RICHARD R. ROLAND
Attorney
Main Phone: 206.689.8500
Direct Line: 206.267.2266
Email: rroland@forsberg-umlauf.com
Business Card: 
PRACTICE EMPHASIS AND EXPERIENCE
Commercial Litigation
Construction Litigation
Environmental Coverage
Professional Liability
Rich’s practice focuses primarily on defense of professional liability claims as well as on insurance coverage disputes and litigation. Rich regularly represents attorneys, insurance agents and brokers, real estate industry clients including realtors, real estate brokers, escrow agents, and mortgage brokers in professional liability litigation. He has successfully represented national insurance carriers in insurance "bad faith" litigation. His background in litigating complex environmental, real estate, title insurance and commercial contract defense cases is extensive. His practice also includes defending construction industry clients in litigation and representing owners, general contractors and subcontractors in construction-defect and construction-insurance cases, and in commercial and residential construction contract disputes. Rich is experienced in defending major aviation manufacturer defendants in complex air-crash products liability litigation on a national level.
Prior to entering legal practice, Rich served as a United States Naval Aviator and qualified military Aircraft Accident Investigator. His business background also includes five years as a Chief Executive Officer of an employee benefits administration firm acting as Administrative Manager for the Washington State Taft-Hartley/E.R.I.S.A. employee Pension and Health Insurance plans of a major construction trade union.
EDUCATION
J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 1983
--Lead Articles Editor, Pepperdine Law Review
B.A., Vanderbilt University, 1974
BAR / COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Washington, 1989
United States District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Washington, 1989
State of California, 1983
United States District Court, Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of California, 1984
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1984, Third Circuit, 1985
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Representation of law firm and individual attorneys in defense of legal malpractice action where underlying matter involved clients’ services performed for construction surety in connection with 15 individual commercial construction projects. Obtained multiple partial summary judgments ultimately resulting in settlement for value below client's mediation offer.
- Representation of real estate escrow company in litigation over alleged negligence in closing and transaction settlement payoffs for complex commercial property sale; obtained dismissal of suit in favor of client on motion for summary judgment using admissions and sworn testimony of claimant procured in discovery depositions.
- Representation of debt-collection agency in putative class action litigation relating to Washington Charity Care Act. Negotiated minimal settlement prior to certification of class following briefing and argument of Motion to Dismiss plaintiff's complaint on lack of commonality and numerosity grounds and successful opposition to plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment.
- Representation of real estate escrow agent in litigation over alleged improper distribution of escrow proceeds; obtained stipulated dismissal of claims against client as result of service of particularized discovery pleadings and deposition of plaintiff.
- Representation of environmental contractor; conducted investigation of plaintiff's claims successfully establishing that the plaintiff's voluntary remediation of environmental was independent and not "substantial equivalent" of government action; subsequent negotiation with claimant resulted in low-value settlement of alleged damages, dismissal of claims and minimal fee expense due to successful early mediation.
- Representation of Home Inspector; filed multiple motions for partial summary judgment arising from plaintiff's execution of written inspection agreement, resulting in nominal settlement and dismissal of claim.
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
Washington State Bar Association
King County Bar Association
California State Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL)
Northwest Insurance Coverage Association (NICA)
International Society of Air Safety Investigators
ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS
- Presenter: “Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Washington,” Lorman, 2007
- Presenter: “Current Issues Impacting Insurance Defense Practice,” NBI, 2007
- Presenter: “Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Washington, Lorman, 2006
- Contributing Author: Insurance Coverage in Washington, Legal Reference Guide, Forsberg & Umlauf
- Contributing Author: Bad Faith Claims in Washington, Legal Reference Guide, Forsberg & Umlauf
