Recent News

How to Relocate an Easement

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Joshua G. R. Curtis | 8/27/2025
Washington has, for years, required the benefited owner (the party who uses the easement) and the burdened owner (the party whose land the easement is over) to agree in order to relocate the easement location on the burdened property.  Washington State courts explicitly considered a common approach used by many other states that allows the… Read More

Navigating Divorce with Young Children

Washington State Divorce & Family Law Lawyer Mackenzie O. Bretz | 8/27/2025
According to a 2009 American Community Survey, only 45.8% of children reach the age of 17 while still living with their biological parents who were married before or around the time of their birth. Additionally, 72% of divorces occur within the first 14 years of marriage. Often, it is the children of divorcing parents who… Read More

Seller Representations and Warranties in Asset Purchase Agreements

Washington State Business and Real Estate Lawyer C. Michael Kvistad | 8/27/2025
In the world of mergers and acquisitions, the asset purchase agreement (“APA”) is a cornerstone document, and seller representations and warranties are among its most scrutinized provisions. Understanding the purpose, scope, and strategic implications of these clauses is essential. What Are Representations and Warranties For? At their core, seller representations and warranties are about building… Read More

Termination of Easements in Washington State

Washington State Real Estate Law Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 8/27/2025
An easement is the right to use, but not own, the land of another. The “benefitted party” or “grantee” uses the easement area and owns the “dominant estate”, while the “burdened party” or “grantor” owns the property subject to the easement, known as the “servient estate.” Easements may serve a variety of purposes – ingress and egress,… Read More

Pre-Listing Inspection Reports | Truths and Myths

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 8/27/2025
If you have either purchased or thought about purchasing a home in the past five or so years, there is a good chance you have heard about sellers providing buyers with a pre-listing inspection report and home buyers waiving an inspection contingency. While some often-repeated “facts” are true regarding a seller’s pre-listing inspection report, there… Read More

Don’t Block Your Ex – BIFF Them Instead

Washington State Divorce and Family Law Lawyer Kelsey L. Affronte | 8/27/2025
Divorce ranks among the top five most stressful life events, alongside the death of a loved one, job loss, and major illness. And when your ex is particularly difficult or high conflict, navigating this time can feel nearly impossible. Enter the BIFF Method: a powerful communication strategy designed to help you deal with high-conflict personalities… Read More

Probate is Hard Enough – Don’t Make it a Group Project

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Rachel J. Wright | 8/27/2025
They say a parent never has a favorite child—but let’s be honest… you probably do. You know the one: responsible, calm under pressure, didn’t “accidentally” set the garage on fire at age twelve. So why not just pick the kid who always ends up leading the group project anyway? Yet many parents can’t bring themselves… Read More

Uneven Ground: Pro Se Litigants Facing Represented Parties

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 8/26/2025
The Washington Court of Appeals’ decision, Zhi Feng v. Xiaoqiang Wu et al., addressed such a situation. In Feng, a real estate broker represented himself in a lawsuit and subsequent settlement negotiations following a failed real estate deal.  Ultimately, the real broker ended up with some costly unintended consequences.  Misunderstanding the language and terminology used… Read More

Standards of Review on Appeal

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 8/26/2025
Last month, my colleague JP. Diener wrote an excellent article here outlining many considerations that a litigant must review before pursuing an appeal. As he noted, an appeal does not allow a claimant to fully re-argue the case or present new evidence. It is not the proverbial second bite at the apple. Instead, it often focuses on… Read More