David C. Spellman
Shareholder
spellmand@lanepowell.com
206.223.7392
Representative Experience in Commercial and Contract Disputes
Gig Harbor Family Trust v. Columbia Valuation Group, Inc., No. 13-2-04399-8 (King Cnty. Superior Ct. 2014) (won a defense verdict in a securities and tort suit brought by 18 investors claiming an appraiser caused them to lose over a million dollars in a mortgage-paper security investment).
Argued and won the affirmance of two judgments for a national bank in the state court of appeals (2014).
Represented investors who received a prelitigation settlement of securities and professional negligence claims (2014).
Shepler Constr., Inc. v. Leonard, 175 P.3d 239 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013) (reversing summary judgment dismissal of construction defect counterclaims and remanding case for trial).
Humphrey Indus., Ltd. v. Clay St. Assocs., LLC, 242 P.2d 846 (Wash. 2010) (holding the company failed to comply
with dissenters’ rights statute, remanding for a decision on whether dissenter is entitled to recover fees, and
reversing fee awards in favor of company and another member).
Richards ex rel. Brown v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 239 P.3d 602 (Wash. Ct. App. Aug. 23, 2010) (affirming summary
judgment dismissal and holding federal reverse mortgage program did not provide an express or implied right of
action against lender).
Seattle-Tacoma Int’l Taxi Ass’n v. Port of Seattle, 2010 WL 2283621 (Wash. Ct. App. June 7, 2010) (affirming denial of
preliminary injunction to prevent the signing of concession contract).
Davis v. Wells Fargo Home Mortg., 2007 WL 2039077 (Wash. Ct. App. July 17, 2007) (affirming summary judgment
dismissal of claims for emotional distress and negligence and holding the economic loss rule applied).
A Fortune 500 company receiving in arbitration initial award permitting the sale of a text messaging business unit
and in court the denial of an injunction against the sale.
Financial institutions.
A venture capital investor sued by a bankruptcy trustee for recovery of debt and preferential payments.
A whistleblower reporting science and securities fraud.
Parties in securities lawsuits and in proceedings brought by the Securities Exchange Commission.
A citizen group winning on appeal an order permitting an initiative to be placed on the ballot.
A timber company suing for the termination of a 100-year contract with the federal government, resulting in the
cancellation of the contract.
A local government defeating a general contractor’s claim on summary judgment.
A local government defeating a bid protest in the trial court and on appeal.
A contractor winning on appeal the reversal of an adverse decision involving a lien claim.
A transportation company defeating a competitor’s bid protest.
A subcontractor winning a monetary award against a general contractor.
A national engineering firm appealing a contracting officer’s decision.
Architectural and engineering firms sued by project owners.
An engine reseller suing a foreign manufacturer of engines under a distribution contract.
A bankrupt mining company seeking from its executives the return of assets transferred shortly before the
appointment of a receiver.
Lumber wholesalers prosecuting a racketeering suit against Canadian wholesalers, lumber graders, and related
individuals and companies, which had participated in the sale of millions of dollars of misgraded lumber causing
building inspectors to shut down projects in Western Washington for several weeks in 1990.
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