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James C. Carmody

230 S. Second Street

P.O. Box 22680

Yakima, WA 98907

Areas of Practice


​About Mr. Carmody

Email: carmody@mftlaw.com       Tel: (509) 575-8500                        Fax: (509) 575-4676                            

Mr. Carmody has practiced law since 1975.  His professional experience is in business, corporate, real estate, and land use/environmental planning.  He works with local, regional, and national businesses on virtually every aspect of business and commercial representations.  He has come to be regarded as one of the leading land use and environmental attorneys in the State of Washington. 

 

Experience
 

Serves as general counsel to business and corporate entities throughout Central Washington, including agribusiness, manufacturing, sales, distribution, and medical/health care.  Representation has included entity formation and structure, corporate governance, owner and shareholder relationships, federal, state and local taxation, and business transactions (mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases, etc.).  Experience also includes litigation of corporate, business, real estate and contract disputes.

 

Land use and environmental representation has included virtually every aspect of real property use, development and ownership.  Land use representation has included comprehensive planning; project permitting and entitlements ranging from short plats to master planning developments; contested administrative, judicial and appellate proceedings; and regulatory compliance.  Environmental representation has included SEPA review and mitigation; Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act permits and enforcement; administrative hearings and appeals (Shoreline Management, Growth Management Hearings Board, Pollution Control Hearings Board); Federal and State hazardous substance issues; and wetlands and critical areas regulation.

 

Negotiation, documentation and coordination of complex real estate transactions and developments, including regional retail centers, master planned communities and resorts, regional alternative energy facilities and residential subdivisions.  Representations also include condemnation and eminent domain proceedings, inverse condemnation and regulatory takings.

 

Mr. Carmody was selected to the Washington Super Lawyers List from 2012-2019.  Each year no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

 

Business & Commercial

Agriculture & Agribusiness

     Land Use, Zoning & Permitting

Environmental & Land Use        Litigation

Condemnation & Eminent         Domain

Education

University of Washington, B.A., 1972

 

  • Magna cum laude

 

  • Phi Beta Kappa

 

  • Omicron Delta Epsilon

 

  • Purple Shield

 

University of Washington, J.D., 1975

 

  • Washington Law Review – Articles Editor

 

Admitted to Practice

2010 - present

2010 - present

Professional & Community Activities
 
  • Chairman, Executive Committee, WSBA Environmental and Land Use Law

 

  • Tax  Council Board Member (WSBA Taxation Section)

 

  • Editorial Board, Washington Real Property Deskbook, Land Use and Environmental Law Sections, Volumes VI and VIII

 

  • Editor, Conflicts of Interest in Business Transactions:  Guidelines for the Business Lawyer

 

  • Board, University of Washington School of Law Alumni Association

 

  • Board Member, KCTS Public Television, Seattle, Washington

 

  • Yakima School District, Vocational Education Board

 

 

  • Speaker: Koontz and Recent Developments in Takings Jurisprudence (2014) – WSBA Land Use and Environmental Law Mid-Year

 

  • Speaker: GMA Hot Spots – Resource Lands (2011) – WSBA Land Use and Environmental Law Mid-Year

 

  • Speaker:  What’s Coming in Renewable Energy (2011) – WSBA Land Use and Environmental Law Mid-Year

 

  • Speaker:  Visionary Approaches to Resolving Land Use and Environmental Disputes (2010) – WSBA Real Property Deskbook Land Use and Environmental

 

  • Executive Editor WSBA Real Property Deskbook Land Use and Environmental​

 

  • Author:  Land Use Damage Actions:  Projected Delay, Conditions, Denial (2011)

Publications & Speaking 
 
Awards & Acknowledgments  
 

 

  • “AV Preeminent” Rating by Martindale-Hubble (since 1980)

 

  • “SuperLawyer” by Washington Law and Politics/Seattle Met Magazine

 

  • 2012/2014 Top-Rated Lawyer – Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources

 

  • Yakima County Bar Association – Distinguished Service Award

 

  • Yakima School District – Golden Acorn Award (Community Service)

State Courts

  • Washington

Federal Trial Courts

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington

  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington

Federal Courts of Appeal

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

 

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