Illustration of four attorneys

New WSBA Advisory Opinion on ‘Quadripartite’ Relationships

The WSBA Committee on Professional Ethics recently released advisory opinion No. 201802 addressing “quadripartite” relationships. “Tripartite” relationships among an insurer, the insured, and defense counsel have been delineated extensively in both court decisions and advisory opinions. “Quadripartite” relationships, by contrast, are a fairly new development and remain comparatively unplumbed. The term generally describes situations where […]

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Chess

Tips for Deposing Adverse Experts

So you’re going to depose an adverse expert witness. No problem. Whatever type of case you’re litigating, you can weaken the impact of this expert with thorough preparation and an effective strategy. You might even be able to neutralize the expert entirely.

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Cover of NWLawyer September 2017

It’s Here: The September Issue of NWLawyer

Inside the latest issue of NWLawyer, you’ll find: cross-examination tips from one of the state’s leading trial lawyers; an in-depth look at the use of police body-worn cameras in Washington; and an exploration of mandatory malpractice insurance. You can also take our 11-question quiz to test your knowledge on gender barriers. See how much you […]

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Key Observations from my Day in the 9th Circuit

What tips have you picked up from just observing in court? One lawyer shares what she learned. Recently, I spent two days in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where I observed seven oral arguments. It was interesting to see each counsel’s style and preparation level and the justices’ reactions to their arguments. Here are […]

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Demystifying Depositions: Effective Use of Documents

Don’t let documents throw your deposition game! Get the practical tips you need to use documents in depositions effectively. Read more from the Demystifying Depositions Series: Admonitions | The Funnel Technique | Obtaining Admission As you are getting more comfortable with the deposition process, one thing that can throw off your game is having to use documents. The mechanics of […]

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Demystifying Depositions: Obtaining Admissions

Tips to get the admissions your case needs! Read more from the Demystifying Depositions Series: Admonitions | The Funnel Technique If you daydream about depositions, it’s probably about that crucial moment where the witness makes that fatal admission that undermines his whole case: “So you ADMIT that this is your signature on the key document?” “YES!” (witness dissolves […]

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3 Trial Advocacy Tips from a Newer Attorney

Be a more effective advocate with these tips. I have the opportunity to witness many great and not-so-great attorneys in court. As a new lawyer, I endeavor to watch as many hearings as possible to take notes on what works and what doesn’t. I never took trial advocacy in law school because I never really planned on doing much […]

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Demystifying Depositions: Admonitions

Attorney Claire Been discusses admonitions in the first post of her Demystifying Depositions series. When I was a brand new lawyer, few things struck fear into my heart like the idea of a deposition. I had been told that while young lawyers may be inexperienced, we can make up for our inexperience through exceptional preparation. But it […]

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