The video game industry has grown exponentially over the last two decades and was supercharged by the COVID-19 pandemic.  As developers seek to build more realistic virtual worlds in their products, including both video games and the metaverse, they increasingly include trademarks, trade names and trade dress in these virtual worlds.  One important issue that confronts game developers is ...

The video game industry has grown exponentially over the last two decades and was supercharged by the COVID-19 pandemic.  As developers seek to build more realistic virtual worlds in their ...

Suppose you represent the defendant in a lawsuit, and he wants his long-time significant other to participate in discussions about legal strategy that would be protected by the attorney-client privilege if they were strictly between you and your client. Could the significant other join in these conversations without impairing the privilege? RCW 5.60.060(2)(a) provides that “[a]n attorney or counselor ...

Suppose you represent the defendant in a lawsuit, and he wants his long-time significant other to participate in discussions about legal strategy that would be protected by the attorney-client privilege ...

Many lawyers treat Federal Rule of Evidence 408 and its state analogues as a blanket confidentiality provision that precludes reliance upon—or even disclosure of—settlement communications.  The language of the rule itself, however, and cases applying it, make clear that Rule 408 is not so broad: not every communication with a “Rule 408 Settlement Communication” stamp is inadmissible. Federal Rule ...

Many lawyers treat Federal Rule of Evidence 408 and its state analogues as a blanket confidentiality provision that precludes reliance upon—or even disclosure of—settlement communications.  The language of the rule ...

In prior blog posts we examined Washington law on noncompete agreements: the current statutory scheme that curtails the use of noncompete agreements in certain contexts [here] and [here], and how Washington courts evaluate the reasonableness of a noncompete agreement to determine its enforceability [here]. A recently proposed rule by the Federal Trade Commission would upend this Washington law.[1] Under ...

In prior blog posts we examined Washington law on noncompete agreements: the current statutory scheme that curtails the use of noncompete agreements in certain contexts [here] and [here], and how ...

We are pleased to announce that Savitt Bruce & Willey LLP has again been recognized by U.S News & World Report as a “Best Law Firm” both nationally and regionally in multiple practice areas for 2023. The firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice was again ranked as a top practice in U.S News’s national rankings, and SBW was recognized once ...

We are pleased to announce that Savitt Bruce & Willey LLP has again been recognized by U.S News & World Report as a “Best Law Firm” both nationally and regionally ...

We congratulate four of our partners who have again been recognized for their litigation excellence and selected to the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America: David Bruce, Duncan Manville, James Savitt, and Stephen Willey. David Bruce is recognized in Commercial Litigation and Municipal Law. He was first recognized for Commercial Litigation in 2014 and for Municipal Law in 2021. Duncan Manville is ...

We congratulate four of our partners who have again been recognized for their litigation excellence and selected to the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America: David Bruce, Duncan Manville, James Savitt, and Stephen ...

A significant statutory update regarding the resolution of employment-related claims, disputes and lawsuits, RCW 49.44.211, went into effect on June 9,  2022.  The new law amends the 2018 law prohibiting employment agreements from including non-disclosure provisions related to details or allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The amended statute now applies to settlement agreements and independent contractor agreements, in ...

A significant statutory update regarding the resolution of employment-related claims, disputes and lawsuits, RCW 49.44.211, went into effect on June 9,  2022.  The new law amends the 2018 law prohibiting ...

We are pleased to announce that Jacob P. Freeman has re-joined Savitt Bruce & Willey LLP as an associate. Jacob returns to SBW following two years years of managing his own legal practice focused on commercial litigation in federal and state courts here in Seattle. He previously served as an associate at the New York law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, and ...

We are pleased to announce that Jacob P. Freeman has re-joined Savitt Bruce & Willey LLP as an associate. Jacob returns to SBW following two years years of managing his own legal ...