Recent News

William O. Kessler was selected to the 2015 Washington Rising Stars list in the area of General Litigation. This is Bill's second consecutive year to be selected to the list. The firm proudly congratulates Bill for his selection to the 2015 lists. The Super Lawyers list is published in the WashingtonSuper Lawyers Magazine. Super Lawyers… Read More

One of the more challenging laws against discrimination involves workplace accommodations for transgender employees. This particular protected class has been the law in Washington State since 2006 but only recently been spotlighted with some help from Caitlyn Jenner. It is estimated that more than 700,000 adults in the U.S. are transgender. Under Washington law, "gender… Read More

Edmonds Full-Service Law Firm, Beresford Booth, announces their on-going support of local students through their Premier Sponsorship of Edmonds School District Scholar-Athlete scholarships. The Scholar-Athlete program honors graduating senior athletes who excel in sports and in the classroom. Four students from each Edmonds high school, two girls and two boys, were selected to be honored… Read More

Last month, Viacom, Inc., the world’s sixth largest mass media company, settled a class-action lawsuit with 12,500 former interns. Viacom, the owner of Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, will have to pay out $7.21 million to interns who claim that they were paid less than minimum wage or not paid at all. While the initial… Read More

Costco recently found out the hard way just how important every policy, every word, in your employee handbook is. This past week, in Marini v Costco Wholesale Corp., a long-term Costco employee with Tourette’s syndrome made this point against the warehouse superstore. Marini alleged that he was harassed by his co-workers for his disability, asked… Read More

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If you are in a marriage-like relationship with another adult, referred to as a “meretricious relationship” or a “committed intimate relationship,” but not legally married, Washington State courts can still determine the division of debts and assets you acquired during the relationship. In order to determine whether you and your former partner fall into the… Read More

Beresford Booth was a proud sponsor of Snohomish County nonprofit Clothes for Kids (www.clothesforkids.org/) and its 3rd annual Brew and Bluegrass fundraiser. The event featured local breweries and wineries, bluegrass music from several area bands, and community support for the work Clothes for Kids has been doing in Snohomish County for 30 years. Clothes for… Read More

In an interesting effort to accommodate non-Judeo-Christian public employees, a new Washington law, which took effect on June 12, 2014, gives public employees an additional two unpaid holidays per calendar year "for reasons of faith or conscience." The measure amends RCW 1.16.050, which had granted public employees one paid floating holiday per calendar year in addition… Read More