Ariel is an experienced trial lawyer; her practice spans the breadth of civil litigation, from temporary restraining orders through jury trials and appeals.  Since joining the firm’s partnership in 2021, Ariel has litigated a wide variety of substantial business disputes as both plaintiffs’ and defense counsel, including breach of contract, real property, product liability, consumer protection, and employment claims.

Ariel’s clients have included public entities like King County, the City of Seattle, and Seattle School District, as well as sovereign tribes, businesses, and individuals.  Ariel has also been appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General for Washington State to serve as outside counsel on environmental and toxic tort claims, constitutional litigation, and class action matters.  She has extensive local experience with the federal district courts in the Western District of Washington, King County Superior Court, and the Washington appellate courts, including the Washington Supreme Court.

Prior to joining HLFT, Ariel worked at Ropes & Gray LLP on civil litigation and matters involving government antitrust, securities, and corruption investigations.  Ariel provided strategic counseling and compliance guidance to clients across a wide range of industries including financial services, healthcare, and technology companies.

Ariel graduated from Harvard Law School, where she practiced as a student attorney at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and received an award for devoting over 1,000 hours of legal work to low-income families and domestic violence survivors including in TRO and other emergency proceedings. She also served as an editor of the Journal of Law & Gender.  Ariel earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in Government from Georgetown University.

Ariel’s representative matters include:

In June 2023, as co-lead trial counsel for King County in a six-week jury trial over defective pipes in the King County Jail, Ariel obtained a jury verdict of over $18 million.  In post-trial briefing, the County received an award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and expert costs in excess of $6 million.

Part of litigation team representing Washington State in litigation against Monsanto; obtained settlement of $95 million for damages caused to the environment from Monsanto’s manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of PCBs in Washington.

Defended the Seattle School District in a class action that was putatively brought on behalf of over 400 employees but was opposed by the Seattle Education Association. Alleged damages exceeded $40 million.  The District obtained summary dismissal following an appeal.

Defended the Seattle School District in multiple lawsuits brought by the District’s long-term disability insurer that sought indemnification from the District for claims brought against it by a class of District teachers and employees. The District obtained dismissal and recovered funds wrongfully withheld by the insurer.

Represented a Yakima-based orchard in a seven-figure crop insurance coverage dispute.  The client obtained a settlement for the entire amount in dispute and avoided arbitration. 

Part of litigation team representing hospital in successfully defending against multiple preliminary injunction attempts brought by opponents to an expansion and modernization project.

Represented proposed buyer of divested assets in drugstore merger before the Federal Trade Commission, including numerous presentations to the Commission with the company’s board, defending depositions, and drafting comprehensive white papers.

Represented cable television company in responding to multiple Civil Investigative Demands from the Department of Justice in investigation into media and entertainment combination.

Represented cable television company in lawsuit alleging illegal tying against major media company and successfully resolved the lawsuit without trial.  

Advised leading private equity firm in competitive analyses of a wide variety of technology, healthcare, and consumer product markets.