Recent News

Most people have heard of probate, but many don’t know exactly what it is and why it is important.  Probate is the court process of settling and distributing the assets and liabilities of a deceased person’s estate.  Some assets are able to pass to heirs or beneficiaries without having to go through the process- those… Read More

I recently presented a webinar on “The Benefits and Process of Non-Judicial Foreclosure in Washington State.”  In case you missed the live presentation, you can view the webinar below through Beresford Booth’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/embed/9pfRD6JAJaU You can also download a copy of my PowerPoint presentation: Download To learn more about Non-Judicial Foreclosures in Washington State,… Read More

May 18th, 2023 Todd J. Cook presented The Benefits and Process of Non-Judicial Foresclosure in Washington State, covering: What is foreclosure? Why a non-judicial foreclosure is beneficial When a non-judicial process is available The process of a non-judicial foreclosure Read More

On May 8, 2023, Governor Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1110 into law. I previously wrote an article regarding the congressional deliberations over House Bill 1110 here. While proponents argued that passing this law would expand access to housing, detractors expressed concern about the significant reduction in local control over zoning throughout Washington State. Whatever… Read More

Litigation can be complex and full of twists, turns and obstacles.  One of the biggest, and often most unexpected, obstacles occurs when one of the parties passes away before the litigation is resolved.  Defendant clients will often say: “So I am off the hook now, right?  The case is over?”  And plaintiff clients may ask… Read More

In 2021, I wrote a post about 1031 exchanges into Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) and presented a webinar on the subject. By contrast to a 1031 exchange, a 721 exchange allows investors to defer capital gains taxes on the sale of appreciated real estate assets by contributing them to a partnership that owns real estate assets. The… Read More

Clients often express concern that if they attempt to settle a dispute, the offer to settle will be seen as admitting fault or guilt, or admitting the validity of the other side’s position.  While there can be good strategic reasons not to offer a settlement, settlement offers are generally inadmissible to prove liability.  The primary… Read More

In late April 2023, South Korean college student, Noh Huyn-soo shocked the art world by eating a famous art installation (the “Comedian”)created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Yes, he ate the installation – the “installation” being a banana taped to a wall in Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art. His elaborate art heist consisted of removing… Read More

To be clear, it is considered retaliation if an employer fires someone because they complained to HR or anyone else about harassment. Retaliation is a claim that an employee can bring against their employer when they have suffered negative consequences at work in retaliation of the employee's protected action. In order to establish a retaliation… Read More