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5 Best Business and Corporate Lawyers in Seattle (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Lorian Hartfield
By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

A bad contract clause can cost a Seattle founder more than the legal bill ever would. The business and corporate lawyers on this page carry a combined 1,428 Google reviews, and every firm here holds a 4.7 or better, so the real decision is not whether they're competent but which one fits the size of the deal in front of you.

Short answer: For most Seattle businesses, Carney Badley Spellman is the strongest all-around pick, rated 4.9 across 69 reviews with deep bench strength in M&A, real estate, and construction law. Founders and startups leaning lighter and faster should look at TKN Tyson, a boutique firm rated a perfect 5.0 across 57 reviews built specifically around formation, fundraising, and equity work. Both charge for consultations that vary by matter, so ask upfront.
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How Seattle's Business Lawyers Stack Up

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Morgan & Morgan 4.7 1,021 Large firm, broad practice View ›
2 HKM Employment Attorneys LLP 4.7 212 Employment and labor-heavy business matters View ›
3 Carney Badley Spellman 4.9 69 Overall / M&A and corporate counseling View ›
4 TKN Tyson 5.0 57 Startups and early-stage fundraising View ›
5 Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC 4.7 69 Real estate and immigration-adjacent business matters View ›
5 Best Business and Corporate Lawyers in Seattle (2026)

Our picks, reviewed

Morgan & Morgan logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Morgan & Morgan

4.71,021 Google reviews

Morgan & Morgan is a national law firm with a Seattle office downtown, best known for personal injury and employment work but also fielding business and civil litigation matters. It's one of the largest firms in the country by headcount, which shows up in its Seattle reviews: a mix of strong outcomes and complaints about slow intake for smaller or declined cases. The firm markets itself around client access and no-fee-unless-we-win arrangements on the litigation side.

What people praise

  • Large team means broad bench strength across practice areas
  • Clients describe attorneys as approachable and willing to explain the process
  • Strong track record on complex, multi-week matters

Worth knowing

  • Intake process can be slow for smaller or declined matters
  • Communication is sometimes routed through call-center-style staff before reaching an attorney
Reputation scorecardrank in Seattle
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume1,021 · 98th
Confidencevery high
Recency8 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown83% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It ranks here on sheer review volume, over a thousand on Google, more than any other firm on this page, but a scan of the text shows the intake experience varies. Good fit for bigger, more complex business disputes rather than a quick contract review.

506 2nd Ave Ste 1513, Seattle, WA 98104

HKM Employment Attorneys LLP logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

HKM Employment Attorneys LLP

4.7212 Google reviews

HKM Employment Attorneys LLP runs a Seattle office focused on employment law, covering everything from wrongful termination and wage disputes to non-compete and severance review. The firm represents employees, not employers, and structures its practice around direct attorney access rather than routing clients through paralegals. For a business owner facing an employment claim from a former staffer, this is the other side of the table, and worth knowing about before a dispute lands.

What people praise

  • Clients repeatedly praise direct communication with the named attorney
  • Reviewers describe the team as compassionate during stressful disputes
  • Strong outcomes cited across discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination cases

Worth knowing

  • Represents employees exclusively, so business owners need separate counsel if facing a claim
Reputation scorecardrank in Seattle
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume212 · 93th
Confidencemoderate
Recency2 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown89% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: 212 reviews at 4.7 stars is a serious track record for a specialty practice. It's the right call when the corporate matter is actually an employment dispute, less so for general contract or M&A work.

600 Stewart St #901, Seattle, WA 98101

Carney Badley Spellman logo
#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Carney Badley Spellman

4.969 Google reviews

Carney Badley Spellman is a full-service Seattle law firm covering business counseling, M&A, commercial real estate, construction, and litigation. The firm's practice areas read like a checklist for anything a growing company might need, from deal structuring to zoning disputes. Reviews describe attorneys handling business sales, trademark work, and complex negotiations, often praised for responsiveness even during demanding closing timelines.

What people praise

  • Reviewers highlight thorough legal review that catches issues clients hadn't considered
  • Responsive communication cited repeatedly, including nights and weekends during deal closings
  • Broad practice areas mean the same firm can handle a sale, the lease, and the dispute that follows

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base than the largest firms on this page, so the sample size is thinner
Reputation scorecardrank in Seattle
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume69 · 80th
Confidenceearly
Recency6 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown97% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The highest rating on this page at 4.9, and it holds up across a mix of business sale, trademark, and litigation reviews. Our top pick for a company that needs one firm to handle multiple kinds of legal work.

