OUR AREAS
OF PRACTICE
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Corporate Law: Business Formation & Organization
With over 18 years of experience counseling clients about corporate formation and maintenance, we can offer expertise and experience to assist you with the many decisions that are necessary in forming and organizing a new business, or in reorganizing and managing an established business. We will explain the legal differences between the various forms of business entities that are available to you, as well as the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. We will assist you in selecting the type of business entity that you feel best fits your needs.
There are many types of options for corporate formation – corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, professional service corporation, or joint venture. We are experienced in advising clients on organizational and liability issues associated with these various types of business arrangements, and can assist you in negotiating and drafting related agreements and documents. We draft legal documents required for starting a new business, including documents required to comply with Washington State statutes, and documents required annually to maintain your company with the state on an ongoing basis. We can also advise you on how to structure your relationships with other principals of the company.
After the initial formation of the company, we also assist our clients on an ongoing basis by preparing various documents required under corporate law or for particular types of transactions. Examples include drafting business leases, purchase and sale agreements, key employee contracts, non-competition agreements, stock subscription agreements, minutes and resolutions for shareholders’ meetings, meetings of the board of directors, and other legal documents and matters.
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Intellectual Property: Trademarks & Copyrights
Your creative work and intellectual property can comprise your most important and valuable asset. We can assist you in negotiating, registering, protecting and defending your intellectual property rights, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and rights to creative assets. We have successfully represented clients in registering trademarks, contractual arrangements, drafting licensing agreements, and litigating disputes relating to intellectual property.
Because patent law is highly technical in nature and requires specialized knowledge, we do not act as patent counsel for our clients. However, we know attorneys who specialize in and have a broad base of experience in patent law who we can recommend to you.
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Business Contracts & Transactions
Business activity, innovations, growth and dynamic change present a business with both diverse opportunities and challenges. We can help you structure your business transactions, contracts and relationships in a manner that assists you in accomplishing your business objectives within a framework that meets your risk parameters. We have assisted our clients in structuring and negotiating development agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, contracts, and other business arrangements. We also draft non-competition agreements for businesses covering key staff and provide legal counsel and representation regarding the enforceability of such agreements.
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Civil Litigation
Phil Havers is a former Chair of the Washington Bar Association Litigation Section and has been the Chair for the Kitsap County Superior Court Civil Practice and Procedure Committee since 2012. For over eighteen years, he has successfully represented clients in civil litigation in a broad range of areas. He has also assisted his clients in resolving disputes through cost-effective alternative procedures, including mediation, and has served as an arbitrator in a number of different lawsuits.
In addition to personal injury, property disputes, and cases involving contracts between individuals, we represent clients in many different types of business disputes that can arise with vendors, competitors, customers, among partners, and with other persons. We also represent owners, brokers, developers, general and sub-contractors, suppliers, and other parties in construction and real estate disputes.
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Personal Injury
With over eighteen years experience, if you have sustained a personal injury as a result of the actions or negligence of others, we can assist you as your representative in seeking compensation for your loss. We have both tried and mediated a wide variety of personal injury cases, including wrongful death, severe auto collisions, and pedestrian injuries. Please contact us to discuss the particular nature and circumstances of your injury. If we think your case can be better handled by an attorney who specializes in a particular area of law which pertains to your injury and personal circumstances, we will recommend them to you.
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Real Estate Law
Mr. Havers has almost two decades representing clients in a variety of real estate matters, both transactional and in litigation. We can assist you with your questions regarding real estate law and other matters relating to real estate. Our practice includes commercial, industrial, office, and residential developments, construction, leases, and other real estate interests, and we advise clients on a broad range of legal issues, including ownership, development and management of real estate. We draft and review documents related to real estate transactions including real estate contracts, purchase and sale agreements, deeds, easements, lease agreements, tenancy-in-common agreements, restrictive covenants, foreclosures and homeowners association documents, mortgages, promissory notes and other documents.
We also represent our clients in civil cases and administrative hearings involving real estate purchase and sale transactions, developments, contracts, title disputes, landlord-tenant disputes, contracts including rights of rescission, earnest money agreements, covenants, eminent domain, condemnation proceedings, adverse possession claims, partition lawsuits, construction litigation, timber trespass, condominium disputes, and other instances where our clients interests have been damaged or impaired by the actions or negligence of others.
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Construction & Land Use
Our clients include real estate brokers and agents, as well as developers and private individuals seeking to buy or sell property. We can assist our clients with legal questions relating to construction and land use and can draft documents relating to subdivision and development of real estate. We also review site plans and zoning regulations and restrictions, and can provide permitting assistance. We can assist you with preparation of construction contracts between owners, architects, engineers and contractors; and address issues that arise before, during and as a result of construction, including bids, performance bonds, liens and retainages.
We are familiar with and can assist you with a range of complex issues, including legal considerations of shoreline management, wetlands and other environmental issues, the Washington State Growth Management Act, and other restrictions.
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Landlord & Tenant Law
We are experienced in representing both landlords and tenants. We draft leases, prosecute and defend evictions and unlawful detainer actions, and provide other legal counsel. Please contact us to discuss your specific legal needs.
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Wills & Estate Planning
One of the most important decisions in your life is planning for your death or incompetency to ensure that your Estate and family members are properly protected. It is also important to ensure that valid powers of attorney are in place during your lifetime in the event you become incapacitated. We can advise you on how best to accomplish this and prepare the necessary documents for the probate of your Estate and/or to best ensure you are protected in the event of future health issues. This includes the preparation of Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney — both financial and healthcare — and Healthcare Directives to make sure that your end of life decisions are known and honored.
We also assist family members with probate after their loved ones have passed away. This includes representing the Estate in Court to open the probate and providing required notices to creditors. We also assist family members in navigating the difficult world of a Will contest if someone seeks to challenge a Will during a probate proceeding.
Get in Touch
We’re available to answer your legal question and concerns and can assist you faster if you call us directly at 360-337-4040.