Brian Augenthaler

• Brian Augenthaler and Shannon Ragonesi obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Issquah Police Department officers in federal district court. The officeers were accused of excessive force. The jury returned a verdict exonerating the officers. 

 

• Brian Augenthaler and Ruth Nielsen obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Stevens Pass Ski Area and a lift operator, who was individually named. The plaintiff claimed the defendants' negligence caused him to fall from a chairlift and injure himself. After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Stevens Pass and the lift operator. 

 

• Brian Augenthaler and Andy Cooley obtained a defense verdict on behalf of the University of Washington in King County Superior Court. The officers were accused of excessive force. The jury returned a verdict exonerating the officers. 

 

• Brian Augenthaler obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Marysville Police Department officers in federal district court. The officers were accused of wrongful arrest and First Amendment retaliation. The jury returned a verdict exonerating the officers. 

 

• Brian Augenthaler and Andy Cooley obtained a defense verdict on behalf of the Port of Seattle in a two week trial in federal district court. The plaintiff was a current Port employee throughout the litigation and at trial. The plaintiff became incensed after receiving a critical performance evaluation and accused her supervisor of retaliating against her. She also learned a co-worker had delivered some critical feedback to her supervisor and consequently made baseless allegations that the co-worker was sexually harassing her. The plaintiff made a multitude of claims at trial, ranging from gender-based employment discrimination to sexual harassment and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. After careful deliberation on all eight claims, the jury rejected the plaintiff’s version of events and found the Port did not engage in illegal discrimination. The jury also found the plaintiff was not the victim of sexual harassment, vindicating both the Port and the employee wrongfully accused of sexual harassment.  

 

• Brian Augenthaler and Steve Thorsrud obtained a defense verdict on behalf of the City of Renton and its police officers in the Federal District Court, Western District of Washington.  The plaintiff claimed he was arrested without probable cause and with excessive force when he caused a disturbance at a medical clinic.  The jury deliberated for only forty-five minutes before returned a verdict in favor of the police on all claims.

 

• Brian Augenthaler and Andy Cooley obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Harborview Hospital following a three week employment discrimination jury trial in King County Superior Court. The employee claimed he was discharged for filing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and on the basis of his race. Andy and Brian presented Harborview's defense to the jury, and the jury returned a verdict in favor of Harborview Hospital. The claim of race discrimination was dismissed on the morning before closing arguments based on a Harborview motion for judgment as a matter of law.

"Snowsport Liability Updated," presented for Professional Snowpsorts Instructors of American - Northwest, 2023

"Parks and Recreation Forum," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, 2023

"Public Works Forum," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, 2023

"Cutter's Camp," presented at the Timberline Lodge, Oregon, 2023

"Employment Legal Update," presented for the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, 2023

"Risk Management Panel," presented for the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, 2023

"Best Practices for Road Operations Risk Management," presented for the Washington Counties Risk Pool, 2022

"After the Crash: Lessons in Loss Control for Public Works," presented for the Washington Counties Risk Pool, 2022

"NSAA Fall Workshop," presented for the National Ski Areas Association, 2022

"Cutter's Camp," presented at Timberline Lodge, Oregon, 2022

"Risk Management Panel," presented for the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, 2022

"Assumption of Risk in Real Life," presented for The Mountaineers, 2022

"Reasonable Accomodation for Parks Programs," presented for Washington Recreation & Park Association, Bellevue, Washington, 2022

"Speed Dating for Experts," presented for the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys, Taos, New Mexico, 2022

"Road Operations Risk Management 101," presented for the Washington Counties Risk Pool, 2021

"WCIA Public Works Forum," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, 2021 & 2022

"Old Roads, New Lawsuits: How to Identify Road Design Liability Issues," presented for the Association of Washington Cities, 2021

"Best Practices for Risk Managing Streets and Roads," presented for the International Municipal Signal Association, 2021 

"Employment Legal Update," presented for the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, 2021

"Police Liability Update," presented at the Marysville Police Department, Marysville, Washington 2021

"City Attorney Police Liability Forum," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, Tukwila, Washington 2020

"Police Vehicle Risk Management," presented at the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, Wenatchee, Washington 2020

"Risk Management Examination of Your Parks Employment Procedures," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, Richland, Washington 2019

"Employment Law Update," presented at the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association's Spring Conference, Wenatchee, Washington 2019

"Parks and Recreation Forum," presented for the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, Richland, Washington 2019

"A Deep Dive into Social Media," presented at the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys' Annual Conference, Lake Louise, Alberta 2019

"Police Risk Management," presented at the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, Wenatchee, Washington 2019

"Ski Patrol Risk Management," presented at Crystal Mountain, Washington 2018

"The Fourth Amendment," presented at Cascade High School, Leavenworth, Washington 2018

"Law Enforcement Liability Update," presented at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center, Burien, Washington 2018

"The Science of Jury Selection," presented at the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys' Fall Conference, Spokane, Washington 2018

"Preparing Your Expert," presented at the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers' Deposition Skills CLE, Seattle, Washington 2018

"The Second Amendment," presented at Cascade High School, Leavenworth, Washington 2018

"Risk Managing Recreation Programs," presented at the Washington Cities Insurance Authority's Full Board Meeting, Tukwila, Washington 2018

"Lessons Learned," presented at the California Association of Tactical Officers' Conference, San Diego, California 2017

"Ethics: Social Media," presented at the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys' Summer Conference, Chelan, Washington 2017

"The Top 10 Lessons the Ethical Lawyer Can Learn from O.J.," presented at the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys' Spring Conference, Blaine, Washington 2017

"Whistle Blower & Retaliation," presented at the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys' Summer Conference, Chelan, Washington 2016

"Primer on the Law of Pediatrics: Medical Privacy and Mandatory Reporter Duties," presented at the Vision Clinics of Development and Learning, Bellevue, Washington 2014

• Western Washington University—B.A. Political Science, magna cum laude, 2008
• Seattle University—J.D. Degree, magna cum laude, 2011
• CALI Awards: Constitutional Law, Evidence, Business Entities, and Aviation Accident Law

• Washington State Bar Association 
• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers 
• Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys 
• Association of Ski Defense Attorneys