The Cochran Law team is comprised of an expert group of attorneys and legal professionals working seamlessly to provide clients with exceptional counsel that consistently delivers results.

While Darrell is the general, each team member is a highly skilled and integral part of a legal army dedicated to fighting for those who have been harmed.

With a collective wealth of experience, our highly skilled professionals bring a diverse range of specialties to the table.  And their track record of success taking on the most powerful opponents speaks for itself.

Integrity, unwavering commitment to service, and a relentless pursuit of justice are the pillars of our practice. As your legal partners, we are dedicated to you, working hand in hand. throughout your legal journey.

Meet the team below and discover how our collaborative approach sets us apart in delivering exceptional legal services.

Partners

Colleen Durkin Peterson
Partner
Ian Bauer
Partner
Kevin Hastings
Partner
Chris Love
Partner
Andy Ulmer
Partner
Selena Hoffman
Partner

Associates

Bridget Grotz
Senior Associate
Alex Dietz
Senior Associate
Michael McNeil
Associate
Patrick Brown
Associate
Eilidh Morrison
Associate
Nicholas Gillan
Associate

Professional Staff

Sarah Awes
Senior Legal Assistant/Executive Assistant
Laura Neal
Senior Paralegal
Jessica Gott
Paralegal
KC Moore
Paralegal
Katie Hedger
Legal Assistant
Morvana Nelson
Legal Assistant
Mollie Hetlage
Legal Clerk
Grayson Warren
Legal Clerk
Colleen Durkin Peterson

Colleen has forged a reputation for over a decade as a fierce advocate for those who have been harmed. She has been an integral part of landmark legal cases, including helping to lead groundbreaking lawsuits against chemical conglomerate Monsanto spinoff company Pharmacia LLC resulting in $237M in verdicts. Colleen’s legal inspiration comes from her attorney father and his colleagues, watching them throughout the years fighting for those who were injured and could not help themselves. This left a lasting impression on her that accountability and community could make a difference in people’s lives. Colleen’s practice focuses on catastrophic injury, medical and nursing home negligence and toxic torts.

A proud graduate of the Gonzaga University School of Law, Colleen remains a rabid booster of Bulldogs basketball, and remains steadfast in her belief that a national championship will one day be theirs.

When not pursuing justice for others, Colleen and her husband Mike pursue their kids Malia and Mikey all over. They don’t sit down.

Ian Bauer

Ian grew up in Olympia, Washington, and is a proud husband and father of three. His love of the law is only eclipsed by his passion for soccer. He played at the highest levels including as a four-year starter at NCAA D-III powerhouse Connecticut College. Ian graduated Magna Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law, somehow finding time to also play guitar and sing in a band at clubs around the Puget Sound region. He served as an attorney for the Washington State Attorney General’s office before moving to private practice and his dedication to fighting for vulnerable children, developmentally disabled adults, the elderly, and others who are victims of severe abuse or neglect.

When not working tirelessly for his clients, Ian can typically be found with his family – on the sidelines of a soccer field, in the audience at a school play, enjoying quality time together at home, or hiding out in his office watching his beloved Manchester United take the pitch in the wee hours of the morning.

Kevin Hastings

Kevin first knew he wanted to be a lawyer at the age of 12, when his uncle became a quadriplegic after a commercial fishing accident in the Bering Sea due to the negligence of others. Originally from the small fishing town of Blaine, Washington, Kevin was the first in his family to graduate college, working his way through school by fishing and other hard jobs to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington. He graduated Cum Laude with honors from Seattle University School of Law. Kevin joined PCVA in 2011 after a two-year judicial law clerkship with the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division Two. He is a passionate advocate for those who have been harmed by others and relishes the toughest fights and most daunting legal challenges.

Kevin loves spending time with his family, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, and fishing.

Chris Love

Chris focuses on appeals in both state and federal courts, class action litigation and complex trial-level litigation throughout Washington State. He pushes the limits of the law to secure justice for the injured and victimized. Thanks to this impressive reputation, he’s also regularly called on to provide legal and appellate consultation services for other law firms in multi-million-dollar litigation.

Chris has leveraged his years of appellate experience to help his clients successfully take on school districts, educational institutions, state government entities, medical providers, and multinational corporations in their pursuit of justice, including several landmark decisions by the Washington State Supreme Court.

An Alabama native and UA graduate bleeding Crimson, Chris’s interest in appellate law developed during his legal studies at Seattle University School of Law, when he served as a judicial law extern at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II. After graduation, he was hired as a judicial law clerk by the court, sight-unseen and based solely on the recommendations of the Division II judges.

Outside the office, Chris enjoys low and slow smoking on his pellet grill; back-country hiking; and supporting local industries by sampling from Washington’s farmers, fishermen, ranchers, brewers, vintners, coffee roasters and cheesemakers. His adventurous spirit leads Chris to travel the globe with his wife.

