Recent News

In last week’s blog, I discussed restrictions on the transfer of shares in a shareholder agreement. This week, taking it a step further, I will discuss certain transfer restrictions discussed in a recent Washington Court of Appeals Case: Hammond v. Everett Clinic, PLLC, No. 80772-2-I, 2021 WL 961130 (Wn. App. Mar. 15, 2021). Case Dispute… Read More

There are many personal reasons why people may wish to be in a live-in romantic situation without being married. But if you think you are avoiding the legal and property complications of marriage…  think again. Even though “common law marriage” is not a thing in Washington, there may be surprise shifts in money between you… Read More

March 18th, 2021 David C. Tingstad discusses business succession planning with Grund Painting Tatley-Grund President Stacey Grund. Read More

Corporations are creatures of statute, contrary to LLCs, which are creatures of a contract.  I have written extensively about the need for a carefully crafted LLC agreement, but have not written much about the need for shareholders in a closely held corporation to have a carefully crafted shareholder agreement. Shares of stock are generally freely… Read More

We finally have an answer as to whether vested and delivered Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) should be included as income when calculating child support, and the answer is YES, according to the WA State Court of Appeals, Division 1. First, what are RSUs? “Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a form of equity-based compensation consisting of… Read More

Although perhaps unfamiliar with the dynamics of real property law, many in the general public often have an ingrained concept of adverse possession, a notion that the property that they have used for so long should belong to them no matter what a survey might show (discussed in a previous blog post here). Along with this… Read More

Inevitably, every business will end. Successful businesses plan for the end, and, as a result, maximize the value of their efforts. A proper advance plan can help maximize value when the time comes. Just as every business is different, a plan for succession varies for every business. There are a few fundamentals for an ‘advance… Read More

March 4th, 2021 Matthew J. Cruz, Per E. Oscarsson, and Sarah C. Smith discuss the probate process. Read More

When families plan to have children through an Assisted Reproduction process such as Gestational Surrogacy or Genetic Surrogacy, families are formed with the assistance of physicians and fertility clinics all over the country and indeed, throughout the world.  However, it appears in many case the medical technology developed faster than the laws in most states.… Read More