OUR LITIGATION FOCUS Our Areas of Litigation Focus Include: Government Liability: KBMs main practice area is representing government agencies and government officials in all forms of litigation. This runs the spectrum from defending adult dance ordinances to prisoner class action lawsuits, from providing hands on risk management advice to representing agencies in coroners inquests. This is complex and specialized work and we have the background and experience it takes. Civil Rights Liability: A bulk of KBMs practice is representing targets of civil rights cases under 42 USC Sec. 1983. We are experienced in the complex legal and factual development of these cases. Our lawyers have successfully represented defendants in state and federal court in numerous jury trials seeking damages, injunctions or declaratory judgments. We have the track record, season and knowledge to represent any government agency or official accused under this law. Employment Liability: KBMs lawyers are skilled veterans in all forms of employment liability cases, from sex discrimination to cases under the ADA. Our particular emphasis is government defendants, who are often subject to additional layers of scrutiny beyond the courtroom. Our experience in jury trials for government clients has made us proficient in representing all defendants in employment liability cases. Higher Education and School Law: KBM represents the University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, and the Seattle School District among others. Our recent achievements include representing the medical school in an employment case to a defense verdict, defending a slip and fall on the main UW campus through to a defense verdict, and defending executives at the teaching hospital in a discrimination matter to a defense verdict. Automobile Defense: KBM has over 36 years experience in automobile defense practice from simple rear end collisions to complex tractor-trailer crashes. Our trial experience in more complex areas means we are capable of handling automobile accident matters easily and efficiently to settlement, arbitration, or trial. Construction Defects: Whether it is municipal liability for broken water mains or seller liability for defective nail coatings, KBM has seen the case. Our clients generally are sellers or manufacturers of allegedly defective products or municipal clients accused of causing collateral damages. Highway Design: Highway design litigation is complex and engineering intensive. Our lawyers have authored articles and book chapters in this field, appeared in every appellate court in the state on this issue and have tried a dozen or more of these cases to verdict. We even have a certified accident reconstructionist as one of our attorneys. Land Use: Government agencies are frequent targets of land use lawsuits, for both damages, as well as, injunctive declaratory and other relief. We have an active practice in defending these actions and providing risk management advice to appointed and elected officials. We also represent government agencies in appeals before the State Growth Management Hearings Boards. Police Misconduct: Police officers and their departments face enhanced exposure for Civil Rights claims, false arrest lawsuits, and more. KBMs trial experience in this area ranges from emergency vehicle operation cases and high risk felony stop cases, to the most complex excessive force and SWAT team deployment suits. Lawyers in our firm have attended the WSP Academy, lectured at the Criminal Justice Training Commission, and belong to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Premises Liability: For both our government and private clients, premises liability cases come along every day. KBMs lawyers have handled routine slip-and-fall cases involving a puddle of 7-Eleven Slurpee and complex cases involving a UW dormitory elevator disabled by students. We have special experience in Recreational Land Use Immunity matters and cases involving public premises such as sidewalks and recreational facilities.