Charlotte A. Archer

Phone: 425-450-4209

Legal Assistant

Katelyn Brandon

Direct: 425-450-4276

Charlotte’s practice focuses exclusively on municipal law, and she serves as general and deputy counsel to a number of public agencies in Washington. Charlotte is experienced in contract drafting and negotiation, as well as counseling municipal officers and staff on state and federal compliance issues, ethics, elections, growth management act obligations, Land Use Petition Act lawsuits, State Environmental Policy Act appeals, open government issues, and parliamentary processes. She has presented on First Amendment issues, including sign regulations and similar agency actions with free speech implications. She regularly handles drafting and analysis of proposed legislation on land use issues, and oversees public records administration.

Charlotte also advises clients on labor and employment issues. She assists clients in drafting and implementing employment-related legislation, policies, performance reviews and disciplinary documentation. She advises Civil Service Commissions through rule-making and hearings and is also experienced in employment contract and labor negotiation and counseling.

Charlotte has extensive litigation experience, having successfully litigated on behalf of public agencies actions involving zoning, eminent domain, tax repayment and allocation, real estate, environmental issues, and labor and employment. She frequently defends agencies before administrative hearing bodies and in courts of law, and is an experienced appellate advocate on behalf of municipalities.

Representative Matters

Successfully defended a city against a constitutional takings claim brought by a developer aggrieved by the denial of a permit. Efforts included briefing the Supreme Court of the United States.
Obtained dismissal on summary judgment of a claim brought against a consortium of municipal clients for payment of medical costs for jailed inmates.
Successfully defended a city against a tax repayment claim asserted by a neighboring municipality.
Obtained permanent injunctive relief against a chronic nuisance business operating without a license.
Successfully defended against a bid protest levied against a city by a waste management company.
Obtained a favorable settlement in prosecuting a city’s tree removal ordinance against developer.

Publications & Presentations

Presenter, Planning Association of Washington’s 2018 Land Use Boot Camp “Commercial Signs Post Gilbert: The Other Sign Code Cases You Have to Worry About!”
Author, “Stumping for ‘Likes:’ Tools for Addressing the Hazards of Social Media Usage by Public Agencies,” Washington State Bar Association, Administrative Law Section Summer 2018 Newsletter
Frequent presenter on Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act

Professional & Civic Involvement

Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys, Amicus Committee Member
Washington Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle
Washington Women Lawyers
Pro Bono Counsel for Asylum Seekers, Northwest Immigrants Right Project
King County Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association

Personal

Charlotte enjoys knitting, baking, volunteering with the PTA and traveling with her husband and two sons.

Charlotte A. Archer

Legal Assistant

Representative Matters

Publications & Presentations

Professional & Civic Involvement

Personal

Practice Emphasis

Education

Bar/Court Admissions