701 5th Ave #3600, Seattle, WA 98104

TKN Tyson logo
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

TKN Tyson

5.057 Google reviews

TKN Tyson is a boutique Seattle firm built specifically for startups, investment funds, and entrepreneurs, covering formation, fundraising, equity, and trademark work. The firm positions itself as an alternative to big-law pricing and pace, blending fast turnaround with the depth founders need for venture financing rounds. Reviewers consistently name Mark Tyson directly for guiding first-time founders through legal structures they'd never navigated before.

What people praise

  • Every review is 5 stars, with founders citing clear explanations of complex fundraising terms
  • Praised for proactively flagging cheaper options rather than upselling
  • Easy online scheduling and invoicing cited as a plus for busy founders

Worth knowing

  • Smaller, boutique team means less bench depth for large corporate litigation
Reputation scorecardrank in Seattle
Rating5 / 5
Review volume57 · 68th
Confidenceearly
Recency2 years ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A perfect rating across 57 reviews, all pointing at the same strength: startup-specific guidance from formation through a funding round. The clear pick if you're an early-stage founder rather than an established company.

1601 5th Ave Ste 900, Seattle, WA 98101

Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC logo
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC

4.769 Google reviews

Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland is a full-service Seattle firm with attorneys covering business, real estate litigation, insurance disputes, and immigration matters tied to business ownership. Reviews describe the firm handling everything from green card applications to construction disputes over an unfinished 'dream home,' suggesting a wide bench across both personal and commercial matters. The firm has operated in downtown Seattle for years and draws repeat clients across multiple practice areas.

What people praise

  • Clients highlight attentive, detail-oriented service across varied matter types
  • Reviewers say the team communicated clearly even with non-native English speakers
  • Praised for finding cost-effective resolutions to real estate disputes

Worth knowing

  • Broad practice mix means less specialization than a boutique corporate firm
Reputation scorecardrank in Seattle
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume69 · 80th
Confidenceearly
Recency5 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown90% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Solid 4.7 rating across 69 reviews, with real estate and immigration-adjacent work standing out most in the review text. Worth a call if your business matter overlaps with property or personnel immigration issues.

401 Union St Ste 1500, Seattle, WA 98101

6

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How we score

Rating is the live Google average. Review volume measures how many clients actually left feedback, ranked against others in the same search. Confidence blends rating with volume, since five reviews and five hundred don’t carry the same weight. Recency checks how recently people are still reviewing. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a business lawyer cost in Seattle? (2026)

Corporate legal fees in Seattle vary widely by matter complexity, from a straightforward contract review to a multi-month acquisition. Hourly rates, retainer structures, and flat fees for specific services (like an LLC formation) are all common, so ask for a written fee estimate before engaging.

Serving all of Seattle

These firms cluster downtown and in the financial district, from 2nd Avenue to Union Street, putting them within easy reach of Belltown, South Lake Union, and Capitol Hill businesses. If you’re searching for a business and corporate lawyer near me in Seattle, most offer phone consultations before you commit to an in-person meeting.

What to ask before you hire a business and corporate lawyer

  • Do you bill hourly, flat-fee, or on retainer for this type of matter?
  • Have you handled deals or disputes of this size before?
  • Who on your team will actually be handling my file day to day?
  • What’s your typical turnaround time for contract review or drafting?
  • Do you have experience in my specific industry?
  • What happens if the matter turns into litigation?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these firms?

We pulled every business and corporate lawyer in Seattle with a meaningful Google presence, then ranked by a mix of rating, review volume, and how recently people are still leaving reviews.

How often is this updated?

This page reflects Google data verified in August 2026. We refresh it periodically as ratings and review counts shift.

Do I need a business lawyer for a simple LLC formation?

Not always. Many entrepreneurs file formation paperwork themselves, but a lawyer is worth it once you’re negotiating with co-founders, investors, or landlords.

What’s the difference between a business lawyer and a corporate lawyer?

The terms overlap heavily. In practice, both cover contracts, entity structure, and transactions; some firms lean more toward litigation, others toward transactional deal work.

The bottom line

For most established Seattle businesses, Carney Badley Spellman is the safe default, a full-service firm with the highest rating on this page and a track record across M&A, real estate, and litigation. If you’re a founder raising a seed round instead, call TKN Tyson first. Either way, ask for a written fee structure before your first real meeting.

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