The Legal Spotlight: Amanda Hartman

Amanda Hartman, a transplant from Idaho who has since adopted Vancouver as her home, officially became a member of the esteemed McKean Smith legal team in 2023. Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Amanda has fully embraced the region’s unique charm and opportunities.

Recently, the Clark County Bar Association shone a spotlight on Hartman when Hearsay Magazine featured interviewed her for a short article. Eager to echo this recognition we seized the chance to delve deeper into Amanda’s story.

In a candid conversation with her colleague, Ashley, Amanda offers a glimpse into her background, providing insight into the journey of this promising young attorney.

March 25th 2024

Ashley: Amanda, you passed the Washington State Bar in September of 2023, when did you realize you wanted to become an attorney?

Amanda: Figuring this out actually took me a while. I’ve had people, including an attorney I did not know, telling me I should be an attorney since high school. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I got a BS in political science for my undergrad because it seemed like something that would lead to a legal career. I also took the LSAT during my last year. Then I got a job in financial technology a couple months before graduating and shifted focus to that rather than law school. About 6-8 months in, I was the bankruptcy/complex merger specialist because I enjoyed/was good at reading through bankruptcy filings and SEC forms, with people, once again, telling me I should become a lawyer. I decided for myself that I did actually want to be one in the summer of 2020.

Ashley: If you weren’t an attorney, what would be your next choice of career?

Amanda: A financial analyst or similar. I enjoy investments/finances and find corporate deal structures interesting. Especially when the corporation in question is clearly trying to figure out how to accomplish something their relevant country’s regulatory agent does not like.

Ashley: What is some advice you would give to other young aspiring attorneys?

Amanda: Ask yourself why you want a career in law. Is it because other people told you you should go to law school? Is it because you enjoy the nitty gritty details in black letter law and finding loopholes? Is it because you want to help people, and see law as a way to do that? Is it because you want to change the law in some way? If you know why you want to go into law, you have more internal direction as to which sort of law you might want to practice in. You will also have more confidence about your choice, which may end up helping you get through law school and through the bar exam (if necessary, in your jurisdiction).

Ashley: I’ve been to Idaho. It’s definitely a little different from Vancouver and the Portland Metro Area. What was it like growing up in more of a rural area?

Amanda: I didn’t really grow up in rural Idaho, Nampa is fairly suburban. Or at least, it seems that way to me as someone who grew up in Idaho. There wasn’t much to do so I spent a lot of time at home reading, at some point my closet had shelves ground to ceiling (almost) on two walls that were just books. In my senior year of high school we moved outside the city limits a bit, which was rural. I remember a nearby farmer grew corn, he offered us as much as we wanted on the condition we did not attempt to grow any ourselves to avoid cross-pollination. My bedroom window looked out over a field too, so occasionally I would be woken up by a crop duster buzzing the house after dusting the field.

Ashley: Finish the sentence: ‘Those that know me best know that I …….”

Amanda: …Love reading, writing, and cats!

Ashley: Speaking of cats, your 8-month-old Siberian kitten Tybalt got a shout-out in the Hearsay article. Where does the name Tybalt come from?

Amanda: It’s from Reynard the Fox (medieval allegorical fables from the second half of the 12th century), one of the characters is Tibert /Tybalt the cat. Lady Capulet’s brother, in Romeo and Juliet is named after the same Tibert/Tybalt character, which is why he has the “Prince of Cats” nickname, ( if you’re curious)!

Amanda is currently a Family Law support attorney on Deanna Rusch’s team in McKean Smith’s Vancouver office.

Stephan Warner listed in Top 25 Attorneys of Oregon for 2024

McKean Smith Sponsors West Columbia Gorge Humane Society’s 30th Anniversary Fundraiser.

McKean Smith Hosts Christmas Ships Viewing with Vancouver’s Downtown Association

Congratulations to our 2023 Best Lawyers

McKean Smith Supports the Campaign for Equal Justice

McKean Smith makes Portland Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022

Mckean Smith Finalist in VBJ Business Growth Awards

McKean Smith Makes the Financial Times America’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022

Troy Nixon Joins McKean Smith

Lisa Martin Joins McKean Smith’s Vancouver Office

McKean Smith joins the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce

McKean Smith recognized in US News – Best Law Firms 2022

Sonia Montalbano makes TopVerdict.com’s 73rd Largest Personal Injury Verdict

Deanna Rusch in DJC Oregon’s 2021 Women of Vision

Women of Vision

McKean Smith – Oregon Business: 100 Best Companies To Work For

New Oregon Gun Law Takes Effect

Gun Law Oregon

Annelisa Smith in DJC Oregon’s 2020 Women of Vision

McKean Smith Makes PBJ’s Fastest Growing Private Companies for the 2nd Year In a Row

McKean Smith Attorneys Made the List of 2021 Best Lawyers of America

The New Normal: Distance Learning and Updating Your Parenting Plan

Ronald A. Johnston of Johnston Family Law Joins Mckean Smith’s Team of Attorneys

McKean Smith Offers Immediate Arbitration and Mediation Services

How Does COVID-19 Impact my Parenting Plan, Child Support, and other Frequently Asked Questions

Changes in Federal and State Laws Due to COVID-19

Medical Debt Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking – What are Your Rights in the Workplace?

Statewide Family Law Panel Issues Guidance for Custody and Parenting Time During Coronavirus Pandemic

Governor Brown follows suit of FHFA’s 90-day Suspension of Evictions and Foreclosures

Enforcement of Oregon’s Stay-At-Home Order

Contact Us

Contact Us

YOU ARE REQUESTING TO BE CONTACTED BY A LAW FIRM BY SUBMITTING YOUR INQUIRY. Please do not include any confidential information concerning any potential or actual legal matter in this e-mail message. Your inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship and any
confidential information shared with McKean Smith in your inquiry will not be protected as confidential.