Karen Kalzer Joins Helsell Fetterman


Firm Adds Experienced Attorney to Its Education and Employment & Labor Practice Groups

Karen Kalzer, an attorney who has practiced in the Seattle area for more than 15 years, has joined Helsell Fetterman. Karen has extensive experience in education and employment law, providing advice and liability defense for private employers, religious organizations, child caring agencies, schools and nonprofits.

Karen has defended and successfully resolved over 300 claims of employer negligence involving wrongful sexual conduct by combining incisive legal tactics with an empathetic litigation approach and compassionate communication skills. Her practice requires a unique set of experience spanning areas of privacy rights, constitutional issues, mental health and human development.

As a litigator, Karen has tried professional liability, employment discrimination and wage loss cases to verdict in District Court and Superior Court. She has also engaged in oral argument in all Divisions of the Washington State Court of Appeals, the Washington State Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals—and practiced in both State and Federal Court. Experienced in managing complex multi-plaintiff litigation, Karen focuses on bringing matters to  successful, cost-efficient conclusions.

Karen is highly involved in promoting awareness of legal issues that affect communities of faith and private employers. Her work has been published in Claims Management Magazine, and she has spoken at the Education Law Association, the Small Business Employment Law conference as well as the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance regional session. A natural leader, Karen also takes the time to improve her interpersonal skills through continuing education. She was one of the first recipients of Columbia Law School’s CLMP designation, and more recently has been working towards her Master’s in Organizational Leadership through Gonzaga University.

Karen has great optimism about the opportunities at Helsell Fetterman. “I’m happy to join a team with similar ideas on what it means to practice law and dedicate oneself to the client, how to uphold one’s ethics and integrity, and how to maintain a workplace that’s great to come to each day” she proudly stated.


Contact Karen at [email protected] or (206) 689-2125.