? Always be prepared.
If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone right now, who would that be? My grandmother who passed away when I was a teen – I would love the chance to fill her in on the ways my life has evolved and to ask for her advice one more time.

"Community is the foundation to success." - Kristen Jones