Andy Ulmer

Andy is one of Darrell Cochran’s law partners at PCVA. He has worked alongside Darrell going to war in the courtroom against the biggest and most well-funded entities in the country, from billion-dollar product manufacturers to governmental entities. Andy has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal court on behalf of victims of catastrophic injuries and adult survivors of sexual abuse. His focus throughout his legal career has been to hold wrongdoers accountable for their harmful actions. During law school, he worked with teams of federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeking prosecution for interstate crimes, with an emphasis on crimes involving child victims. When he’s not in the courtroom, Andy spends his time parenting two energetic kids with his wife at their home in Gig Harbor, WA.

Selena Hoffman

Selena has devoted her legal career to developing expertise in appeals.  Prior to joining PCVA’s appellate team, she served as senior law clerk to the Honorable Stephen J. Dwyer at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division One.  Her extensive clerkship experience has led to a deep understanding of Washington courts and the appellate process.  For clients, this means an advantage in defending verdicts in their favor.  Selena previously spent many years fighting for disabled individuals who had been wrongfully denied disability benefits.  Now, as a partner on the Cochran team, she puts her knowledge and skills to work advocating for those who have been harmed.

Selena grew up in a small town in Ohio before graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School.  She has lived ever since in the Pacific Northwest, where she hikes the Cascades whenever she gets the chance.  Selena has three young children, so she’s not sure what “free time” means, but she does love cheering her kids on from the sidelines of the soccer field and searching for critters with them on Washington State beaches.

Bridget Grotz

Bridget joined PCVA in 2019 as an associate attorney following a prestigious clerkship at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division Two,. Prior to her legal career, Bridget earned her bachelor’s degree in English and volunteered with the Peace Corps in Samoa. As a law student at the University of Washington School of Law, she interned with Human Rights Watch, documenting and researching power abuses and its impacts in the United States. Bridget’s current legal practice focuses on holding people in power accountable for their grievous acts and advocating for those who have suffered emotional and physical harm.

Bridget enjoys hiking with her Alaskan Malamute, Merlin, attending Kraken games, reading, and swimming.

Alex Dietz

Alex joined PCVA in 2020, diving headfirst into some of the firm’s most challenging cases involving civil rights violations, childhood sexual abuse, insurance bad faith, dangerous products, and catastrophic injuries. Driven by the desire to help injured individuals navigate a complicated and merciless legal system—which all too often is abused by powerful and well-funded organizations and corporations to avoid accountability for the harms they cause—he knows that effective advocacy in the courtroom must be accompanied by professional and compassionate client service.

Alex graduated from the Duke University School of Law after earning his B.A at the University of Washington.

Outside the office, he can be found exploring local restaurants, playing overly complicated board games, or having adventures with his wife, daughter, and their dog Wolfie at one of Washington’s many hiking trails and parks.

Michael McNeil

Michael is a spirted and resourceful attorney whose practice includes a wide array of civil litigation, particularly cases representing current and former military members and their families in employment (USERRA), complex personal injury, and military medical malpractice claims.

Prior to joining the firm, Michael was an active duty Combat Engineer (12B) in the US Army for almost nine years. After deploying to Iraq twice in 2006 and 2008, Michael medically retired from the military and began pursuing his education. He attended the Carson School of Business at Washington State University, graduating at the top of his class while competing on his school’s Sales Team at the National College Sales Competition where he placed 23rd out of 144 competitors.

After earning a business degree from Washington State University, Michael attended the University of Washington School of Law where he competed and won the University of Washington 1L Mock Trial Competition, and the University of Washington Steve Calandrillo Contract Negotiation Competition. He would go on to be selected to be a member of the school’s TYLA National Mock Trial Team, Moot Court Honor Board, and Technology Law Journal. Michael also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Jill Johanson at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II.

In his free time, Michael enjoys going to his kids ball games, and spending time outdoors with his family.

Patrick Brown

Patrick was born and raised in Bavaria, Germany. He originally pursued a career in the medical field until the tragic death of his father, a U.S. Army veteran, in an auto accident. Navigating the cascade of insurance and other legal issues brought him together with an attorney who helped overcome the numerous challenges and inspired him to become an attorney. He graduated Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law, dedicated to serving as an advocate for the voiceless who are repeatedly taken advantage of by the billion-dollar insurance industry,

Today, he is a fearless, aggressive advocate for those who have been harmed by the actions of others. Patrick has recovered millions of dollars for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, those who have suffered catastrophic injuries, and vulnerable adults who have been neglected and abused.

Outside of the office, he is a dedicated father, a fitness enthusiast, travel guru, and outdoor adventurer.

