Our Team

Carl Swanes, attorney

A Gig Harbor native, Carl brings an extensive litigation and real estate investment background to the firm’s elder law and estate planning expertise. His family seafood business gives him an insider perspective on the unique struggles faced by small business owners and the legal solutions that work.

Admitted
VA Accredited
Washington State Bar Association (2009-present)

Law School
Vermont Law School - South Royalton, VT
Juris Doctorate (2008)

College
University of Redlands - Redlands, CA
B.S. in Environmental Studies (2003)

Activities
Carl serves on the board of the Tetiaroa Society, a foundation created as part of Marlon Brando’s estate, when he is not skiing or climbing.

Chandra Lewnau, attorney

Chandra moved to Seattle in 2010 after practicing law in Austin, Texas for over 10 years. Chandra first became interested in the estate planning and elder law field when her beloved grandmother was struck with Alzheimer’s disease and her family struggled to care for her at home with no legal plan in place. That interest was solidified as a student attorney at the University of Texas Elderlaw Clinic. After law school, Chandra worked for a small firm where she gained experience in a wide range of litigation and transactional areas. The firm handled several difficult contested probate cases and Chandra realized that when families fight, no one wins but the lawyers. Chandra decided then to use her personal and legal experiences to help clients put in place an effective plan to avoid the many problems she has seen over the years. Before moving to Wall Group Law, Chandra worked at a well-known elder law firm in south King County helping clients plan for retirement and long-term care needs using a holistic approach known as “life planning.”

Chandra also has experience helping small businesses and nonprofit organizations get started on the right foot with a solid legal foundation, including corporate bylaws or operating agreements, annual corporate maintenance packages, buy-sell agreements, nonprofit policies, and 501(c)(3) applications.

Admitted
VA Accredited
Washington State Bar Association (2011-present)
Texas State Bar Association (1999-2012, inactive)

Law School
University of Texas School of Law - Austin, TX
Juris Doctorate (1999)

College
Harvard University - Cambridge, MA
A.B. in Social Anthropology, cum laude (1991)

Activities
Chandra is a member of the Washington Bar Association and the Real Property, Probate and Trust section of the Washington Bar. Chandra previously volunteered at the KCBA's Elderlaw Clinic and Nonprofit Assistance Center Clinic, and with the WSBA's Washington First Responders Will Clinic. She has offered educational workshops at the Edmonds Waterfront Center, Snohomish Senior Center, Mill Creek Senior Center and various other locations in the greater Seattle area.
Chandra served on the Board of Directors of Washington Environmental Council for over 5 years. A long-time animal shelter volunteer and animal welfare advocate in Austin, Chandra can often be found out walking or swimming her rescue dogs, kayaking, or reading a good book. She is sometimes inspired to run a half marathon.

Pam Nagel, Community Outreach

Pam has recently returned from retirement and we are thrilled to have her back. Pam has worked with seniors and the senior housing industry for over a decade. She applies this extensive insider knowledge to help clients and prospective clients understand their options. Pam spends most of her time out in the community spreading the word about VA and other benefits and how Wall Group Law can help. Pam can help you arrange an information seminar regarding the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Program, long-term care planning, or any other Estate Planning topic.