Summit Law Group rejected the traditional law firm model and started from scratch to revolutionize the way legal services are provided by focusing on a single principle: Customer service and results.
Our customers want the best possible outcome at a cost commensurate with the result. We achieve this by forming small, dedicated teams of highly experienced trial lawyers, each chosen for their ability to analyze cases and counsel customers, and for the way they develop and present evidence at trial.
Summit has never hired a lawyer straight out of law school; we select only tested, experienced trial lawyers, and we hire them as owners of the firm. The result is that every Summit trial team brings a wealth of experience in trying cases to judges and juries in state and federal courts, and to private or public arbitrators. And, when necessary, we have the knowledge and skill to take a matter through an appeal.
Our customers want to know the realistic probabilities of success early in the case, as well as cost of litigation. Our trial teams deliver by providing the sophisticated analysis our customers need to make sound decisions about how the case will be managed, how costs will be controlled, when to settle, and when to try the lawsuit.
Because our lawyers are trial-tested veterans, we know what really matters at trial. We know success requires us to be honest with ourselves and with our customers about the strengths and weakness of any given case – even when what we have to say is not what the customer wants to hear. We win by communicating clear, compelling evidence that the judge and jury need to decide in our customer’s favor. We win not just because of our eloquent arguments, but as a result of maintaining absolute credibility with the court.
Our approach has resulted in an exceptional track record. Summit has been selected the Benchmark Litigation Washington Firm of the Year twice in recent years and is one of only eight top picks by Benchmark in Washington. Summit is trusted litigation counsel for leading businesses and high net worth individuals in Seattle and the Northwest, and is recognized in the Northwest bench and bar as practicing at the top of its field.
Updated Oct 2021
HLFT is among the finest trial firms in the region. A broad spectrum of clients entrust HLFT with problems ranging from billion-dollar lawsuits to delicate negotiation. HLFT’s lawyers come from diverse backgrounds and offer unparalleled experience. The firm combines the capacity and experience of the largest firms with the focus and teamwork of a smaller organization. The firm’s complex litigation practice is led by partners Art Harrigan, Tim Leyh, Tyler Farmer, and Randall Thomsen. Art Harrigan and Tim Leyh are Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers and have tried numerous complex matters to verdict. Along with Leyh, Farmer is regularly recognized among the Top 100 attorneys in the state by SuperLawyers. Thomsen is an experienced trial lawyer and is regularly included in lists of top litigators in the state.
Main Areas of Practice:
Trial Practice: HLFT’s practice covers an extensive range ofareas, including antitrust, class action defense, complex contract disputes, intellectual property, trade secrets, products liability, securities litigation, aviation, maritime, and complex construction disputes. HLFT’s lawyers regularly try cases in state and federal courts.
Employment Litigation: The firm represents technology companies and other employers in employment disputes, including trade secrets.
Internal Investigations: The firm has extensive experience representing responses to investigations by state and federal authorities, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Real Estate Litigation: The firm advises real estate investors on a broad array of matters, including corporate governance, construction / design disputes, eminent domain, landlord – tenant disputes, and contract disputes.
Maritime & Aviation: The firm represents businesses, government entities, international organizations, and insurance carriers in matters ranging from cargo and property damage, personal injury, salvage and wreck removal to insurance coverage and contract disputes.
Major Commercial Litigation: 8 partners; 13 attorneys based in Seattle, WA
Representative matters include:
Key Clients: City of Seattle, King County, Microsoft Corporation, Port of Seattle, Rally Capital, Sabey Corporation, Sebco, Inc., Snohomish County, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Talon Private Capital, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, State of Washington, Wrench, Inc., Valant Medical Solutions, Inc., and Whitepages, Inc.
International Work: HLFT frequently works with international clients on a range of matters, including contract disputes, intellectual property, product liability, and regulatory matters.
Updated Sep 2022
What a Law Firm Should Be: Polsinelli is a full-service, Am Law 100 firm with over 950 attorneys in 23 offices nationwide. The firm’s litigation practice encompasses business disputes, white collar investigations and enforcement, health care, intellectual property, bankruptcy, data privacy, real estate, financial services, products liability and toxic tort and labor and employment matters. Our reputation for dedicated client service and innovative business solutions is a benchmark for excellence in the legal profession.
