Insight, Analysis, and Perspective for Businesses and Individuals

In the shadow of COVID-19, change in the way that lawyers resolve cases has become a necessity. In the area of Family Law, and in divorce cases, social distancing and quarantine have altered the tools used to assist parties with their disputes. Pre-pandemic, more than 90 percent of divorce cases settled prior to trial. With […]

If you are going through a separation and/or divorce, it is important to review your estate plan as early as possible.  In Washington State, you can start your estate planning when you know that you intend to file for divorce.  You can also draft a new Will while a divorce is pending.  Even with an […]

The Family Law Practice Group of LHS&E is virtual!  Thanks to remote access, electronic files, secure document sharing, and meetings via Zoom as well as conference calls we are able to near seamlessly continue to serve our clients.   We are closely monitoring State, County, and Court issued Emergency Orders directly and via information exchanges on […]

While many people consider updating their estate planning documents following a divorce, it is best to update these documents when planning for a divorce or separation process, or risk potentially disastrous results. Washington law automatically overrides some, but not all, existing estate planning documents upon the filing of a marriage dissolution or legal separation action. Powers of […]

Under the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”), as of January 1, 2018, employees are no longer able to deduct unreimbursed employee business expenses on their individual tax returns for tax years 2018- 2025. Previously, any qualified expenses that employees incurred while on the job could be deducted on their individual tax return subject […]

Upon finishing the estate planning process, clients often ask the understandable question, “how often should I update my estate planning documents?” Best practice is to review and/or update your estate planning documents either (1) every three-five years, or (2) after major life changes occur. Major life changes can include the birth of new children or […]

Bringing your financial expert to mediation increases the likelihood that the parties, attorneys, and the mediator have a clear understanding of the financial aspects of your case – which is likely to lead to a better resolution. Here are the pros of bringing your financial expert to mediation. 1.  Calculating, Presenting, and Explaining the Numbers […]

Many of us may already be aware that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has significantly cut corporate tax rates, slightly cut individual tax rates, provided a jump in the standard deduction and implemented a host of other tax law changes for both individuals and businesses. However, there has been little attention given to […]

UPDATE: On May 12, 2021, Washington enacted significant revisions to the Homestead statutes. These revisions may potentially and significantly increase the dollar amount of your homestead exemption. As of May 12, 2021, the homestead exemption has changed to be the greater of 1) $125,000.00, or 2) the “county median sale price of a single-family home […]

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship for the employer. Such accommodations could include making existing facilities more accessible, restructuring a position, offering a modified work schedule, or even reassigning the employee to a vacant position. […]

Our civil rules encourage settlement. Settlement prevents the “winner take all” scenario and encourages the efficient use of court resources–trials are time-consuming and expensive. Although avoiding the courtroom altogether may sound appealing (pardon the pun), remember that you do not need a jury verdict to appeal your case. Here are some things to consider in […]

Overview On June 21, 2018, the Supreme Court decided South Dakota v. Wayfair. This pivotal sales tax case allows states to impose sales tax obligations on out-of-state businesses that have no physical presence in the state.  Previously, a business had to have some sort of physical presence in the state, such as an employee working […]