Archives West Finding Aid

Anton C. Van Soelen born in New York in 1891. He attended Seattle schools and University of Washington Law School; and was admitted to the Washington State Bar upon examination in 1915. After private law practice and service in the U.S. Air Force, he was appointed Law Clerk, Seattle Law Department in 1920 upon civil service examination. Van Soelen was appointed assistant Corporation Counsel in 1925, and elected Corporation Counsel for the city of Seattle, 1930-32, serving at least eight four-year terms. He served as president, National Institute of Municipal Law Officers in 1954, and received the Institute's Annual Award for Distinguished Public Service in the field of municipal law in 1957. He was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of United States in 1928 and argued personally an early (1928) leading case on zoning entitled "St. ex rel Seattle Title Trust Co., Trustee v. Roberge, Supt of Bldgs. of Seattle," reported in 278 U.S. 116, 78 L ed. 654.