By far the biggest challenge in our covid trial is the mask situation. Never mind that we are in a convention center conference room. Or that the jury is spread out across the ballroom floor. This is from my trial diary – day 1. The defense lawyer is a distraction.  Or rather his facemask is.  It is dark blue with a design that looks like either big diamonds or a faux Louis Vuitton print.  Can’t…

Two months ago we file a dozen tort claims with the city and state. For peaceful protesters who were hurt by the police or in Summer Taylor’s case – killed – while protesting for BLM. We then need to wait 60 days before filing the suit. Instead of having down time, we begin drafting the complaint. I have the great role of being the boss of all and hand out assignments. Lisa – history and…

Don’t trust insurance companies. One of the first things they will do in a case where there may be exposure – is to take the statements of witnesses. Eye witnesses to be precise. While it is good to take a statement in a timely manner. It is bad when the interviewer messes with the memory of the eye witness or skews what they say. Insurers will never turn over their work product of interviewing these…

In the early 1990s, Tom Chambers sent me on a motion mission. Go to court. Argue that Dr. X was used so often by the insurance industry to testify against plaintiffs no matter what that they should be disqualified as an expert in our case. Went to court. Lost the motion. Tom had me bring and lose that motion multiple times. “It goes to weight,” declared the judges. “If they’re biased you can bring that…

Isn’t it true that… You previously testified to X – didn’t you… She did XYZ – isn’t that right… As a young lawyer, I felt the flush of success when cross examining a witness with leading questions. We were taught the technique in law school. Told it was the best and only way to cross examine a witness. You never wanted to ask an open ended question – oh no. Because terrible things could happen.…

7:30 am Get up. Take out Nala. It’s cool outside. Mountain air. 8:00 Eat raspberries. Clean up and pack. 8:45 Cristina, Sol and Liam come from little cabin to big one to say bye. And take away a bike. 8:50 Dance while Liam bangs on piano to the Latin drum beat. They finish. Say goodbye. 9:00 Firm meeting – give covid protocol update. 9:25 Leave firm meeting. 9:30 Zoom mediation with Keith Kubic. 2:30 End…

As lawyers, we are uniquely qualified to fight against institutional racism. Yet how many of us are standing with the protesters – maybe not in the actual protests, but advocating on their behalf. And on behalf of this cause. Shortly after  the George Floyd/BLM protests began, our office started a pro bono project: representing peaceful protesters who were the victims of excessive force.  In Seattle, the City has repeatedly used excessive force against protesters,…