Criminal Attorney Profiles
Mark W. Prothero
Mark W. Prothero graduated from the University of Washington in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He then attended law school at the University of San Diego, where he earned his J.D. in 1981.
In 1983, Mark began working for the Associated Counsel for the Accused (ACA). He began by defending people in the municipal and district courts accused of such crimes as D.U.I. and Domestic Violence. He moved on to defend juveniles, and in 1987, joined the felony unit. While at ACA, Mark participated in many pro bono projects for accused criminals and was a member of the Innocence Project Northwest. In his professional capacity, Mark is perhaps best known as the lead defense attorney in the landmark case against Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer.
As a founding member of the Criminal Defense Law Department at Hanis Irvine Prothero PLLC, Mark's extensive courtroom experience qualifies him to defend a range of crimes from D.U.I. to Aggravated First Degree Murder. Admitted to the Federal Bar, Mark is able to defend those accused of federal crimes and is one of the select few attorneys on the Washington Supreme Court's panel to defend individuals faced with the death penalty.
A frequent lecturer at legal education seminars, Mark is recognized for his expertise on subjects such as: sentencing, evidence, forensic DNA, the mental health of criminals, and the death penalty. He is a member of the Washington Defender Association (WDA) and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL), serving on their Board of Governors since 2003 and authoring three articles for the WACDL publication, DEFENSE.
Mark has also served as a Judge Pro Tem in Tukwila, Des Moines, Kent, and SeaTac Municipal Courts.
In addition to his professional activities, Mark is committed to community involvement. As a volunteer speaker at local high schools on criminal law and law as a career, Mark has served on several Kent School District committees. A renowned swimmer who represented the United States in international competition, Mark is co-founder of the 2003 Kent Citizens for Water Safety Organization, which successfully saved the Kent Meridian swimming pool from county closure.
A long-time swim coach, Mark "retired" from coaching, at least for awhile. During his 11 years as coach at Kentwood High School, he coached several state champions and was named State 4A Coach of the Year in 2003. He also coached for 14 years at Kent Swim and Tennis Club, where his teams won 7 league championships and 86 dual meets in a row.
Mark and his wife Kelly have two children - Sean who is pursuing his bachelor's degree while coaching swimming at KING Aquatic Club and Kennedy High School and Marley, a two-time state high school swim champion who attends the University of Nevada Las Vegas and swims for the Rebels.
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Gregory L. Girard
Gregory L. Girard graduated from Western Washington State College in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Science. He then attended law school at the University of Puget Sound, where he earned his J.D. in 1980.
During his second year of law school, Greg began working for the Eastside Defenders Association (EDA), where he continued to work as a trial attorney in the juvenile and superior court felony units following his graduation. This began Greg's commitment to criminal defense in King County that has continued over the last 25 years. In 1985, Greg began working for the Associated Counsel for the Accused (ACA). He initially supervised attorneys practicing in the district courts of South King County. Greg was then selected to be a senior trial attorney, handling the most complicated and serious felony cases. During his last ten years at ACA, he supervised the felony unit, consisting of 15 to 20 trial attorneys and investigators. Greg joined Hanis Irvine Prothero PLLC in May, 2004, where he continues to provide quality criminal defense.
Greg's practice is committed to the aggressive defense of a wide array of accused criminal offenders. Because of his experience and expertise, Greg is one of few criminal defense attorneys who can defend persons accused of the simplest misdemeanor or D.U.I. to the most complicated felony. In addition, Greg represents persons on appeal from criminal convictions or Department of Licensing suspensions in all levels of appellate courts in Washington. Greg is also admitted to the Federal Bar, where he defends people accused of federal crimes.
In addition to his practice, Greg also presents and teaches on various topics at continuing legal education seminars. Among the subjects he has presented on are The Law of Search and Seizure; Admissibility of Statements Made by the Accused; the Accused's Right to a Speedy Trial; and the Art of Negotiation in Criminal Defense. Greg is a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL), and the King and South King County Bar Associations.
In his spare time, Greg enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. They particularly enjoy traveling, playing golf, and skiing. Greg and his wife also enjoy rooting on their children in their academic and sporting endeavors and lending their support to local professional, college, and high school teams. In his few free moments at home, Greg likes reading and spending time in his garden. Greg is also an accomplished Thai chef.
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