A lot can be learned from investigating the background of witnesses involving cases that span two states. As an investigator with a firm handling matters in Washington and Oregon, I need to know how far back to search witnesses’ backgrounds in order to determine what is admissible under the laws of each state. Some of […]
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Congratulations to Portland attorney Bonnie Richardson, recipient of the 2016 Multnomah Bar Association (MBA) Professionalism Award! This honor is presented to lawyers who exemplify the highest ethical standards and conduct in the practice of law and who make the practice of law more enjoyable. The award was presented in May at the MBA’s 110th Annual […]
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Father’s Day is June 19, so it’s only appropriate that the June issue of NWLawyer features WSBA members paying tribute to fatherhood. Do you have a favorite Father’s Day memory to share? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments!
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Division III of the Court of Appeals recently addressed the interplay between RPC 1.16 and CR 71 on withdrawal in Schibel v. Eymann, ___ Wn. App. ___, ___ P.3d ___, 2016 WL 1639567 (Apr. 26, 2016). Schibel is a legal malpractice case that grew out of commercial lease and related mold exposure litigation. Disagreements over […]
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Fraudsters continue to try and entice lawyers with too-good-to-be-true legal engagements, using professional, official-looking cashier’s checks to introduce their schemes. Here’s one that a lawyer recently forwarded to the WSBA.
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When many people think of attorneys, they conjure up an image of a well-dressed man or woman confidently arguing a case in front of a judge or jury in a wood-paneled courtroom. While we know the reality of the profession is quite different most of the time (what small percentage of the average day is […]
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Division III of the Court of Appeals recently addressed the question of whether a claimant needs expert testimony to avoid summary judgment in a legal malpractice case. In Slack v. Luke, 2016 WL 917310, ___ P.3d ___ (Wn. App. Mar. 10, 2016), the plaintiff alleged that her lawyer had not timely filed an employment claim. […]
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On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its new rule on STEM Optional Practical Training (STEM OPT). The STEM OPT program allows eligible recent graduates of U.S. educational institutions to obtain practical training in certain science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields of study. The new rule will take effect on […]
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The WSBA’s Call to Duty Pledge inspires Washington attorneys to work outside their normal practice areas to serve veterans. Morgan Gabse is one attorney who branched out to meet veterans’ needs.
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Congratulations to everyone who passed the February 2016 bar exam! Of the 367 candidates, 215 candidates passed the exam.
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Since the Washington Supreme Court’s decision in Short v. Demopolis, 103 Wn.2d 52, 691 P.2d 163 (1984), the business aspects of law practice have been subject to the Consumer Protection Act, RCW Chapter 19.86. The CPA generally prohibits “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” in “trade or commerce” under RCW 19.86.020. Remedies under RCW 19.86.090 […]
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Communicating with other people is an important part of what we do as lawyers. Here are a few suggestions that I offer to attorneys who want to communicate more effectively, whether it’s with clients, colleagues, or friends and family.
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This week, to the dismay of many fans who have initiated boycotts and begun to hold #FreeKesha vigils in her honor, pop singer Kesha was denied a preliminary injunction to permit her to create music outside the terms of her contract with Sony-affiliated producer Dr. Luke, on the grounds that he had sexually and mentally […]
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When trying to claim veterans’ benefits, former service members face a complex and byzantine system. Unfortunately, this is a battle that many veterans have to face alone.
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A state appeals court points to the common law roots of the “lawyer-witness rule” in overturning a criminal conviction.
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This past fall Division II of the Court of Appeals concluded in a legal malpractice case that a lawyer who prepared a trust and a later amendment for his client did not owe a duty to a prospective beneficiary of the trust.
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