Meet Lisa
Education: Lisa graduated from Kamiakin High School in Kennewick. She immediately joined the U.S. AirForce. She was stationed at Keesler AFB and Fairchild AFB. She worked the flightline as a Radar and Radio maintenance technician on B-52H, KC135 and helicopters. She began college in the AirForce. She went on to earn an Associates of Art degree from Spokane Falls Community College. Lisa attended Eastern Washington University (EWU). At EWU, she earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government with a minor in Sociology/Criminology and Master's Degree in Public Administration from EWU. Lisa graduated with honors from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2003. During her first year of law school she finished the last semester of her Master's degree at EWU. In 2015, Lisa successfully completed 40 hours of Mediation Training at the University of Idaho Law School.
Legal Experience: Lisa has more than 21 years practicing law in several Eastern Washington counties involving: civil trial/motion practice, elder law, probate, criminal law, guardianship, family law, protection orders, trust estate dispute resolution & litigation, estate planning, fiduciary services as trustee and personal representative, and administrative law, including judicial review petitions. She also mediates probate disputes, family law and guardianship. Lisa is also a regularly sought after speaker and presenter on various legal topics and ethics.
Lisa has experience in Washington Municipal, District and Superior Courts, the Washington State Court of Appeals, and Washington State Office of Administrative Hearing. She also was admitted before the Social Security Administration and Veterans Administration (2012 to 2018). Since 2014, Lisa is member in good standing with the Idaho State Bar practicing before the Magistrate and District Courts.
Public Service as an Attorney: Before, during and after taking the Washington State Bar Exam in 2003, Lisa was a zealous researcher/advocate/attorney for the Spokane City / County Domestic Violence Prosecutor's Unit and Special Assault Unit for both felony and misdemeanor crimes.
Adult Protective Services quickly hired her as its first in-house counsel for the APS program in Eastern Washington located within DSHS/Home and Community Services. There, Lisa worked collaboratively with management, staff, law enforcement, agency staff, prosecution, administrative tribunals and other stakeholders in the advocacy and protection of vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, abandonment, Medicaid fraud and financial exploitation.
As the sole in-house attorney for APS in 13 Eastern Washington counties she litigated more than 200 hearings on behalf of the APS program. Furthermore, she collaborated with the WA State Office of the Attorney General and prosecutors on criminal matters or appeals filed in WA Superior Courts and WA State Court of Appeals, Division III.
Lisa was an Attorney Advisor for the Social Security Administration Office of Adjudication and Review (ODAR) . There, she reviewed, read and synthesized voluminous case file history, medical records, opinions and other record evidence to draft legal opinions and rulings issued from the bench. She was also a national trainer. Her ability to read complex and voluminous amounts of information for the purposes of rendering decisions based on testimony, facts and law is impressive.
Private Practice / Business experience as an Attorney: In 2012, Lisa formed Malpass Law Office, P.S. and became a small business owner (a free market!) practicing law in Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Whitman, Adams, Benton, Franklin and Lincoln County. Between 2013 and 2015, Lisa also served as a conflict prosecutor for the City of Airway Heights and in those years provided direct legal assistance to domestic violence survivors who sought assistance from the YWCA Domestic Violence Family Law Clinic. Lisa Malpass merged her business and clients with a well established law firm with offices in both Washington and Idaho and continued practicing and litigating complex civil law disputes. By 2015, she became a Principal of the firm.
In 2020, Lisa joined Spurgetis Law, P.S. where she continues to practice civil law in the Superior Courts in Eastern Washington. At Spurgetis Law, P.S. she has a thriving practice while mentoring and remaining involved in professional organizations. Lisa has the ability to work under pressure and manage stressful situations, deadlines and conflicts in an efficient manner.
