Consumer Protection

A Short Guide to Workplace Medical Leave Laws

If you are a lawyer practicing with small-to-large businesses and corporations, you should know something about employment-related medical leave laws. Federal, state, and municipal laws apply to your business clients and employees. Some laws apply to almost every employer and some to just larger employers.

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Navigating Inherent Bias in Social Security Law

In a perfect world, there’d be less need for the safety nets of Social Security, and no one who warranted disability would be denied because of administrative or subjective biases. This world isn’t perfect, though, and biases exist to the point where a whole industry has been formed to get unduly denied and disabled Americans […]

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Court of Appeals Rules on Authority of Insurance Defense Counsel

Division II of the Court of Appeals recently addressed the authority of insurance defense counsel in an unusual scenario: where defense counsel had no contact with the insured throughout the course of the litigation involved. Kruger-Willis v. Hoffenburg, 198 Wn. App. 408, 393 P.3d 844 (2017), arose out of an automobile accident. The defendant drove […]

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Court of Appeals Discusses Lawyer Web Advertising under the Consumer Protection Act

Consumer Protection Act claims against lawyers usually involve fees, but an appeals court recently discussed CPA and online lawyer ads. Since Short v. Demopolis, 103 Wn.2d 52, 691 P.2d 163 (1984), the business aspects of law practice have been subject to the Washington Consumer Protection Act. RCW 19.86.020 prohibits “[u]nfair methods of competition and unfair […]

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Watch Out for Scams Spoofing or Targeting Attorneys

Reported are “spoofing” attorneys. Some use their identity to extort money from victims; others send ransomware directly to attorneys. Recently, the WSBA has received several reports of scams either “spoofing” (pretending to be, or be from attorneys) or targeting attorneys. Some scams use an attorney’s or firm’s identity to extort money from victims, while others […]

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Court of Appeals Reiterates No CPA Claims for Asserted Malpractice Alone

Attorney Mark Fucile takes a closer look at the state Supreme Court’s stance on law firms under the Consumer Protection Act. Attorney Mark Fucile takes a closer look at the state Supreme Court’s stance on legal practice under the Consumer Protection Act.

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Is Your Cellphone Subject to Public Records Act Disclosure?

State Supreme Court ruling makes personal cellphones of public employees subject to Washington’s Public Records Act. The Washington Supreme Court on Aug. 17, 2015, issued its ruling in Nissen v. Pierce County, which ruled that the personal cellphone of a public employee, if used to conduct public business, is now subject to disclosure under the state’s […]