Aaron John is a Senior Associate Attorney with HWS Law Group based in the Seattle office. Aaron is a tenacious litigator and trial lawyer with a successful record of representing individual and corporate clients before regulatory agencies and in both state and federal courts in Washington State, Missouri and Minnesota. His practice focuses mainly on complex civil and commercial litigation, including construction liability and defects, personal injury, and insurance defense litigation.

Prior to joining HWS Law Group, Aaron has honed his litigation, advocacy and regulatory compliance skills in a variety of additional practice areas including, breach of contract claims, investor and ownership disputes, appellate matters, first- and third-party insurance defense, real estate transactions and litigation, creditor’s rights, foreclosure, and bankruptcy proceedings.

Aaron hails from Nebraska, home of the good life, and is a devout Cornhusker through and through. He graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with majors in Philosophy and Political Science before receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

When not practicing law, Aaron’s passions lead him into the Pacific Northwest mountains and onto the water in search of local trout and salmon, routinely with a fly rod in hand and his dog, Tela, in tow. Aaron finds intense delight in listening to the band Phish and live music in general. When winter rolls around and the camping season wanes, he can usually be found snowboarding at whichever mountain has the freshest powder and indulging in Seattle’s renowned coffee.

Representative Work

• Successfully resolved numerous litigation matters, achieving dismissals through summary judgments, and favorable outcomes in settlements, mediations, arbitrations, and trials.
• Represented clients in multiple hearings before the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings, addressing alleged compliance and regulatory violations issued by the relevant regulatory agencies.
• Expertly negotiated and brokered transactions involving the purchase and sale of multiple Washington State liquor and cannabis licenses, as well as complete business operations and systems.
• Assisted investors in recovering investment funds and securing profit distributions in instances where companies failed to transfer ownership shares or disburse profits as agreed.
• Secured a Temporary Restraining Order to halt the fraudulent sale and transfer of funds, safeguarding the client’s assets and business equipment.
• Obtained a favorable judgment against a corporation for a long-time employee’s capital contributions, ensuring the transfer of ownership shares that were wrongfully withheld.
• Guided clients through the process of removing a governor that had engaged in fraud and misappropriation of funds, restoring integrity to the company’s operations.

Speaking Engagements and Media Appearances

• Publication, “Washington to Do Away with 37% Medical Cannabis Tax,” High Times (March 2024)
• Speaker, “Branding and Trademarks: How to Make and Protect Your Distinct Mark in the Cannabis Industry,” Lucky Leaf Minnesota Conference (April 2024)
• Speaker, “Managing Your Cannabis Legacy,” Lucky Leaf Minnesota Conference (April 2024)
• Publication, “Minnesota Cannabis Producers Given the Greenlight After Being Momentarily in Limbo,” Cannabis Business Executive (May 2024)
• Publication, “Minnesota Cannabis Social Equity Verification,” MjInvest (June 2024)