The Washington State Supreme Court decision Whatcom County v. Hirst, 186 Wash.2d 648, 381 P.3d 1 (2016) set off years of uncertainty for rural and suburban development in Whatcom County. Most of Whatcom County is in the Nooksack River watershed (“WRIA 1”). You can find out if your property is in WRIA 1 or a…

A surprising number of people, being understandably (and blissfully) unstudied in Washington’s probate laws, carry in their heads the vague notion that one of the risks of dying without a proper will is that the State then gets to gleefully step in and inherit one’s unprovided for property. Like many common misconceptions, there is a…

Aaron Brinckerhoff has joined Carmichael Clark, as an associate attorney.  He previously worked for another local Bellingham law firm for several years.  Aaron will continue his practice in the areas of business, creditor-debtor, employment and real estate law. Aaron grew up in Western Washington but lived in Switzerland for six years, where he finished high school…

Catch Carmichael Clark’s Attorney, Lisa Keeler and Michael Heatherly, from Law Advocates, on Bellingham Tonight to find out what is happening with the law and courts during COVID-19.  They discuss how to legally navigate through this time and the effect the pandemic has had on our legal system. https://www.youtube.com/watch? list=PLI_OFdCv7R112kCSGbZLNp4VsSPnlriry&time _continue=985&v=jXQK0NrbWYo&feature =emb_logo. Make sure to…

The current Covid-19 pandemic is causing a great deal of uncertainty. Fact and circumstances seem to be changing on an almost daily (if not hourly) basis. Not only is that affecting our health, wellbeing, and daily lives, but it is also affecting commerce. Businesses are continuously monitoring the situation and adapting in order to stay…

COVID-19 Resources for Workers and Businesses UPDATED 4/1/2020 With rapidly changing public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are also ever-changing responses to address issues impacting businesses and workers.  See below for General Information, Business Operations, Accessing Benefits, New Legislation & Benefits, and Taxes. General Information WA State:  There is a WA state government…

Residential landlords can request various fees or deposits from a potential tenant, including fees for obtaining a background check and a deposit to hold a unit. Under Washington’s residential landlord-tenant act, a residential landlord has certain duties regarding deposits. The following is an overview of deposits and information that landlords should be aware of when…

Esther Hyun, Michael Kleps, Catherine Moore & Bryan Page have been selected to the 2020 Washington Rising Star list.  Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service…

Chong Yim v. City of Seattle, –Wn.2d–, 451 P.3d 675 (2019), also called Yim I, made headlines for its holding that Seattle’s first-in-time rule, which required landlords to rent to the first qualified applicant, was not facially unconstitutional. But it also made a huge change to Washington regulatory takings law by adopting the federal definition of regulatory takings…

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries recently overhauled the state’s rules governing overtime pay. As a result, the Department of Labor & Industries estimates 259,099 workers in Washington will become eligible for overtime pay once the new rules are fully implemented in 2028. The new changes will affect employees, especially those that are…