If you own a residential rental property in Seattle, then you’ll want to pay attention to the new Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO).
Blog
Five Tips for Negotiating a Favorable Commercial Lease
The first copy of your lease will likely be completely skewed in favor of the landlord, but don’t be discouraged. Many clauses in a lease can be negotiated so that they are fair to both you and the landlord. Here are some tips for negotiating a favorable lease:
New King County Lawsuit to Test Validity of Non Competes & Confidentiality Agreements
Non compete agreements (NCA), confidentiality agreements, and trade secrets practices are under attack in many states and Amazon’s recent lawsuit to enforce its NCA will tell us much about how the Washington courts will view the claims.
I Federally Registered My Trademark, Now What?
You federally registered your trademark, but to keep the registration and all the benefits that come with a federal registration, you need to maintain and review and monitor and police.
Supreme Court of the United States Recognizes Business Owners Have Religious Rights Too
The final Supreme Court opinion of the term held that forcing closely held, for-profit corporations to pay for contraception is a violation of their sincerely held religious beliefs and is illegal under federal law under Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius.
How Celebrities Keep Their Addresses Private
A couple of weeks ago, Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks made the news not for what he did on the field, but what he purchased off as the Seattle Times reported on his recent home purchase. But what if you don’t want nosy folks to know what property you just purchased and how much you paid for it? Fortunately, there is a relatively easy solution.
New Washington Law Extends Rights for Religious Practices
Governor Jay Inslee has signed in to law a bill that assures state employees (and public school students) two days off per calendar years for religious holiday. Our business clients, particularly those with heavy weekend and holiday need, may wish to anticipate similar requests being made to them as well for unpaid holidays as a “reasonable accommodation” for religious practices.
Seattle Minimum Wage Update
Lauren Parris Watts reviewed the implementation of the newly passed Seattle $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance at the latest Helsell Fetterman Employment Law Breakfast on June 3. We promised to keep out attendees informed about ongoing developments on this issue. The following is a quick rundown of the known challenges to the Ordinance.
Washington Redskins Lose Federal Registrations: How Can They Protect Their Trademark Rights?
The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) announced today its decision to cancel six federal trademark registrations owned by Pro Football, Inc. (The Washington Redskins), ruling that the term “Redskins” was disparaging of Native Americans, when used in relation to professional football services, at the time the various registrations were issued
Should I Register My Trademark?
Business owners often ask me if they should “trademark” the name of their business. The good news for many of them is that they already have a trademark. There is no such thing as “trademarking” your company’s name. When you choose a name under which you will provide a particular good or service, you are adopting a trademark. In the U.S., you obtain rights in that trademark by using the mark in commerce in connection with the sale of goods or services. You do not have to register your trademark to have rights in it.