WASHINGTON PAID SICK LEAVE LAW EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2018
SEATTLE, WA (January 12, 2018) — Beginning January 1, 2018, all employers doing business in Washington are required to provide most of their employees with paid sick leave as required by a 2016 voter passed initiative. This law is enforced by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. The Department adopted regulations related to paid sick...
Williams Kastner Announces 2018 New Members
December 29, 2017 ─ Williams Kastner is pleased to announce that three new Members will be admitted to the firm, effective January 1, 2018. Earning a place in Williams Kastner’s 2018 Member class are: Jessica L. McConnell (Portland), Meredith E. Dishaw (Seattle), and Paul K. Friedrich (Seattle). “We are delighted to welcome these talented individuals to...
FMCSA Form BMC-84 Bond Claims
Surety Law Update Winter 2017 In October 2013, Public Law 112-141 (commonly known as “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” or “MAP-21”) went into effect under the auspices of the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) which, among other things, increased the security requirement for Freight Forwarders and Freight Broker from $10,000.00...
WASHINGTON COURT FINDS NO BAD FAITH DESPITE INCORRECT ASSESSMENT BY INSURER ON COVERAGE ISSUES
Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2017 Insurers and policyholders are often faced with a situation of whether depreciation may be recovered when the insured sustains a covered loss but does not use “new construction materials” to rebuild their house. In a recent opinion, a Washington Court rejected an insurer’s position that the term “new,” in the replacement...
WASHINGTON COURT LIMITS DISCOVERY OF INSURER’S CLAIMS-HANDLING MANUALS AND GUIDELINES FOR UNRELATED LINES OF COVERAGE
Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2017 Insurers faced with a bad faith lawsuit are often asked in discovery to produce copies of claim handling manuals and guidelines. Oftentimes such discovery requests are broad and request any manuals or guidelines used by the insurer regardless of whether it specifically applies to the policy at issue. Courts in various...
The Responsibility of Corporate America Post 2016 Presidential Elections
The 2016 presidential campaigns and ultimate election of Donald Trump has caused a significant portion of the United States population to express dismay and concern about not only the potential that there is no way to have a semblance of unity in this country, but also the potential that all of those things that have...
Washington’s New Uniform Power of Attorney Act: Surety Underwriters Beware
Surety Law Update Winter 2017 A power of attorney is an incredibly powerful document that permits an individual (the “principal”) to appoint someone (the “agent” or “attorney-in-fact”) to act on the principal’s behalf. In the context of the surety-principal/indemnitor relationship, sureties rely heavily on power of attorney clauses included in general indemnity agreements (“GIA”) in...
Judgment Lien May Survive A Chapter 7 Discharge
Surety Law Update Winter 2017 In general, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy results in a discharge of pre-petition debts owed by an individual debtor. Certain obligations, however, may survive the Chapter 7 discharge order. One example is a perfected judgment lien. Even though the underlying claim for damages against an individual debtor may be discharged, a...
WASHINGTON COURT OF APPEALS REFUSES TO ALLOW PRODUCTION OF POST-LITIGATION COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INSURER AND COVERAGE COUNSEL IN DEFENSE OF UIM CLAIM
Quarterly Newsletter Fall 2017 Ever since the Washington Supreme Court rendered its decision in Cedell v. Farmers Ins. Co. of Washington, 176 Wn.2d 686, 295 P.3d 239 (2013), state and federal courts in Washington have grappled with the fallout. One of key questions is when, and to what extent, policyholders are entitled to discovery of...
Miller, Spaulding v. Sawant
Detectives Miller and Spaulding have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community. Many people have sent messages with kind words of support, and some even sent donations. To everybody who has reached out, thank you. It’s greatly appreciated by the officers. They plan to use the money received to defray the costs...
Hunter Abell Named to the 40 Under 40 List
Williams Kastner is pleased to announce that Hunter Abell, a member in the Seattle office, has been chosen as a Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree for 2017. The Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” program aims to identify people under the age of 40 who are dynamic leaders in the business...
Fifteen Williams Kastner Attorneys Named to 2017 Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists
SEATTLE, WA (June 21, 2017) — Williams Kastner is pleased to announce that 15 attorneys have been named to Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2017. Receiving recognition are: Super Lawyers Seattle Daniel Brown, Member Arley Harrel, Member Jessie Harris, Managing Director Douglas Hofmann, Member Rodney Umberger, Member Sheryl Willert, Member Portland Ward Greene, Senior...