Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Piris v. Kitching, 185 Wn.2d 856, 375 P.3d 627 (2016) (ex-client who sued his criminal-defense attorney for excessive period of incarceration must prove by preponderance of evidence that he was actually innocent of charge; summary judgment for lawyer affirmed)
• Wrongful Death
  Rear’s Mfg. Co. – defense of farm equipment manufacturer against product liability claims arising out of wrongful death of equipment servicemen.

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Transactions
  If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Ultra vires claims; defamation; advertising, disparagement, and tortious-interference claims; sexual harassment; wrongful termination; ERISA claims; and antitrust.
• Employment Discrimination
  . – Employment discrimination trial before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. After four of plaintiff’s claims were dismissed on summary judgment, the remaining three were tried to a jury. The jury returned a defense verdict for our client, DaVita, Inc.
• Employment Contract
  Melland v. Clinic – Defense verdict in Federal Court where the plaintiff claimed wrongful withholding of wages and wrongful/retaliatory termination. At mediation, plaintiff demanded $1,000,000.
• Sexual Harassment
  We have successfully defended employment-liability claims in both state and federal court and before the EEOC, Human Rights Commission, and other administrative agencies. Our attorneys assist and counsel employers in employment-related problems and concerns arising in the workplace and draft employment-related office policies and handbooks. We also conduct in-house training for employers designed toward both management and employee audiences. Our clients include municipalities, school districts, small and large companies, and corporate officers, directors and employees. We have defended claims involving sexual harassment, sex, racial, age and handicap discrimination, wrongful discharge, whistleblower retaliation, negligent supervision, defamation, FMLA violations and breaches of employment contracts.

Property Law

• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
  Our attorneys have defended class action litigation with thousands of potential claimants. Environmental claims with large numbers of potentially responsible parties. Insurance coverage litigation with many years of overlapping policy periods of many insurers. Construction litigation involving large numbers of parties with wide-ranging liability theories and defenses. High-profile lawsuits that generate press coverage and require sensitivity to public relations. We genuinely believe no challenge is too difficult for us to represent.
• Property Damage

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Cziapenski v Dick – Defense of personal injury action after alleged injuries occurred on Defendant’s property. Defense verdict in jury trial.
• Medical Malpractice
  The general rule is that a provider cannot be liable for medical malpractice to anyone other than a patient. But under Washington common law, a non-patient may bring a medical negligence claim under certain circumstances. When a special relationship arises between a medical provider and patient, it may trigger the provider’s duty to protect non-patients against danger caused by the patient.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Our attorneys have defended claims arising from virtually every type of law practice, including securities, tax law, family law, criminal defense, trusts and estates, medical malpractice, immigration, and business practice. We have defended countless disciplinary cases before the Washington State Bar Association.
• Trusts
• Probate

Finance Law

• Foreclosure
  Our attorneys have also successfully represented deed of trust trustees in cases arising out of foreclosure related activities under Washington’s Deed of Trust Act and Consumer Protection Act.
• Tax Law
  We have successfully represented accountants throughout Washington on issues ranging from tax preparation to auditing claims in virtually every area of modern accounting practice. Along with defending professional liability claims in both state and federal courts, we also offer seminar training and risk management services for accounting firms and for such professional organizations as the WSCPA.
• Debt Collection
  We have successfully defended collection law-related claims and lawsuits in both state and federal courts arising out of alleged violations of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Washington Collection Agency Act, and Washington’s Consumer Protection Act.