Eliot M. Harris
About
Eliot Harris is a Member based out of the Seattle Office of Williams Kastner and serves on the Board of Directors for the firm. He is licensed to practice law in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Eliot is a commercial litigator and has represented a wide-range of clients in disputes involving insurance coverage, product liability, shareholder claims, commercial contract disputes, real estate transactions, intellectual property, premises liability, and professional negligence. Eliot regularly advises and represents clients in pre-litigation claim and coverage analysis, as well as litigating coverage disputes and insurance bad faith claims. Eliot has advised clients in insurance claims involving various lines of coverage, including CGL, EPLI, E&O, D&O, liquor liability, homeowners, commercial property, personal and commercial auto, and marine insurance. He has repeatedly been named a “Rising Star” by Washington Law and Politics Magazine and was recently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Commercial Litigation (2024).
Outside of his practice, Eliot has been active in various organizations, including ABA, DRI, IRMI, and CLM. He is a past-chair of the Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee of the ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), and is currently a member of the TIPS CLE Board Standing Committee and vice-chair of the TIPS Property Insurance Litigation Committee. Eliot is a former member of the Committee of Law Examiners for the Washington State Bar Association, and provided pro bono legal advice to countless individuals as part of the King County Bar Association Neighborhood Legal Clinic program. He formerly served on the board of directors for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) in the Northwest Region.
Recognitions & Awards
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation (2024)
Education
- Seattle University
School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2005 - University of Washington
B.A., History & Communications, 2002
Presentations & Seminars
Eliot has written a number of articles and given several presentations on various insurance coverage topics for publications and organizations such as the ABA, DRI, and USLAW. His most recent presentations and articles are noted below.
- Co-Chair, Professional Liability Practice Section, USLAW Fall Client Conference, Montreal, QB, September 7-8, 2018
- Co-Chair, Insurance Coverage Litigation Practice Section, USLAW Spring Client Conference, Scottsdale, AZ, April 6-7, 2018
- Presenter, Erosion of Attorney Client Privilege, EC Defense Network Spring Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, March 16, 2018
- Presenter, “Advanced Insurance Bad Faith Seminar,” National Business Institute, Seattle, WA, August 30, 2017
- Presenter, “Notice, Tender and Reservation of Rights: Crafting Coverage Correspondence, Evaluating Issues Raised by Defense Under ROR,” Webinar, Strafford Live Education, July 12, 2017
Articles & Publications
- “Washington Federal Court Finds That Statutory Notice of Intent to Sue Does Not Constitute ‘Claim’ Under Claims-Made Policy,” Williams Kastner Northwest Insurance Law Quarterly Newsletter, Winter 2018.
- “Washington Court of Appeals Refuses to Allow Production of Post-Litigation Communication Between Insurer and Coverage Counsel in Defense of UIM Claim,” Williams Kastner Northwest Insurance Law Quarterly Newsletter, Fall 2017.
- “Oregon Court of Appeals Renders Important Decision on Various Coverage Issues Arising out of Construction Defect Lawsuit,” Williams Kastner Northwest Insurance Law Quarterly Newsletter, Summer 2017.
- “Washington Appellate Court Finds Insurer not Collaterally Estopped from Contesting Liability Issues in Declaratory Judgment Action,” Williams Kastner Northwest Insurance Law Quarterly Newsletter, Summer 2017.
- “Alaska Supreme Court Finds Duty Owed by Liability Insurer to Third-Party Claimant,” Williams Kastner Northwest Insurance Law Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2017.
- “Insurance Concerns for Legal Cannabis Businesses,” Marijuana Venture Magazine, May 2017.
Representative Experience
- Represented insurers in general liability coverage matters arising out of claims involving construction defects, property damage, personal injury, and wrongful death;
- Represented insurers in D&O coverage matters, including claims arising from shareholder actions, employment litigation, intellectual property, regulatory investigations, and breach of fiduciary duties;
- Represented various insurers in non-litigated coverage claims in Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona;
- Represented various insurers in bad faith and consumer protection act lawsuits in Washington, Oregon and Arizona;
- Trial counsel for three-week jury trial for coverage action arising from $6 million stipulated judgment in construction defect lawsuit;
- Lead counsel for discovery and dispositive motions in coverage actions involving multi-million dollar construction defect claims;
- Obtained numerous summary judgment rulings for coverage claims ranging from $100K to $12M potential exposure for construction and personal injury claims;
- Attained multiple dismissals of extra-contractual claims of bad faith, consumer protection act violations and punitive damages;
- Attained numerous favorable settlements in multi-million dollar condominium construction defect lawsuits.