Law360 Names Stoel Rives a 2024 Washington Powerhouse

SEATTLE, Wash.—Stoel Rives is pleased to announce that Law360 has named the firm a “2024 Washington Powerhouse,” one of only two firms selected among Law360’s 2024 Regional Powerhouses as leaders in Washington State.

Law360’s 2024 Regional Powerhouses selected firms in 15 states with a strong regional presence. Firms were selected based on their significant litigation wins, transactional work, or other projects in the state during a 12-month period.

“Since opening the Seattle office in 1912, Stoel has been integral to the development of Washington State’s industries and business centers, and we are thrilled Law360 has recognized our exceptional attorneys and their high-impact work in the state over the past year,” said Maren Norton, Seattle office managing partner. In Seattle, Stoel provides full-service solutions in real estate, corporate, finance, environmental, labor & employment, intellectual property, tax, employee benefits, energy, health care, and all aspects of business litigation.

In its “Washington Powerhouse” profile of Stoel, Law360 cited the firm’s history in Washington State, productive long-term client relationships, and recent standout matters for the Real Estate, Labor & Employment, Litigation and Environmental practice groups that bolstered the firm’s reputation in Seattle as “a top adviser for some of the state’s most prominent developers, hospital systems and institutional players in environmental disputes.”

Law360 noted that Stoel’s Seattle-based Real Estate practice “continues to dominate the Seattle-area real estate market, ushering in changes to a suburban city skyline and innovating affordable housing solutions.” Law360 pointed to high-profile commercial real estate projects, including the firm’s long-term representation of Vulcan Real Estate in the development, construction, and leasing of South Lake Union in Seattle and representation of Wright Runstad & Co. in development of The Spring District in Bellevue, including advising on the initial land purchase, the development, design, financing, construction, and leasing of many multifaceted, award-winning buildings. Law360 also noted Stoel’s deep experience in affordable housing, including representing Microsoft in its ground-breaking $750 million Affordable Housing Initiative: “The practice group’s expertise advising both nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers adds to its unique advantage in the legal market.”

Stoel’s Labor & Employment practice, which is experienced in highly regulated industry sectors and cutting-edge issues of first impression, was highlighted for recent work representing regional healthcare providers, including MultiCare Health System:  “The firm secured an appellate victory for MultiCare in September 2023 when the Washington Court of Appeals ruled in its favor in a dispute with worker unions, giving the company another shot to show that it legally recouped overpayments to employees following a data breach that temporarily shut down the payroll system.”

The firm was also noted for its “prowess in the environmental sphere, too, handling matters ranging from citizen suits over air and water quality to Endangered Species Act cases.” Among the many significant verdicts and settlements Stoel has achieved for Washington clients, Law360 pointed to the firm’s representation of “the Port of Seattle in a first-of-its kind class action brought by residents near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport who seek to bring claims over particulate emissions against the airport operator, as well as Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The firm filed to dismiss the case in October 2023 in Washington federal court, and the decision is still pending [as of August 2024].”

Here is a link to Law360’s 2024 Washington Powerhouse profile: https://www.law360.com/articles/1869578/washington-powerhouse-stoel-rives (Subscription required.)