Trial Lawyer / Firm Owner
Sunshine has been fighting for justice her whole life.
It's no surprise that she has always wanted to be a lawyer. After being the Captain of the debate team in her small town high school, Sunshine faced a number of challenges in her goal to get a college degree. Never one to be deterred by a challenge, she joined the military to serve her country and earn money for college. In her more than 8 years as an enlisted airman in the USAF, Sunshine lived and worked in 6 countries and 3 states. She deployed to support the US build up in Kosovo in 1998 and served in Kuwait in 2001. Despite loving her fellow service members and the service itself, after completing her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, it was time for Sunshine to fulfill her dream of going to law school.
Having just been honorably discharged from the military in southern Georgia, Sunshine looked for law schools close by and was offered a scholarship to Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sunshine excelled in law school, earning an internship at the Florida Supreme Court, a job at the Washington Attorney General's Office, and graduating in the top 5% of her class.
After spending her third year at Seattle University School of Law, Sunshine graduated with honors.
She had secured a position as a judicial clerk in Anchorage, Alaska and she and her 3 cats were off on an adventure. Living and working in Alaska was interesting but Sunshine did not find the community feel that she was looking for and when her year-long commitment was complete she returned to Washington.
Sunshine then landed a job at a small family-run personal injury law firm in Clallam County where she learned the ins and outs of personal injury law.
It is here that Sunshine was first exposed to the Trial Lawyer's College philosophy of practicing law. From there, she moved to a large, high volume practice in King County. There Sunshine arbitrated more than 100 cases and took on her first jury trial.
Wanting a more personal connection to her clients, Sunshine moved to a smaller firm in Bellevue. There Sunshine's trial skills were refined and she learned more about the Trial Lawyer's College.
Finally, in 2014 Sunshine was admitted to the 3-week Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer's College in Dubois, Wyoming.
There attorneys learn how to shed the stiff, disconnected approach to the practice of law and learn how to really connect with and love their clients. We know two things: (1) I can never really understand and relate to my client unless I am honest about and work on my own issues and (2) I cannot ask a jury to love my client if I don't already love them. It was a profound change in the way that Sunshine practiced law and lived.
In 2017, Sunshine had the opportunity to work for a nationally known female trial lawyer in Nebraska.
While Nebraska was not a super exciting prospect working for a great female trial lawyer was something she could not pass up. While the work was amazing, Nebraska was just not home. Sunshine realized when she left that Washington was her home. In July 2018 she returned. Moving to Port Orchard, Kitsap County and practicing criminal defense and personal injury law.
Sunshine returns to the Trial Lawyer's College every year to continue her journey of discovery of how to be a better trial lawyer and person. She has also traveled to Uganda, Africa to share these skills with local African attorneys.
Sunshine is home in Port Orchard, loving the small community feel
of Kitsap County with the ease of access to all the I-5 corridor has to offer. She is more dedicated than ever to fighting for justice; pushing back against big insurance companies who only care about their bottom line and over zealous prosecutor's who refuse to look at all the facts.
Litigation is war and there are many battles along the way that begin the day you are injured by someone else's negligence or are charged with a crime. Do not go into battle alone. Take a warrior with you. A warrior who will take the time to listen and get to know you. A warrior who will love and support you. A warrior who does not back down from a fight, even in the face of the most powerful opponents. Sunshine is that Warrior. You want her to have your back in the battle that lies ahead.
Chelsea Coy
