Recent News

CDC Issues National Order Halting Residential Evictions

Washington State Business & Real Estate Lawyer Todd J. Cook | 9/4/2020
This week the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued an Agency Order under the authority of Section 361 of the Public Health Services Act, 42 C.F.R. § 70.2 (“Measures in the event of inadequate local control”) imposing a federal residential eviction moratorium effective through December 31, 2020.  The CDC Order is more nuanced… Read More

The Forced Buy-Out: Lessons From Sound Infiniti

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer David C. Tingstad | 9/2/2020
In this week’s blog, I review the classic Washington Supreme Court decision, Sound Infiniti, Inc. v. Snyder, 169 Wn.2d 199, 237 P.3d 241 (2010), which stands for one simple proposition: majority shareholders who follow the statutory rules may successful force out the interest of a minority shareholder – even over the objection of the minority… Read More

Everett Announces A Second Round Of The Everett CARES Grant Program

Washington State Business & Real Estate Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 9/1/2020
The City of Everett has just announced its second round of a COVID-19 grant program created to assist small businesses located in Everett, with grants of $10,000 available for businesses with 1 to 20 employees, and $20,000 available for businesses with 21 to 50 employees. Everett small businesses meeting the following eligibility requirements should submit… Read More

Resolving Adverse Possession Disputes In Washington State

Washington State Business & Real Estate Lawyer William O. Kessler | 8/31/2020
Adverse Possession is a legal doctrine which allows a possessor of land, who does not own record title to that land, to become its legal owner over a period of time. Here is a more detailed description of Adverse Possession: https://beresfordlaw.com/adverse-possession-in-washington-state/ Adverse Possession lawsuits can be time-consuming, risky, stressful, and costly for both neighbors. Oftentimes, the… Read More

No, LLC Members Are Not Entitled To All LLC Documents

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer David C. Tingstad | 8/26/2020
One of the first actions LLC members take when a membership dispute arises is to make a demand for LLC documents. Members often believe they are “entitled” to documents, including customer lists, trade secrets, and documents relating to the Company’s intellectual property.  Members making these requests are often surprised that they have no rights to… Read More

Mukilteo Unveils Mukilteo CARES Business Grant Program

Washington State Business & Real Estate Lawyer Todd J. Cook | 8/24/2020
The City of Mukilteo recently announced a Coronavirus grant program designed to help relieve those small businesses specifically based in Mukilteo-based.  Detailed information about the application process, eligibility requirements, and allowed uses of grant funds can be found at https://mukilteowa.gov/mukilteo-cares-for-businesses-program/. The Mukilteo City Council has authorized the use of $150,000 of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief… Read More

Fiduciary Duties, Entity Types and the Family Business

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer David C. Tingstad | 8/19/2020
Often the harshest business disputes are those taking place where there ought to be the most love: in the midst of family. That is the context of this week’s case, which is the culmination of 10+ years of familial issues: Kesselring v. Kesselring, No 78764-1-I, 2020 WL 1675788 (Wn. App. Apr. 6, 2020). Highlighted in… Read More

A Rare Washington Fiduciary Duty Case

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer David C. Tingstad | 8/12/2020
The sale of an interest in an LLC and fiduciary duties in the context of such a sale were the subject of a recent Washington Court of Appeals decision Tersuli Construction Services, LLC v. Miletich, No 78906-6-I, 2020 WL 3268044 (Wn. App. May 18, 2020). The LLC and Membership Buy-Out Tersuli is a dispute between… Read More

Of Professional Services Corporations, Murder And Valuation

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer David C. Tingstad | 8/5/2020
I doubt anyone will ever put a TV show together based on business entity law.  My suspicion is that a large percentage of the viewing population would consider it too “boring.”  I beg to differ, and this week’s post on the King and Mockovak dispute supports my view.  When you read King and Mockovak Eye… Read More