Tort and Insurance Defense (Practice Chair:  Roy Umlauf)

We provide a full range of tort and insurance legal services to insurers, insureds, agents, brokers, corporations, businesses and individuals throughout Washington and the Pacific Northwest. We work closely with our clients to ensure cost-conscious case handling. Where appropriate, we recommend alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration. Areas of particular emphasis include:

• Insurance Coverage Analysis, Opinions and Litigation in Primary, Excess, Reinsurance and Co-Insurance Matters

• Environmental Coverage, Emphasizing Insurance Carrier Defense

• First-Party and Third-Party Insurance and Tort Defense

• Automobile, Including UM/UIM and PIP

• Hull and Machinery, Cargo and PSI Coverage including Insurer Defense

• Product Liability

• Premises Liability

• Professional Liability

• Construction Defect/Work Site Injury/Tender of Defense Issues

• Construction Defects

• Municipal Liability

• Employer Liability

• Longshore and Harborworkers Compensation Claims Defense

• Insurance Agent and Broker Malpractice

• Bad Faith, Consumer Protection and Unfair Practices Claims

• Subrogation including Marine Claims

• Appellate Matters Related to the Above Areas

In addition to advocacy on behalf of clients in tort and insurance matters, some of our members also serve as arbitrators in underinsured motorist (UIM) and other Superior Court proceedings. Certain shareholders serve as pro tem judges in Municipal and District Courts. Some of our firm members are admitted to practice in Alaska, California, Oregon and Idaho as well as Washington.