The Latest News…
What Still Works After the Noncompete Ban: Nonsolicitation, Confidentiality, and the Sale-of-Business Exception
Washington’s ban on noncompetes (Chapter 149, Laws of 2026) does not leave employers with nothing. It preserves a short, narrowly…
Read More
Washington Just Voided Almost Every Noncompete Agreement
Washington has taken its 2019 restrictions on noncompetes to their logical conclusion: a near-total ban. Under ESHB 1155 (Chapter 149,…
Read More
Business lawyer Compliance Employees General Compliance Counseling Independent Contractors Noncompetes
The Noncompete Notice Cliff – Don’t Fall October 1, 2027
Washington’s non-compete ban comes with an affirmative duty most employers have not yet put on the calendar. It is not…
Read More
Washington’s 2027 Paid Leave Premium Update
Alongside the minimum wage, the other year-end number Washington employers need is the Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) premium…
Read More
Washington’s 2027 Minimum Wage: What to Expect
Every fall, Washington employers get one number they cannot plan payroll without: the next year’s minimum wage. Here is what…
Read More
Your Bonus Clawback Is Now a Noncompete
The most overlooked part of Washington’s new noncompete ban is that it does not only target clauses labeled “noncompete.” It…
Read More
Washington Employers Get New I-9 Inspection Notice Duties
Washington enacted a new Immigrant Worker Protection Act this year, and its employer-facing duties are scheduled to take effect on…
Read More
Behind on Paid Leave Premiums? Interest, Penalties, and a Grant You Could Lose
Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program is funded by a premium that nearly every Washington employer has to…
Read More
Goodbye, Pet Rent: Everything You Need to Know About Seattle’s New Rental Junk Fee Ban
Finding an apartment in Seattle has long been an exercise in complex math. For years, prospective tenants have browsed rental…
Read More
FinCEN Permanently Ends Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for Millions of Small Business Owners
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing a final rule that permanently removes the requirement for…
Read More
Long-Term Rentals Are Not Subject to Washington’s B&O Tax
If you rent out residential or commercial real estate in Washington on a long-term basis, that rental income is not…
Read More
Legal Update: Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act
Washington has amended its Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) for the first time since the statute was enacted in 1998….
Read More
Beware the Use of AI
AI can be a useful tool for improving productivity and coming up with ideas you might not come up with…
Read More
Asset Purchase Agreement Business deals Business lawyer Contract lawyer Contracts M&A Purchase Agreement Stock Purchase Agreement
M&A Trends – Survival Periods and No-Recourse Terms
In the high-stakes arena of M&A, the survival period—the window during which a buyer can bring claims for breaches of…
Read More
Foreign Money Judgments in Washington Still Need a Washington Hook
In Alterna Aircraft V B Ltd. v. SpiceJet Ltd., the Washington Supreme Court held that a creditor seeking recognition of…
Read More
Washington Manufacturers: Do Not Overlook the Sales/Use Tax Exemption for Machinery and Equipment
Washington manufacturers often focus on income, payroll, and B&O tax planning, but the sales/use tax treatment of machinery and equipment…
Read More
Termination & Expiration – They’re Different?
Hat tip to @RobertFreundLaw for finding this gem. "Dimebag Darrell (former guitarist for heavy metal band Pantera)'s trust sued Dean…
Read More
What Washington’s Montes Decision Means for False-Discount Pricing Claims
The Washington Supreme Court ruled that a false "sale" price alone does not constitute "business or property" injury under the…
Read More
Washington Expands Background Check Protections for Workers with Criminal Records
Washington’s Fair Chance Act has limited when employers can ask about criminal history (i.e., conduct background checks) since 2018. But…
Read More
Asset Purchase Agreement Business deals Contract lawyer Contracts Materiality Scrapes Purchase Agreement Representations & Warranties
Insights into the 2025 Deal Points Study: Navigating Baskets and the Ubiquity of Materiality Scrapes
Risk allocation in mergers & acquisitions (M&A) isn't just about how long a buyer has to make a claim, but…
Read More