At the Law Office Jonathan C. Stevens, PC, we provide a comprehensive range of legal services aligned with the needs of our clients. When you hire us, you will always receive one-on-one client attention and representation that helps you get the best outcome for your legal situation. If you need an attorney in Washington or California, contact us at 206-262-7330 or complete the online form to schedule a consultation and get the advice and representation you need.
Business Law
Owning and managing a business is a rewarding experience, but it comes with risks and liabilities to be addressed for the business to be successful. We help clients from the very start by identifying the best business structure, creating governing documents, obtaining necessary permits and approvals, and drafting required business agreements. We will partner with you throughout the course of your business's life, proactively solving problems and providing sound advice. If you seek guidance on legal matters affecting your business operations, we will take the necessary steps to protect you and your business.
Real Estate
Real estate can be one of the biggest investments of your life, whether it's for residential or commercial purposes. commercial real estate clients and financial institutions. We offer the exceptional service of larger firms, but with personalized attention and focus on your real estate matter. Mr. Stevens has assisted commercial clients with purchases, sales, leases, financing, development agreements and real estate related litigation, including purchase agreement and lease disputes, boundary disputes and tenant related matters. Mr. Stevens has drafted and reviewed purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, loan and related securitization agreements and commercial leases. He has also guided development bond financed real estate acquisitions and building construction and overseen commercial property acquisition diligence, including environmental diligence, environmental evaluations and testing. Mr. Stevens has advised and litigated against real estate brokers. For individuals, he has drafted and reviewed residential purchase agreements and related documentation, including direct seller - buyer transactions without broker involvement. All real estate transactions are significant to each client and Mr. Stevens evaluates the myriad of considerations to make sure your real estate venture goes smoothly.
Litigation
It is part of business and sometimes your personal life. The best litigation strategy is to avoid the lawsuit as much as possible at the transactional stage by carefully defining the deal, conducting diligence, drafting sound contracts, and revisiting contracts when an amendement might be in order. We call this legal self-defense.
When a dispute does arise, it's time to size up your opponent, strategize your attack and engage early and smartly. Often the dispute can be resolved through tough and persistent negotiation. We have settled many legal disputes for our clients, both offensively and defensively, often before the lawsuit, early in the lawsuit or at the most strategic moment.
Mr. Stevens has handled a multiplicity of lawsuits from disputes between business partners to resolution of business claims with hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars at stake. Most lawsuits settle, but to succeed you must fight to win while keeping an eye for the right time to achieve a valaable settlement, eliminate uncertainty and save wasteful litigation costs and time.
From the beginning of a lawsuit, we define litigation objectives and identify desired outcomes. For your litigation counsel, you need an attorney who helps you "win" in a manner that meets your needs and business or personal objectives. Some litigation recovers money, but most business litgation is a cost of business and must be managed with an eye to your bottomline, not the attorneys'. We will see you through your litigation challenges aggressively and cost-effectively..
Estate Planning and Business Succession
Today is a good time to plan your estate, yesterday even better and tomorrow may be too late. Estate planning documents such as trusts, wills and other estate planning tools, such as powers of attorney for health and financial matters, and plan for loved ones and/or favorties causes. Well-drafted documents can address a surviving spouse, children, relatives, friends and pets. Equally important, plan documents can provide directions and comfort to your family if you were ever in a coma or unable to make your own health decisions. You may want to avoid probating your estate. Ask your friends. No one who was left with probating a loved one's or relative's estate has ever said "that was fun." Proper estate planning can give you the piece of mind that your loved ones will be taken care of when you are gone and ease the difficulty they will face during trying and sorrowful times.
Again, there's no time like the present to start an estate plan or update an existing estate plan. Estate planning involves more than the creation of a last will and testament. Strategic planning also measures steps you would want to take in the event the unexpected happens. Being prepared is a necessity today, and that's what we do for you. We will review your estate and discuss your preferences with you. From that point, we will outline recommendations for a comprehensive estate plan to protect you and your loved ones.
We an also help you plan the succession of your business to the next generation or key employees. If you wonder what will happen to your business if you are not arround, or how do you preserve and grow your lifetime efforts as a legacy, we can help.
Public Agency Law
It's probably more likely you'll encounty an adminstrative law than a lawsuit. Public Agency Law governs (also referred to as adminstrative law or regulatory law) touches daily on our business and personal lives. Mr. Stevens has challenged many public agencies througout his career from cities and counties, to OSHA (and Californa's CalOSHA), the FDA, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Washington's Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, Air Qualilty Management Districts and school districts. Mr. Stevens has represented clients at public hearings and adminstrative appeals. He has sued school districts in Washington and California, and most recently, Seattle Public Schools regarding the misuse of its public property. He has also advised clients on land use, environmental and various regulatory matters.
If you are unfairly or aggressively pressed by an regulatory body, we can help you navigate that relationship, challenge their positions and protect your interests. Public Agencies are required to follow and respect constitutional notions of due process, are not above the law make mistakes regularly. If you believe you are being mistreated, have not been heard or do not understand what you are being asked to do or whether you are actually required to do so, please contact our office in Washington or California. We'd be happy to help.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) is the intangible aspects or creations of a person. IP can include: copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. When you devote significant time and money into branding your company and/or your products you want to make sure they are protected. Mr. Stevens has experience handling all aspects of trademark law, from applying for trademarks, responding to Trademark Office Actions tentatively denying a trademark application, responsing to competitor oppositions and appealing a trademark denial to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Mr. Stevens has also defended trademark infringement lawsuits.
When you has a novel idea you may want to patent it or make sure you keep it secret and a competitive advantage. Mr. Stevens can help your company protect its trade secrets through an internal trade secrets program, non-disclosure agreements and, when needed litigation. He has also defended wrongful claims of trade secret misapproriation for clients.
Mr. Stevens has also advised musicians and production companies on copyright issues, prooduction and management agreement.
Mr. Stevens is not a patent attorney, but has overseen his clients patent efforts, and can refer you to a patent attorney if one is needed.
Whether you need help filing a trademark application, want to know how to protect a product or design, or perhaps want to use a name for your company or business that is similar to an already trademarked name and you want to steer clear of any legal trouble, we'd be happy to help you!
Contact The Law Office Jonathan C. Stevens, PC
Contact us today or call us at 206-262-7330 to schedule a consultation. We will discuss your case, explain your options, and help you determine your next best steps.