Several decades of advising and representing school districts allow Bill Coats to bring an invaluable depth of knowledge and understanding to his clients' problems. Bill's practice encompasses administrative and municipal law, and employment and labor issues, primarily in the context of school law. He has also served as Chair of the Vandeberg, Johnson & Gandara, PS School Practice Group until 2020.
After obtaining his JD from the University of Washington in 1972, Bill served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington from 1972 to 1975, after which he joined a predecessor of Vandeberg, Johnson & Gandara, PS. He has been a member of the Washington State Bar since 1972, and is admitted to practice in the Western District of Washington, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
He has served as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Washington, Tacoma, and Pacific Lutheran University. Bill is a frequent panelist and speaker in programs concerning school law, municipal law, and labor and employment. He is a member of the Washington State Council of School Attorneys (President 1978) and was a member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Washington State Bar Association. He is a member of the bar sections on Labor and Employment Law, Urban, State and Local Government Law, and Administrative Law.
Outside the firm, Bill enjoys tennis and reading, and is an avid sports fan.