Recent News

Washington State’s Unfair Business Practices Act, commonly referred to as the Consumer Protection Act, or “CPA,” generally makes it unlawful for people or businesses to engage in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce.  It can be a powerful tool for consumers to get justice.  Generally speaking, to… Read More

It can feel encouraging and validating to consult a lawyer who happens to see your case exactly how you do.  When a lawyer and client are aligned in their view on a case, it can mitigate potential conflicts in the relationship.  But clients should take heed not to assume that lawyers are disloyal or the… Read More

It is often said that nothing is certain but death and taxes.  In Washington, property taxes are a critical source of funding for local governments, including local infrastructure such as roads, police, and schools.  To ensure the vital collection of property taxes, the Washington Legislature has created a system to allow the local governments (generally… Read More

Washington State’s recording system is designed to make it easy for the public to see who owns what interests in real estate.  When someone conveys an interest in real estate, the conveyance is generally effective upon delivery of the document embodying the conveyance.  However, if you want that conveyance to be binding upon future grantees… Read More

The American legal system is one of advocacy.  That means that generally speaking, the court in a dispute does not do its own investigation to get to the truth of the matter; rather, it relies upon the parties and their counsel to plead their positions with evidence and legal arguments.  The court then weighs the… Read More

It goes without saying that every client’s situation is unique, and there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all representation.  That said, humans have a tendency to mistakenly assume that everyone else thinks like they do.  Clients fall all over the spectrum in terms of their attitudes and goals in a dispute. The Principled Client The… Read More

People often do business through corporate entities such as corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships in part in order to limit risk of personal liability.  Generally speaking, corporate shareholders, members of LLCs, and limited partners have no liability for the entity’s debts.  The entity acts as a kind of “shield” or “veil,” protecting the investors behind… Read More

An easement is a right to use land that belongs to someone else.  Most of the time, it will “run with the land,” meaning that it will continue on even if ownership of the burdened property changes hands.  Frequently, easement language does not on its own settle questions of interpretation, and the document may be… Read More

A “lien” is typically defined as a right to enforce a charge upon property of another for payment or satisfaction of a debt or claim.  Stated another way, in the real estate context, it is a claim of a security interest in someone’s property to secure the payment of a debt.  Liens can either be… Read More