Polsinelli approaches litigation The Polsinelli Way – with our clients and their business goals as our primary focus. The Polsinelli Way sees each dispute as unique and our lawyers work hand in hand with our clients to devise a litigation strategy from the outset of the matter that is laser focused on achieving the most efficient and effective resolution. The Polsinelli Way isn’t just a slogan. It’s the way we work on each and every matter entrusted to us by our clients.
Commercial Litigation: Polsinelli’s Commercial Litigation practice is composed of attorneys committed to providing practical, industry-specific business litigation strategies informed by substantive and procedural knowledge, real courtroom experience, and a keen awareness of how legal outcomes impact our clients’ bottom lines.
We focus on real estate litigation, disputes arising out of business relationships and contracts, mergers and acquisitions litigation, and class actions. However, we have a deep bench of litigation expertise with experience handling a broad spectrum of disputes including aviation and transportation, insurance matters, professional liability, retail and hospitality litigation, telecommunications, and manufacturing and distribution. We also have several lawyers who regularly handle statutory claims including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and the Fair Credit and Reporting Act.
Government Investigations: Polsinelli’s Government Investigations team is highly qualified to quickly and effectively help companies and individuals respond to and defend against civil, criminal and regulatory government actions. Many of our attorneys are former federal prosecutors with specific experience.
Our team takes the guesswork out of navigating investigations involving the government. Clients seek out our team’s counsel at all stages of their interactions with government agencies, whether a client needs help responding to a subpoena or civil investigative demand, a comprehensive internal investigation, preemptive counsel on a compliance program, or a trial lawyer to defend against allegations of white-collar crimes. Our team has experience with governmental entities, including the Department of Justice, SEC, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, EPA and States’ Attorney General Offices.
Health Care Litigation: Polsinelli Health Care Litigation attorneys combine their in-depth knowledge of the evolving health care industry with clients’ business needs to devise practical litigation strategies. We advise clients in managing risk and resolving complex disputes. When litigation is necessary, we collaborate with clients to effectively and efficiently protect their interests. Our attorneys are experienced in litigating government investigations and health care disputes in different forums, including lawsuits, arbitrations, administrative hearings, audits and investigations.
Our team is well known and respected by judges, regulators, arbitrators, health care industry leaders and the legal community. Members include former Department of Justice attorneys, including Assistant United States Attorneys, former experienced state Medicaid fraud unit attorneys, a former realtor attorney and former in-house counsel to private and publicly traded health care companies.
Intellectual Property Litigation: Polsinelli’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice take creative and strategic approaches to resolving intellectual property disputes for local, regional, national and global companies and individuals. With more than 1,300 intellectual property litigation filings over the past six years, we frequently try high-technology intellectual property cases tied to diverse subject matter including patent litigation, trademark, copyright & branding, anti-counterfeiting and grey markets, restrictive covenants and trade secrets litigation, ITC Section 337, IP litigation funding and design patent litigation.
Labor & Employment Litigation: Our attorneys defend clients before administrative agencies and in trials, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals of lawsuits arising over virtually every conceivable employment-related action including age, religion, gender, pregnancy, race, national origin, disability, harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, FMLA and OSHA violations.
Our Employment Litigation practice group has substantial experience representing management in the administrative charge and litigation phase of cases involving issues such as but not limited to The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), The Equal Pay Act (EPA), Whistleblower claims, work-related torts and wrongful termination.
Products Liability and Toxic and Mass Tort: Polsinelli’s litigators have deep experience defending and protecting our clients against defective design, defective manufacturing, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and toxic exposure claims that oftentimes go to the heart of our clients’ businesses. Our litigators approach each case the Polsinelli Way -- with a laser focus on our clients’ business goals and an eye towards case resolution that prioritizes those business goals.
Our experienced Products Liability and Toxic Tort team assesses cases early, identifying potential risks and working with our client’s legal, business, technical and regulatory teams to craft effective litigation strategies. Our electronic discovery (e-discovery) lawyers and other professionals are adept at coordinating and managing the often-burdensome discovery process that comes with defending these high-stakes cases. Our trial lawyers have the skills and experience to take cases to trial in any courtroom in the country. These trial teams work hand in hand with our certified appellate specialists, who identify appellate issues and represent clients at the appellate level in state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Updated Sep 2022