Alphabet Soup – A Few Things You Need to Know: Developments in Federal Laws That May Have Applicability to Public Sector Employees
Regulatory schemes are often referred to by the initials of the regulatory agencies that enforce them or by the acronyms for the laws—a veritable alphabet soup. Regardless of the acronym or the letters that are used, many of the federal laws apply not just to private sector employers but also to public sector employers. Although...
Twenty-Seven Williams Kastner Attorneys Named to 2014 Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists
SEATTLE, WA (June 16, 2014) — Williams Kastner is pleased to announce that 27 attorneys have been named to Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2014. Receiving recognition are: Super Lawyers Seattle Jessie Harris, Managing Director Randy Aliment, Member Kimberly Baker, Member Daniel A. Brown, Member Jerry Creim, Member Dana Ferestien, Member Matthew Green, Member...
Williams Kastner Welcomes Todd Blischke to its Seattle Office
May 19, 2014 (Seattle, WA) – The law firm of Williams Kastner is pleased to announce the addition of Todd W. Blischke as a member in its Seattle office. Mr. Blischke will chair the firm’s Construction Litigation and Surety Practices Team. He has experience representing contractors, sureties, real estate developers, public agencies and private owners...
USLAW Spring / Summer 2014 – The Duty to Defend: When Does it End?
Insurers must often provide a defense to a policyholder on the barest of allegations, but at least in some jurisdictions, there can be rest for the weary: While a duty to defend may be required initially, extrinsic evidence can be used to terminate the defense. In many jurisdictions, however, the task of obtaining a court order allowing withdrawal from the defense may...
Sheryl Willert Honored with Most Powerful & Influential Women Award by Washington Diversity Council
March 27, 2014 (Seattle, WA) – Williams Kastner is pleased to announce that Sheryl Willert has been honored with the Most Powerful and Influential Women Award by the Washington Diversity Council. The award recognizes women who have achieved a high-level of personal success and have made it possible for others to easily follow in their...
Williams Kastner Case Highlighted in Recent Issue of ABA’s The Brief
Vision One, LLC v. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co., in which Williams Kastner represented the respondents, was recently quoted in the Spring 2014 issue of the American Bar Association’s The Brief. The case involved a condominium project with “allegedly improperly installed shoring [which] gave way, causing framing rebar, and wet concrete to collapse from the first floor into the...
Rod Umberger Quoted in Law360 Article
Rod Umberger, a Member in Williams Kastner’s Seattle office, was recently quoted in a Law360 article titled “5 Threats Keeping GCs of Midsize Companies Up at Night.”
Sheryl Willert Quoted in Seattle Times Article
Sheryl Willert, a member in Williams Kastner’s Seattle office, was recently quoted in a The Seattle Times article titled “Religious nonprofits can face job discrimination suits if work not related to religion.”
Ross Jacobson Named Bellevue Downtown Association’s 2014 Board Chair
Ross Jacobson, an of counsel attorney in the Seattle office of Williams Kastner and a Bellevue resident, was recently named as Bellevue Downtown Association’s 2014 Board Chair. He will continue the organizations legacy as it “advocates for a shared vision of Downtown Bellevue, cultivates economic vitality, fosters a dynamic civic and cultural community and creates an...
Ninth Circuit Backs Insurers in Decades-Old Hidden Water Damage Case
First-party property insurers are often faced with significant challenges when an insured seeks coverage for damage that occurred many years ago, particularly in regard to establishing whether the damage occurred during the policy period, or whether the insured has fallen afoul of the policy’s requirement that the insurer can only sue the insurer within a...
Federal Court Upholds “Water Damage” Exclusion for Dock and Retaining Wall Windstorm Claim
Windstorm and water intrusion claims are common in Washington State. As we have seen over the years, no two windstorm and water intrusion claims are the same. Oftentimes, the small details of the potentially applicable policy language and the specific facts of the claim at issue can have a substantial impact on the coverage issues...
Washington Court: UIM Insurer Bound by Arbitration Award Despite Trial Request
Injured parties in automobile accidents may file an underinsured motorist (“UIM”) claim before their claims against the at-fault driver have been resolved. In Washington, it is not uncommon for those claims against the at-fault driver to go through the mandatory arbitration process under Washington’s mandatory arbitration rules (“MAR”). The uncertainty regarding the valuation of the...