Emily focuses her legal practice on civil defense litigation including personal injury, products liability, premises liability, professional liability, construction liability, abuse and asbestos defense matters. Throughout her career, Emily has gained extensive experience while representing clients ranging from Fortune 500 retailers, manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to insurers and contractors in construction disputes. She regularly appears as local counsel for national complex litigation matters in both state and federal courts.
Prior to joining Litchfield Cavo LLP, Emily practiced law for ten years at multiple reputable insurance defense firms throughout Washington state. Additionally she has a niche funeral law and mortuary litigation practice where she works closely with funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, funeral directors and embalmers to provide advice regarding risk management, liability avoidance and best practices, as well as state and federal law compliance and serving as defense counsel should litigation ensue.
Practices
- Received a unanimous defense verdict in a week-long jury trial case involving allegations of an alleged negligent embalming by a funeral home, funeral director and embalmer.
- Achieved a voluntary dismissal in a product liability case involving a personal injury resulting from the misuse of a portable fireplace at a trade show.
- Obtained a voluntary dismissal of a multimillion dollar property damage claim against a piping subcontractor in connection with the construction of a luxury home that experienced water damage upon completion of the building project.
Education
- Seattle University School of Law, JD, 2013
- Georgetown University, BA, Government and Psychology, 2009
Admissions
- Washington
- United States District Courts: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington
- United States Court of Appeals: Ninth Circuit
Languages
- English
Presentations/Publications
- Presenter, “Why Cremation Is So Hot Right Now: A Legal Perspective,” Cremation Strategies Conference Webinar (November 2022)
- Author, “Beyond the Bar Number,” Washington State Bar News (July 2022)
- Author, “Finding Your Niche: A Perspective from a Mortuary Law Attorney,” American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, The Young Lawyer (TYL) (Spring 2021)
- Presenter, “Mortuary Litigation,” Ohio State Funeral Directors Association Webinar (November 2020)
- Presenter, “Alkaline Hydrolysis: Facts, Myths & A Legal Perspective,” National Funeral Directors Association Annual Convention and Expo (2020)
- Presenter, “Remote Work Tips and Tricks AMA,” Washington State Bar Association’s “Practicing During the Pandemic” series, virtual CLE (May 2020)
- Presenter, “Mortuary Litigation,” Washington State Funeral Directors Association and Washington Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association joint Annual Convention and Expo (2019)
- Presenter, “Million Dollar Mistakes: Minimizing the Risks of Mortuary Litigation,” New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association Convention and Expo (2018)
- Presenter, “Mortuary Litigation,” International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association Convention and Expo (2018)
- Author, “A Detailed Analysis of How Funeral Homes Are Complying with the FTC Funeral Rule,” Funeral Service Insider (November 2018)
- Author, “Every Family’s Worst Nightmare,” American Funeral Director (August 2018)
- Author, “Next of Kin When Should You Proceed With Caution?,” American Funeral Director (December 2017)
- Author, “Death Becomes Her: Plotting a Career in Funeral Law,” American Bar Association Before the Bar (2017)
- Presenter, “Steps to Reduce and Avoid Cremation Liability,” Cremation Strategies Conference (2017)
- Author, “Pulling Back the Curtain – Risk Management Strategies for Dealing with Third-Party Crematories,” American Funeral Director (October 2017)
- Republished in American & Cemetery & Cremation Magazine, and The Independent Reporter (December 2017)
- Author, “Avoiding Those Million Dollar Mistakes,” American Cemetery & Cremation (July 2017)
- Author, “Million Dollar Mistakes: Working Backward to Minimize the Risks of Cremation Liability,” American Funeral Director (July 2017)
- Author, “Over My Dead Body: The Elusive Tort of Interference with Human Remains,” NW Lawyer (July/August 2017)
- Author, “Setting the Record Straight: How to Save a Deposition When Defending Counsel Fights Dirty,” DRI For The Defense, Trial Tactics Edition (June 2016)
Recognition
- Named to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list annually since 2017 in the area of Civil Defense Litigation