In August 2022, the Washington State Supreme Court issued an important opinion impacting coverage afforded to contractors under commercial general liability (CGL) policies. The Court held as a matter of first impression in Preferred Contractors Insurance Company v. Baker and…
Read MoreWashington Supreme Court Voids a Contractual One Year Limitations Period In a recent 5-4 decision, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that a 1-year contractual limitation period on a residential construction defect claim is unenforceable as “substantively unconscionable.” In the case,…
Read MoreCo-author: Ryan Montgomery, Partner - Montgomery Purdue PLLC On February 8, 2023, House Bill 1795 was introduced to the 69th session of the Washington State legislature, which proposes substantial changes to the Washington State estate tax rate structure. If…
Read MoreThe Washington State estate tax exemption is currently $2.193 million. The exemption amount is meant to be adjusted for inflation, but it has not changed since 2018. That is because the inflation adjustment is tied to a Washington law that…
Read MoreEarlier today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) unveiled a proposed rule that would largely ban employers from imposing noncompete restrictions on workers. The FTC’s proposed ban would extend to nearly all work arrangements - including to independent contractors, apprentices, interns…
Read MoreBeginning on January 1, 2023, Washington employers with 15 or more employees are required to comply with Washington’s new pay transparency law by including salary and benefit information in all job postings. Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries recently published…
Read MoreThe IRS recently issued Revenue Procedure 2022-38, which announced the increases to the federal estate and gift tax exemption as well as the gift tax annual exclusion for the year 2023. The 2023 federal estate and gift tax exemption has…
Read MoreThe federal estate tax exemption is currently $12.06 million per taxpayer. However, in 2026, the exemption amount is set to decrease to $5 million, indexed for inflation (estimated to be between $6-$7 million). The current high threshold means many estates…
Read MoreWashington voters approved the Washington Death with Dignity Act in November 2008, which went into effect on March 5, 2009, and allows Washington residents who are terminally ill to request medication to end their life. The most recently available Death…
Read MoreWhile assistance animals come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds, one may ask themselves—can a black mamba be an assistance animal covered by the Fair Housing Act (FHA)? The answer is: it depends. Assistance Animals Under the FHA: Domesticated Versus…
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