On June 2, 2014, the Seattle City Council adopted a minimum wage ordinance that applies to all employees within the City of Seattle. In short, beginning April 1, 2015, the Ordinance requires all Seattle employers to raise the minimum they pay to their…

Millions of vehicles in the United States sold by a wide-range of automobile manufacturers are being recalled as a result of potentially defective and dangerous airbags manufactured by Japanese supplier, Takata. The National Highway Traffic Safety…

Dog bite injuries are unfortunately a fairly common occurrence. These injuries can be quite severe, gruesome, and are frequently complicated by infection. We often get questions about what your options may be if you have been bitten by a dog; or, as a…

In a recent decision from Division II of the Washington Court of Appeals, Woods v. H.O. Sports, et al, the court addressed the issue of whether a child can bring a tort claim for personal injuries against a parent. In Woods, the father Michael Woods was…

In Washington, there is no law requiring employers to have an employee handbook, but for obvious reasons, it’s a good idea to have one—even a short one. A handbook allows employers to inform its employees about the rules enforced at the workplace in an…

You were awarded a nice judgment by the court, great! Now what? A money judgment does not necessarily mean you will be able to collect on it yourself. Maybe the debtor is actively trying to avoid payment. This is where we come in. There are several…

More and more businesses are incorporating in Washington state today. If you are a sole proprietor or in a general partnership, you may be putting your own finances at risk, including your family’s if you do not incorporate your business. If you are…

A guardian is a person appointed by the court to manage an incapacitated person’s affairs. Guardians are usually appointed by superior court judges or court commissioners. A family member can request to be appointed as a guardian or ask the court to…

Unfortunately, the number of foreclosures in the state of Washington is still prominent. Millions of homeowners are bearing the effects of the foreclosure crisis. In 2013, almost 1.4 million homes across the United States were in some stage of…

Under Washington law a party may not construct a fence or other “structure” on their land when it is “maliciously” erected with the intention to “spite, injure or annoy an adjoining [landowner].” RCW 7.40.030. Often referred to as the “spite fence”…

The untimely loss of a loved one is always difficult for surviving family members to cope with. In Washington, we have wrongful death claims. Although no amount of money can bring them back, the party responsible for the death should be held accountable…

IIn Washington state, employment covenants not to compete are generally enforceable. It is not unusual to be handed a covenant not to compete on the first day of a job or during employment with a short deadline to sign and return the document. More often…

A recent Court of Appeals (Division III) case, Whitney v. Cervantes, addressed a dispute over who had the right to control disposition of a deceased relative’s remains. Lawrence Wilhalm died in 2011. He was not married and had no children. His only…

Short answer: maybe not. In a recent decision, Gomez v. Sauer, the Washington Supreme Court was asked to determine whether a doctor was obligated to report certain lab results to his patient. Under the specific facts of this case, the Court held that…

Traditionally, all witnesses are required to testify live in Washington courts, even if this means substantial inconvenience for the witnesses. On occasion, witnesses have been allowed to testify by telephone, but this has been a rare exception, as…

In a recent decision by the Washington Court of Appeals (Division 1), the Court addressed whether a free agent attending a mini-camp tryout could received Workman’s Compensation benefits if they were injured during camp. In Robinson v. Football Northwest…

As an estate planning attorney, healthcare directives and POLSTs are usual and standard estate planning documents and topics of discussion. Recently, when discussing these and other estate planning documents, I surprisingly discovered that a large…

Very few people have taken the time to actually review in detail the provisions of their insurance policies. Insurance policies are contracts and subject to many of the same provisions that govern the interpretation of contracts. It likely comes as no…

My practice is concentrated on business and real estate transactions with an emphasis on estate planning. Keeping an eye on personal financial goals while selling businesses, investing in real estate, forming partnerships and corporations and other…

In a recent Washington Court of Appeals decision, Ibrahim v. AIU Insurance Company (No. 69554-1-1, November 4, 2013), Division I held that “stigma” damages to a vehicle are distinct from “diminished value” damages. In 2007, Ibrahim was involved in an…