Recent News

Legal ‘Wins’ That Can Feel Like Losses

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 4/2/2025
The recent decision, Vision Landscapes v. Amundson, concerns a landscaping company (“Vision”), and a married couple, the Amundsons. The Amundsons hired Vision for landscaping services but disputed Vision’s final invoice. The dispute arose when the Amundsons refused to pay Vision, which then filed a lien and filed a lawsuit. Following extensive motion practice, the Amundsons… Read More

Sometimes the Best Offense is a Good Defense

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 4/2/2025
While watching countless hours of March Madness over the past few weeks, you may have heard an announcer or commentator say, “the best offense is a good defense.”  The same can be said for civil litigation. This article explains how a person or entity can avoid some of the common pitfalls that often arise in… Read More

A Less Expensive Option for Resolution in Civil Litigation

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 2/28/2025
When some think about civil litigation, they think about what is often portrayed in shows and movies: lawyers examining witnesses and presenting arguments in front of a judge or jury at trial. In reality, trials in civil matters are rare. The reasons why the vast majority of civil cases resolve before trial include the fact… Read More

Preserving Cumulative Impact Claims on Construction Projects

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Trevor H. Lane | 2/3/2025
Commercial and public works construction projects are notorious for delays and change orders.  These projects often occur over several months and years—especially for general contractors and vital subcontractors (e.g., steel erectors).  What may start as a few, reasonable changes and delays near the beginning of a project can often snowball and have ‘ripple effect’ near… Read More

What is a Reservation of Rights Letter

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 2/3/2025
An Overview and What the Insured Can Do in Response Many Washingtonians have at least one insurance policy that provides liability insurance, whether it be auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, commercial general liability insurance, and/or other types of insurance. In response to a claim or lawsuit against its insured, an insurance company may issue… Read More

Legal Advice and ChatGPT: A Closer Look

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 1/20/2025
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives, but how helpful can it be in the context of a litigated dispute between neighbors concerning property rights? In 2023, ChatGPT gained widespread notoriety for its ability to assist with various tasks, for example review of massive amounts of data. This led some… Read More

Don’t Sleep on Your Rights – Not All Negligence Claims Are Governed by the Same Statute of Limitations

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 1/8/2025
Many are familiar with the general concept that a claimant must commence a lawsuit within a specific amount of time to maintain a viable cause of action.  This concept is often referred to as a “limitations period” or a “statute of limitations.”    Some may have heard or read that tort claims in Washington are… Read More

Protecting Residential Contractor Legal Rights BEFORE the Project Begins

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Trevor H. Lane | 12/26/2024
Too often, residential contractors (general, subs and trades) call my office inquiring about their legal rights after a problem has occurred.  More likely than not, the contractor calling has already performed most of the work or finished the project entirely.  Regardless of whether the issue is failure to pay, alleged defects, delay or change orders,… Read More