SUBSTANTIVE AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Real Property Rights and Transactions
Contracts
Trade Secrets/Non-Competition/Non-Disclosure Agreements
Construction Law and Liens
State, Local, and Federal Taxation
Personal Injury
Insurance Coverage/Bad Faith
COURTS WHERE I CAN BRING OR DEFEND LAWSUITS
Washington—all courts
Oregon—all courts
California—all courts
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. Tax Court
All Federal District Courts
REPRESENTATIVE CASES
Defended successfully Ford Motor Company from nationwide class-action lawsuit alleging defective design of more than 11 million vehicles
Defended successfully most prolific life insurance agent in history of major insurance company from claims of misrepresentations and fraud
Obtained favorable bench-trial verdicts in multiple real property conflicts involving adverse possession, boundary line disputes, and nuisance
Obtained complete defense jury verdict in alleged non-payment of more than $300,000 in contractor’s bills related to home renovations
Obtained favorable jury verdicts in cases involving breaches of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, violations of covenants not to compete, and personal injuries
Handled dozens of mediations and arbitrations involving a wide variety of civil disputes
Defended and overturned court decisions and jury verdicts in numerous cases in the state appellate courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
REPORTED APPELLATE DECISIONS
MCI Airsignal, Inc. v. State Bd. of Equalization, 2 Cal.Rptr.2d 746, 1 Cal.App.4th 1527 (Cal. App. 1 Dist., 1991) (Affirmed favorable trial court judgment rebutting state’s attempt to impose sales tax on telephone paging services.)
Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. v. Superior Court, 44 Cal.Rptr.2d 126, 37 Cal.App.4th 1174 (Cal. App. 1 Dist., 1995) (Obtained writ of mandate vacating unfavorable trial court judgment dealing with complex insurance coverage issues.)
In re Petition of City of Long Beach, 82 P.3d 259, 119 Wash.App. 628 (Wash. App., 2004) (Addressing power of cities in Washington to take property beyond city boundary for public use.)
Crisp v. VanLaecken, 122 P.3d 926, 130 Wn. App. 320 (WA, 2005) (addressing relocation of easements across real property.)
Sitterson v. Evergreen School Dist. No. 114, 196 P.3d 735, 147 Wn. App. 576 (Wash. App., 2008) (Seminal case on effect of inadvertent disclosure on privilege for attorney-client communications.)
Vance v. XXXL Development, LLC, 206 P.3d 679, 150 Wn. App. 39 (Wash. App., 2009) (Obtained reversal of adverse summary judgment in a nuisance case.)
Thompson v. Lennox, 212 P.3d 597, 151 Wn. App. 479 (Wash. App., 2009) (real property dispute successfully resolved in favor of clients.)