Recent News

A recurrent theme in smaller, privately held companies, is the minority owners’ ability to liquidate their ownership interests and quit the company.  Under existing agreements, minority owners may only recover that value on the occurrence of significant company events such as a proposed merger, or a sale of key company assets.  Also, company agreements typically… Read More

In March of this year, Amazon created a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund for small businesses located within a few blocks of their Regrade, South Lake Union, and Bellevue office buildings.  Amazon has already awarded funds to local businesses such as Lady Yum in Seattle’s Regrade neighborhood, and Cactus in South Lake Union.  It… Read More

Washingtonians have been living under Governor Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home-Stay Healthy” Order since March 23, 2020.  The extended Stay Home restrictions are currently set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2020.  Over the past week, the Governor has relaxed the “Stay Home” restrictions in two “Stay Home-Stay Healthy” amendments focused on the construction… Read More

Businesses receiving loans from the Small Business Association’s (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) need to be aware of the loan forgiveness available.  At this early stage, much remains to be learned about the application of the forgiveness portion of the PPP.  In general, businesses who receive PPP loans can utilize the loan money in specific… Read More

A “stay home, stay safe” mandate to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is unfortunately not very safe for many domestic violence victims. Domestic violence in Washington State is legally defined as physical harm, bodily injury, assault, including sexual assault, stalking, or inflicting fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, or assault between family or household… Read More

For more than a month now, Washington State’s construction industry has felt the pain of restrictions and prohibitions which shut down vast swaths of industry activity following Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 20-25, known as the “Stay Home- Stay Healthy” order.  On April 24, 2020, the Governor made a monumental announcement that, following weeks of negotiations,… Read More

In response to the financial impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, the City of Seattle previously committed $2.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grants to create the Small Business Stabilization Fund.  After receiving applications by March 25th, the City of Seattle selected 250 eligible small businesses through a lottery and awarded each of them… Read More

David C. Tingstad & Per E. Oscarsson will discuss the latest information on the SBA PPP Loan Program. Anne B. Bennette will cover issues with pending dissolutions during COVID-19 (i.e. the value of property, effect on retirement, the economic positions of each spouse, etc.) Read More

As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many counties in Washington State have extended deadlines for payment of property taxes.  For example, King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Whatcom, and Pacific counties have extended the due date for the first half of property taxes for 2020 from April 30th to June 1st.  However, not all counties… Read More