Recent News

In this webinar, Attorney C. Michael Kvistad from our Business, Mergers and Acquisitions Group discusses "Working with Accountants in MNA Transactions” https://youtu.be/1UTjHRq8-Xg?si=sYw9QzBXlx9R-SEZ&t=13 Read More

After the fall of the Empire in China in 1912, and before the takeover of China by the Communists in 1949, there was a period in which a number of warlords controlled different areas of China.  The United States felt that there was a need for certainty in the dealings of its citizens abroad therefore,… Read More

Under Washington State law, failing to act in a timely manner at any stage of a lawsuit, from pre-suit initiation through active litigation to post-judgment proceedings, can carry severe procedural and substantive consequences. These consequences range from the absolute bar of a claim or defense to monetary sanctions, evidentiary exclusions, dismissal of the action, and… Read More

Article I, section 10 of the Washington State Constitution guarantees Washington residents access to the courts. That right does not mean that a person has unlimited access. RCW 26.51.030 specifically addresses one form of abusive litigation in cases involving current or former intimate partners. Generally, the statute applies when a party who has been found… Read More

You discovered your former spouse/co-parent received a promotion or started a new job making significantly more income. Now you’re wondering, can they pay more in child support each month? The short answer: an increase in income alone doesn’t trigger a modification, but it can be a reason to take a closer look. In Washington, child… Read More

As professional developers and ambitious property owners seek ways to profit from real estate, they will often look at options to convert lots with a single home into real estate that allows for the sale of multiple homes or multi-family developments. In other words, they try to create “more bang for their buck”, so to… Read More

In general, assets acquired by a spouse before marriage are considered separate property.  Under Washington Law, once property is established as separate “a presumption arises that it remains separate property in the absence of sufficient evidence to show an intent to transmute the property from separate to community property. The character of separate property can be changed to community property only… Read More

When buying or selling real estate or structuring corporate asset transactions in Washington, tax considerations are rarely far from mind. One of the most significant state level costs in any transfer is the Real Estate Excise Tax (“REET”). Under RCW 82.45.060, Washington uses a graduated rate structure for state REET. Rather than a flat percentage… Read More

When a buyer and seller agree on a purchase price, many people assume the hard part of the negotiation is over. In reality, some of the most consequential decisions in any M&A transaction are made after the headline number is set—starting with the fundamental question of deal structure. Whether the transaction is structured as an… Read More