Francesca Yahyavi

Francesca practiced for over 16 years as a deputy prosecuting attorney in the Criminal Division of the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Prior to her tenure at Snohomish County, she spent a year with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, and two years with Kitsap County as a public defender. Following law school, Francesca served as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Kenneth L. Cowsert in Snohomish County Superior Court for nearly two years.

Throughout her legal career, Francesca has developed a strong litigation foundation. Francesca practiced in district court, superior court, including juvenile court, as well as the Washington State Court of Appeals for Division I. As a deputy prosecutor for Snohomish County she handled countless cases from investigation to final disposition. As a trial attorney, she handled charges ranging from DUI to murder. Francesca spent a significant portion of her time in Snohomish County working in the Felony Domestic Violence Unit and was honored by the Washington Women Lawyers Snohomish County Chapter with the "Annette Tupper Advocacy Award" for her work on Domestic Violence cases.

While at the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, she supported a team of six senior deputy attorneys with retrials of murder cases that had returned on appeal under Washington Supreme Court opinion, In re Personal Restraint of Andress. This decision resulted in hundreds of murder cases being sent back to superior court for retrial or other disposition. Francesca assisted the prosecution team with discovery review, trial preparation and sat as second chair on some of the murder retrials. Francesca and the rest of the Prosecution team working on the Andress cases were honored by the King County elected prosecutor Norm Maleng and were awarded the "Norm Maleng Award for Innovation in Prosecution."