Recent News

Baskets and Caps: How Sophisticated Contracts Control Indemnity Exposure

Washington State Business Lawyer C. Michael Kvistad | 3/9/2026
This is Part 3 of my four‑part series on indemnification clauses. In Parts 1 and 2, we covered what indemnification is, why it matters, and the red flags that show up most often in Washington contracts. Now we turn to the more advanced tools, the levers sophisticated parties use to control, limit, or allocate risk… Read More

Do I Really Need a Lawyer to Look at This? Why Due Diligence Matters

Washington State Business, Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Rachel J. Wright | 3/3/2026
When most people hear “due diligence,” they picture million-dollar deals, corporate boardrooms, and hours upon hours of detailed review. But in reality, due diligence shows up in much smaller—and much more ordinary—places. So, What Is Due Diligence? Due diligence is the level of reasonable care you take before entering into a transaction. In practical terms,… Read More

Two Red Flags Hidden Inside Indemnification Clauses

Washington State Business Lawyer C. Michael Kvistad | 3/2/2026
This is Part 2 of my four‑part series on indemnification clauses. In Part 1, we looked at what indemnification is and why it matters; here, we focus on specific red flags I routinely see in Washington contracts. Indemnification clauses are rarely written in plain English. They’re dense, technical, and often intentionally broad. But buried inside… Read More

Indemnification Clauses: An Underestimated Risk in Washington Contracts

Washington State Business Lawyer C. Michael Kvistad | 2/24/2026
This is Part 1 of a four‑part series on indemnification clauses when buying or selling a Washington business. Indemnification clauses are one of the most powerful, and most underestimated, parts of any business contract. In Washington, they routinely determine who pays when something goes wrong, who carries the legal exposure, and how much of that… Read More

The Landscape of Contract Litigation in Washington

Washington State Litigation and Business Lawyer J Patrick Diener | 2/3/2026
For small and mid-sized businesses, contracts shape nearly every relationship that matters. They govern how companies buy, sell, hire, lease, partner, and grow. When those agreements break down, business owners are often surprised by how quickly a disagreement becomes a lawsuit—and by how Washington courts approach contract disputes. From the perspective of a Washington litigator,… Read More

The Consumer Protection Act: A Surprising Weapon in Business to Business Litigation

Washington State Litigation and Business Lawyer J Patrick Diener | 1/14/2026
Many business owners assume the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) applies only to disputes involving individual consumers. After all, the name says it plainly. In reality, Washington courts have repeatedly held that business-to-business conduct can trigger CPA liability—sometimes with severe financial consequences. Understanding when a commercial dispute crosses into CPA territory is critical. The difference between… Read More

From Housing Investors to Homeowners: CTA Reporting Expands in 2026

Washington State Business Lawyer C. Michael Kvistad | 1/7/2026
Business owners and homeowners already manage a long list of responsibilities, from tax filings to ongoing maintenance. Beginning in 2026, they will face a new requirement. Certain residential real estate transfers will trigger reporting obligations under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). Although the CTA’s business entity reporting rules remain on hold due to… Read More