Heather McKimmie

Heather McKimmie has been an attorney with Disability Rights Washington since August 2009. Heather is currently the Director of the AVID Program, which focuses on advocacy for individuals with disabilities in Washington prisons, jails, and the Special Commitment Center. AVID advocates for criminal legal system reform by speaking directly to incarcerated individuals, inspecting conditions at correctional facilities, negotiating with corrections administrators, educating policy makers, producing videos, writing reports, and litigating when necessary. Prior to working at Disability Rights Washington, Heather practiced criminal defense at the trial and appellate levels. She also clerked for a superior court judge, worked in a personal injury law office, represented workers in unemployment compensation hearings, and conducted investigations for a public defender’s office. She graduated from University of Washington School of Law in 2005 and was a Notes and Comments Editor for Washington Law Review. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington with a BA in History with distinction in 2001.