Swaby began his career in 1990 as a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
VANCOUVER – Deputy County Manager Amber Emery announced this week that the county has selected long-time public defense attorney Christopher Swaby as the county’s first director of public defense and chief public defender. Swaby will join the county on July 1.
“Christopher is a known and respected leader across the state of Washington with more than three decades of litigation experience,” said Deputy County Manager Amber Emery.
Swaby is on the board of the Washington Defender Association, a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Washington State Bar Association Council on Public Defense and the Washington State Bar Association Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Swaby began his career in 1990 as a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Christopher moved to eastern Washington in 2000, where he practiced on the felony defense panel in Benton County. He moved to the Seattle area and joined the Defender Association (TDA) as a staff attorney in the felony division and was later promoted to felony division supervisor. Swaby left TDA in 2012 and joined a small boutique criminal defense firm. In 2015, he left the firm to start a solo criminal defense practice. He has represented clients in matters in Benton, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston and Yakima counties.
Swaby was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Virginia and a juris doctor from the Georgetown University of Law Center.
“The establishment of the new Public Defenders’ Office reflects Clark County’s ongoing commitment to fostering a justice system that is equitable and responsive to the needs of its residents,” said Swaby. “I am deeply committed to addressing the pressing issues facing public defense services in Clark County.”
The County Council in November 2023 approved using American Recovery Plan Act funding to create the new Public Defense office. The county is in the process of transitioning away from a contract model to provide county staffed indigent defense services.
Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.
Also read:
- Mother’s Day: Remembering my mom and her many endearing qualities
Ken Vance reflects on Donna Vance, a mother who apologized for paying with food stamps. - Let’s Go Washington prepares to gather signatures for income tax repeal effort
Let’s Go Washington needs 308,911 signatures by July 2 to put the income tax before voters in November. - Vancouver Police arrest additional suspect in child molestation investigation
William J. Sneiderwine, 61, faces conspiracy and evidence tampering charges in the Wilmington child molestation case. - Letter: ‘Once you decide your political opponents are sick, you don’t have to listen to anything they say’
Camas resident Tony Teso argues Ken Vance’s column reframes political disagreement as mental illness to avoid engaging on substance. - WDFW offers tips after resident reports a cougar sighting in Vancouver city park
Mitch Ratigan was 20–30 feet from a cougar at Ellsworth Springs Park before grabbing his dog and running. - Opinion: Greg Johnson’s $2 million contract delivered a huge mess
Johnson’s $1.9M pay coincided with IBR costs tripling and construction timeline doubling to 20 years. - POLL: What issue should be the top priority for Southwest Washington’s next member of Congress?
Sen. John Braun criticized WA’s new income tax while outlining his congressional priorities in Vancouver.
