Karen Sutherland is the Chair of the Employment & Labor practice area and a Member of the firm's Litigation Department, where her practice focuses on construction and product liability law.

Ms. Sutherland’s employment law experience includes representing cities, counties and private employers regarding all kinds of workplace issues, such as alleged violations of federal and Washington state sex, age and disability discrimination law. She also handles employment contract claims and related claims such as tortious interference and defamation. Ms. Sutherland drafts and litigates noncompete and nondisclosure agreements; drafts employee handbooks and management guides and sexual and racial harassment policies; violence in the workplace and privacy policies; conducts sexual and racial harassment and anti-violence training of managers, attorneys and employees; and provides fact specific pre-termination advice to employers.

Ms. Sutherland is a frequent lecturer, author and business advisor on litigation, ethics, discrimination, wrongful termination, noncompete agreements, employment law and workplace issues. She also authors the monthly King County Bar Association Bar Talk column.

Ms. Sutherland received her B.A. degree in 1980 from the University of Washington and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her J.D. in 1984 from the University of Washington School of Law. When she is not practicing law, Ms. Sutherland works as a glass blower.