Other LanguagesSeattle – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that he has promoted Senior Counsel Doug Walsh to chief of the Consumer Protection Division effective immediately.
“Doug Walsh has compiled an impressive, 25-year record of public service in state government with the last 16 years dedicated to fostering a fair and competitive marketplace for consumers and businesses,” McKenna said. “Time and time again, he has demonstrated his incredible dedication to the people of Washington while proving himself as a skilled litigator, respected supervisor, and confident leader.”
As Consumer Protection Division chief, Walsh will oversee a team of eight attorneys, 47 permanent staff and countless volunteers who work in the division’s headquarters in Seattle, as well as branch offices in Bellingham, Tacoma, Kennewick, Spokane and Vancouver.
“I am thrilled about the opportunity to do the work that I am most passionate about,” Walsh said. “I share Rob’s strong commitment to the mission of Consumer Protection and to ensuring a non-deceptive marketplace for all of our citizens, buyers and sellers alike.”
Walsh is the Consumer Protection Division’s Section Lead for Litigation and Section Chief for Southwest Washington, where he supervises staff in the Tacoma Consumer Protection Office. Under his guidance, the Consumer Protection Division has successfully resolved numerous cases resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars in consumer restitution, costs, fees and civil penalties.
Walsh is one of the nation’s top experts in deceptive auto sales practices and has developed a reputation for being firm but fair. He was the primary author of several state consumer protection laws and introduced and secured passage of a National Association of Attorneys General resolution condemning the practice of “packing” car payments. He also is the co-author “Getting Unscrewed and Staying that Way: The Source Book of Consumer Protection,” published in 1993.
Prior to his work with the Consumer Protection Division, Walsh was an assistant attorney general for Labor & Industries, Torts, and the Department of Corrections. He also served on the Washington State Board of Prison Terms and Paroles.
Walsh earned his law degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1980 and graduated from the University of Washington with a political science degree in 1977. He is a past chair of the Washington State Bar Association Consumer Protection Committee.
Walsh lives in Burien with his wife, Sue, and their four children.
He succeeds Sharon Nelson, who left the office Sept. 1 to pursue interests including her work with the Board of Directors of Consumer Union, Board of Trustees for the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), the Board of Directors of Itron and the Board of the Appleseed Foundation, Seattle Chapter.
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Contacts:
Doug Walsh can be reached for media interviews at (253) 593-2256.
For more information or photos of Doug Walsh, contact Public Information Officer
Kristin Alexander at (206) 464-6432, kalexander@atg.wa.gov
or Communications Director Janelle Guthrie at (360) 586-0725, janelleg@atg.wa.gov.