Eilidh Morrison

Eilidh recently joined Darrell Cochran’s practice after earning her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, where she represented children facing criminal charges and fought for people facing violations of their civil rights. Prior to attending law school, Eilidh earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Urban Studies from Rhodes College and worked as a strategic planner for an arts district in Memphis, Tennessee. Eilidh loves attending live music events, exploring new hiking trails around the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dog, and cheering on the Michigan Wolverines.

Nicholas Gillan

Nick is an associate attorney at PCVA from St. Louis, Missouri. While studying finance and economics to earn his bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama, he became interested in the civil justice system.

Fueled by a desire to achieve justice for individual plaintiffs who have been wronged by powerful institutions and corporations, he continued his education at the University of Michigan, where he earned a juris doctor degree in 2023.

While attending law school, Nick interned at PCVA as a summer associate in 2022. Inspired by the fearless advocacy displayed by Darrell Cochran and the other attorneys at PCVA, Nick returned to PCVA after passing the Washington State bar exam in 2023.

Aside from his work in holding the powerful to account, Nick remains an avid fan of Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide football and enjoys exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest whenever he gets the opportunity.

Sarah Awes

As the Senior Legal/Executive Assistant for Darrell Cochran’s law practice, Sarah is the glue that holds everything together. Hailing from Gig Harbor, WA, Sarah earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Washington, a paralegal certificate from Tacoma Community College and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She has worked at PCVA since January 2017, directly supporting all facets of the practice. Prior to working at PCVA she was a successful small business owner. Sarah loves reading, true crime podcasts, being active and dominating the firm fantasy football league.

Laura Neal

Laura began her legal career at PCVA in 2009 working summers while attending Whitworth University in Spokane, WA. After graduating with a BA in Communications in 2011, she returned to the firm full time and has been a part of Darrell’s team for the last 12 years. She’s been an integral part of the significant growth and accomplishments of Darrell’s team and the firm as a whole.

Laura is a native of Port Orchard but says she’s fallen in love with Tacoma over the past decade. She’s a loving mom to two rescue dogs, one from Thailand and one from Tunisia, and spends much of my free time exploring the Pacific Northwest with them. She prides herself on her savant-like knowledge of The Office, having watched every episode numerous times.

Jessica Gott

Jessica is a true slugger on the team, having played collegiate softball at the University of Puget Sound. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and has been with PCVA for five years. Making a difference in client lives is what drives her every day.

Jessica loves watching movies with her dog Maverick (named after Tom Cruise’s character in her favorite movie Top Gun). She enjoys reading and spending time with her twin sister.

KC Moore

A Northern California native, KC relocated to the Pacific Northwest after graduating from Sonoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. KC takes pride in being part of a team that works tirelessly advocating for those that have experienced inexcusable hardship and is constantly impressed by the intelligence, integrity, and compassion each team member brings to the battles they wage on behalf of clients every day.

In her spare time, KC enjoys spending time with her dog and family hiking, paddleboarding, and enjoying all that the beautiful State of Washington has to offer.

Katie Hedger

Katie is a Tacoma native, Stadium High School Graduate, and University of Washington Tacoma alum, where she received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She has been with PCVA for three years, starting at the reception desk and moving up to her role as a legal assistant. She loves working as part of Darrell’s team because of the dedication everyone brings to helping people and getting justice for those who have been harmed. When she’s not at work, she is probably reading, playing fantasy football, or traveling with her husband.

Morvana Nelson

As the newest member to Darrell’s team, Morava started at the firm in 2024 but she is no stranger to Tacoma. Born and raised here, and a University of Washington Tacoma alum, with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.  She has worked as a legal assistant for the past 5 years, most recently in Olympia and is excited about being back home. 
 
In her spare time, she can be found thrifting, reading, relaxing with her husband and pets (two chocolate labs and one tuxedo cat) or at the skate rink for her new hobby: roller derby. She also loves trivia/board games, and would never turn down a game night!

Mollie Hetlage

Mollie is a Steilacoom native who earned her AA at Pierce College while still in High school and recently graduated from the University of Washington where she received her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and real estate. Her unwavering passion for justice fuels her excitement to collaborate with a team devoted to delivering justice to people every day. When she is not cheering on the Huskies football team, she enjoys spending time with her family and pets, immersing herself in the outdoors, indulging in true crime documentaries and showcasing her skills on the pool table.

Grayson Warren

Texas born and Tacoma raised, Grayson earned an AA degree at Tacoma Community College while still in high school. He then went on to study at Western Washington University, and Pacific Lutheran University.

He’s worked in the legal field for three years, enthusiastically enmeshing himself in all aspects of the practice. Prior to joining the team, he got hooked on the law as a criminal law intern working on public defense cases.

Grayson is an avid photographer, shooting the local music and art scenes in Tacoma as well as working on my personal portfolio. He is proud to tell any and everyone he can solve a Rubik’s Cube in fifteen seconds!