Dean Standish Perkins & Associates

10/01/2026

Forty years ago today, Stan Perkins opened the Law Offices of Dean Standish Perkins & Associates in downtown Seattle.

The first photo is Stan at the very first office. The second is one of our Yellow Pages ads from the mid-1990s, the one that put the firm on the map. A 24-hour messaging service was a selling point back then, and the tagline was a little louder than we'd write it today. The third is our team in 2026.

A lot has changed since 1986. The office moved from downtown Seattle to Issaquah. The phone book gave way to the website. What hasn't changed is the work: representing injured people, keeping them informed the whole way through, and treating every case like it belongs to a neighbor or friend. Around here, it often does.

Along the way, Stan spent more than a decade at Seattle University School of Law as a professor and director of its Incubator Program. Leading that program earned him the Apex Award for Innovation, and in 2024 the King County Bar Association named him Mentor of the Year. That's a big part of why attorneys around Seattle still call him with their questions.

He's been writing down how it all started. The first chapters of Stan's Story are on our website, and if you've ever wondered how a young lawyer with a phone book ad builds a practice that lasts four decades, they're worth a read:
https://deanstandishperkins.com/support-for-new-lawyers/stans-story/

Thank you to every client who trusted us, every attorney who sent a case our way, and everyone who has been part of this team over the years. Here's to the last 40 years and the next decade ahead!

12/19/2025

Last month, I had the opportunity to join a panel at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton focused on “How to Find Your Community.”

For many attorneys, the practice of law can feel isolating. Building and nurturing a professional community matters, but it often feels difficult to prioritize when you’re managing clients, cases, and the other responsibilities of running a practice.

I shared lessons shaped by decades in practice and my time helping the incubatees of the Seattle University School of Law’s Incubator Program and others mentees with whom I have had the pleasure to connect with over the years--and how they helped me.

We discussed different mentoring models, from practice-specific guidance to business development and coaching, and talked about why mentoring doesn’t require seniority or an overwhelming time commitment.

One of the most important takeaways is that mentoring benefits mentors just as much as mentees.

I’m grateful to my fellow panelists, Christopher Fargo-Masuda and Carrie Griffin Basas, for their insights, and to everyone who contributed questions and reflections.

Thank you to the Washington State Bar Association Solo and Small Conference, especially Ann Guinn and Darcel Lobo for inviting me to be a part of such a wonderful event.

Strong legal communities don’t happen by accident. They’re built intentionally, one relationship at a time.

08/25/2025

There can be many factors in a crash -- and sometimes it's the road itself.

It's rarely "just an accident."

08/08/2025

If giving up social media is not possible, how can victims protect their injury claim?

A single post can sabotage a claim.

07/29/2025

The real price of a pedestrian injury isn’t always visible.

It could be more than just medical bills.

07/15/2025

Broken bones can seem like a minor rite of passage. But things can quickly turn serious.

The type of fracture matters.

07/08/2025

Precautions to consider while healing from a broken bone.

Who will look out for me?

06/24/2025

Poor road design and maintenance can lead to bicycle accidents in Washington.

Who can be held accountable?

06/09/2025

Understanding location-based pedestrian risks.

Better ways to share roads.

05/14/2025

Minimum auto protection requirements in Washington might not cover all expenses after a serious accident.

What does the minimum include?