Professional Overview

Eric's practice focuses on commercial litigation and dispute resolution in state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as arbitration and mediation forums. Eric 's cases have encompassed a broad range of matters, including securities litigation, lender liability issues, employment discrimination and wrongful discharge, product liability, unfair competition and anti-trust, real property disputes, and domestic and international contract disputes.

Representative Matters

  • Extensive practice in state and federal courts, and before arbitration forums, including FINRA, NASD, NYSE, and AAA.
  • Counsel for multiple lenders, securities brokerage firms, secured creditors, and commercial landlords.
  • Counsel for multiple employers relating to employment disputes, including wrongful discharge, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, ADA claims, and violation of noncompetition agreements. Our proactive approach has led to successful outcomes using alternative dispute resolution procedures.
  • Counsel for both employers and employees in employment contract disputes involving non-competition and non-solicitation agreements.
  • Extensive experience in conducting internal investigations and advising clients on compliance issues and regulatory issues.
  • Counsel for Horizon Air in a $78 million RICO and securities fraud case brought in federal district court in Spokane, Washington, which was dismissed on our motion for summary judgment. The dismissal was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • Counsel for Mitsubishi Corporation in an Alaska antitrust class action arising out of the Bristol Bay salmon industry. Plaintiffs alleged compensatory and punitive damages totaling $975 million; we negotiated a favorable settlement prior to trial.

Articles and Presentations

  • Presenter, "Opportunities in Distressed Real Estate Investing," HCMP Bankruptcy & Insolvency Webinar, May 27, 2020
  • Presenter, "What Do You Mean When You Say “Workout,” and What Do You Want Out of This Workout?," HCMP Lender Services Seminar, March 27, 2018
  • Speaker, "Alternative Dispute Resolution: What You Need to Know in 2015," The Knowledge Group and Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson P.S. January, 2015

Professional and Civic Involvement

  • King County Bar Association
    Litigation Section
    Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Federal Bar Association
    Bankruptcy Law Section
  • Washington State Bar Association
    Litigation Section
  • American Bar Association
  • William L. Dwyer American Inn of Court
  • Pacific Coast Labor and Employment Conference
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Washington Trial Advocacy Program
  • First Place School for Homeless Children
    Board Member, 1994 - 2006
    Former Secretary
    Endowment Committee
  • Little League Baseball and SYSA Soccer
    Youth Coach

Honors / Awards / Prior Experience

  • Repeatedly recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Commercial Litigation, most recently for 2026.
  • A/V Preeminent Lawyer, Martindale Hubbell.
  • Recognized as a Super Lawyer by Washington Super Lawyers.
  • Law Clerk for The Honorable William L. Dwyer, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Education

  • J.D., University of Washington School of Law, with highest honors
    First in Class
    Order of the Coif
    Editorial Board, Washington Law Review
  • A.B., Stanford University
    Phi Beta Kappa

Personal

Lived in Helsinki, Finland, and Cliveden, England. I enjoy hiking, canoeing, and running.