John Merriam worked his way through college and law school by serving as an unlicensed seaman in the U.S. merchant marine over the course of 12 years. He worked aboard 17 freighters and tankers in all departments—deck, engine and steward—in 12 different job classifications. John’s law school tuition was paid with a scholarship from the Seafarers International Union.
Before and during the time he was shipping out and going to school, John had 19 other full-time jobs in eight states ranging from carpenter to cab driver, from roustabout in the oil fields of New Mexico to factory hand on a production line. John was a downhill ski instructor on weekends, during most winters for 20 years.
John passed the bar in 1982 and joined a small firm—first as associate and then as partner, over the course of 13 years. The firm was a general practice handling a all manner of cases, with an emphasis on maritime personal injury.
In 1996 John started his own firm, with practice restricted to the representation of maritime claimants for wages and injury. Shortly thereafter he started working together on maritime cases with another sole practitioner, Gordon Webb. John and Gordon continue to work on cases together to this day.
John was Chairman for the Maritime Section of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (now known as the Washington State Association for Justice), 1993-94. He has been a regular speaker at continuing legal education seminars for maritime personal injury. John has been designated a Super Lawyer every year since 2012.