BIOGRAPHY
GTH welcomes Ms. Orrico as part of our merger with JMMK as of May 1, 2025!
Ms. Orrico’s law practice spans a 30+ year legal career advising clients in land use, real estate, and general business matters.
LAND USE AND REAL ESTATE
Ms. Orrico has experience in a broad array of land use issues. She assists clients in all aspects of land use and real estate development, including permitting, land use hearings, and land use petition act proceedings. Ms. Orrico regularly drafts and negotiates purchase and sale agreements, covenants, easements, complex development agreements, and other real estate and business agreements. She has handled complex real estate transactional matters, leasing, acquisitions, financing documents and enforcement; security documentation; and non-judicial foreclosures. She has taken a leading role in preparing clients to comply with the new Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, creating a portfolio of documents for subdivision and condominium developers such as new declarations of covenants and public offering statements.
Ms. Orrico’s work prior to joining GTH has given her a comprehensive understanding of land use and real estate. Ms. Orrico provided city attorney representation to many local municipalities including Issaquah, Medina, Carnation, Monroe, Edgewood, Milton, and Woodway. As a result of her close work and relationship with municipalities, she has expertise in growth management, SEPA compliance, shorelines, transportation, critical areas, TDRs (Transfers of Development Rights) and environmental mitigation. Ms. Orrico’s experience has also been enhanced by her work as a land use hearing examiner, and her role as the Chair of the Bellevue Planning Commission, overseeing creation and adoption of the Bel-Red Corridor Plan, which provides for the transformation of a 900-acre urban site into the largest mixed use, transit-oriented development in the country.
BUSINESS PRACTICE
In addition to her real estate transactional work, Ms. Orrico is well-versed in general business matters and transactions. She has represented large corporations, medium and small businesses, family- and women-owned businesses, and individuals. She has assisted clients with all aspects of their businesses, including complex transactional matters, and corporate matters including drafting and negotiating a wide range of contracts; corporate formation, maintenance, and licensing; shareholders’ agreements; dispute resolution and enforcement, and commercial litigation.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Ms. Orrico is very active in the community. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for UW Medicine-Valley Medical Center. She previously served as a Trustee and Past Chair of the Bellevue College Board of Trustees, and as a board member of the Washington State Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges. She also served as a Board Member for Youth Eastside Services and the Issaquah Economic Vitality Commission. Previously, she served as Chair of the City of Bellevue Planning Commission and Co-Chaired the Center for Women and Democracy Board with Duana Kolouskova. She is a past member of the Overlake Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, holding several leadership positions. Ms. Orrico also served as Vice-Chair as well as Chair of the Small Business Subcommittee for the Pacific Northwest Citizen Advocacy Panel for Improving IRS Service, a position to which she was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Treasury.
EDUCATION
Ms. Orrico earned her juris doctorate in 1986 and bachelor’s degree in 1983 from the University of Wisconsin. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable James Boll (1985-86) and legal intern to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals (1984-85).