Lisa's extracurricular activities, leadership experience, memberships and training: Earned placement on Moot Court Council in Law school; Leadership Spokane Graduate 2004; Pro Tempore Judge in Spokane County District Court - 2010-2012 and 2017; Spokane County Superior Court Title 11 Court Visitor Registry Committee and Training Chair - 2015 to Current; Guardianship Monitoring Program Trust Forms Committee; Spokane County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Program pro bono representation - 2012 to 2018; Kiwanis Club, member; 2016-2019; Corbin Senior Activity Center Board member 2007-2009 then 2012 to 2014; Adjunct professor for legal research and writing, constitutional law, introduction to criminal justice and controversial issues in law enforcement for the paralegal studies program at ITT - 2010-2012; Collaborative Law Training - 2015
Founding member of the SCBA Elder Disability and Estate Planning Section; Appointed by WA Supreme Court as WSBA appointee for the Washington State Certified Professional Guardianship Board - 2019-2023; Washington State Workgroup for Title 11.130 Adult Guardianship Court Visitor Handbook/Training - 2023; Washington Women Lawyers, Member and Past President of Spokane Chapter and served on Judicial Evaluation Committee for 3 years; WSBA Administrative law section Executive Board member 2007-2017; WSBA Elder Law Section member 2003-current; WSBA Editorial Advisory Board for Bar News Publication; King County Bar Association; Spokane County Bar Association (SCBA) Family Law Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution 2012-2019; SCBA Solo & Small Practice Section (SSPS) 2012-2014 and Indian Law Section 2013; Washington Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (WAELA) Board director 2013-2017 then President in 2019; WAELA legislative representative October 14, 2017 before the Superior Court Judges Association Guardianship and Probate meeting.
Lisa currently has Superior Court certification for RCW 11 Court Visitors appointed in Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens, and Spokane County. She has also been appointed by Superior Courts in Eastern Washington as a Title 4.08, 11.96A and 11.76 guardian ad litem in family law, trust and probate cases.
pro bono or reduced fee services: Lisa has volunteered for Veterans and Law Enforcement Wills Clinics; WA State Veterans Home, Frontier Behavioral Health, Sandy Williams Justice Center legal services for estates and trusts and for nursing homes. Lisa has also provided legal services through the moderate means program and through the SCBA Volunteer Lawyer Program. 
Publication: "Practitioner's Guide to Adult Guardianship," Portfolio 7 The Elder Law Portfolio Series, Release #15, 2015, Lisa A. Malpass, J.D., M.P.A., Portfolio Contributor.
Lisa A. Malpass Receives Washington State Bar Association Local Hero Award │ May 19, 2022 (wsba.org)
Honors and Awards: 2022 Washington State Bar Local Hero Award; Yearly WSBA Pro Bono Certificates; NAELA Cohn Sisters' Scholarship; Awards for productivity and performance from the Social Security Administration; DSHS/ADSA/HCS Regional Individual Achievement Award "we make a difference" winner; Certificates of appreciation from the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council; Gonzaga Law School Linden Cup Semi-Finalist; Client Counseling Competition, 3rd place; Negotiations Competition, 2nd place; earned Dean's list for two semesters in law school; Airforce early promotion based on individual achievement, community service, work ethic and performance results.
As an active duty member of the AirForce, Lisa received the John Levitow Award which is the highest honor presented to a graduate of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education. To be eligible for the award, a graduate must rank in the top 1% of his or her class.
Experience prior to becoming an attorney: Lisa's very first job in high school was Arby's. She then joined the U.S. Airforce and has been a licensed as a State Farm representative (property, casualty, health and life). While attending college, Lisa was employed by Spokane County Department of Corrections Misdemeanor probation and pretrial services and at Olivetti, N.A., as a software engineering project administrator for billing and expense recapture. While in law school she was employed with Gonzaga University Corporation Counsel and the Spokane County Sheriff's Department as a Corrections Officer at Spokane County Jail. Lisa has training, attended an abbreviated academy and was certified as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for the Spokane County Sheriff's office. She also has experience volunteering with the Spokane County Juvenile Court Diversion program and as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) in Juvenile Division.
Lisa lives on a 10-acre property in Elk, Washington with her husband, Aaron Childress. They have five adult sons, two dogs, eleven chickens, a rooster, and feral rabbits. Lisa is a member of Grace Christian Fellowship - North.