Our Experienced Team Of Attorneys
Growing up in New York and Pennsylvania, Rick attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with a degree in Oceanography in 1978. Figuring he should put his knowledge of the oceans to some practical use, Rick became a nuclear-trained officer and served aboard the USS Patrick Henry, a nuclear submarine, until 1983. At that point, realizing that a continued career in submarines might let him see the light of day for one of every ten years or so, Rick elected to head off to law school. As he explained to the squadron commodore, "Perry Mason always surprises; L.A. Law is intense; and besides, I love arguing with people!!" With that, Rick headed off to the University of Colorado School of Law, agreeing to his new wife's request to "go anywhere to law school as long as we come back to the Pacific Northwest to practice law."
As promised, Rick returned to the Seattle area and began working for a big, downtown law firm. After a number of years, he realized that the politics and the commute were not to his liking. Finding others who agreed, Rick left downtown, and became a founding member and managing director of today's MAGNUSON LOWELL, P.S.
Rick is the firm's primary litigator, Rick emphasizes civil litigation, serious personal injury claims, professional negligence, premises liability, insurance disputes, business litigation and more. Rick is an experienced and well-respected practitioner with a distinctive difference. He actively practices on ‘both sides of the table:' plaintiff personal injury and insurance defense. It is this combination of skill, background and perspective that makes Rick uniquely qualified.
When not at work, Rick is a devoted family man with three bright kids, and an ever-growing brood of grandkids. When not supporting his children's professional endeavors, Rick enjoys cruising and traveling (especially to Whistler Mountain or their cabin near Leavenworth), screening movies, attending concerts, motorcycle riding, and "hanging" with family and friends.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury Claims
- Civil Litigation
- Professional Negligence
- Premises Liability
Bar Admissions
- Washington, 1986
- U.S. District Court Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
Education
- University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado
- J.D. - 1986
- U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
- B.S. cum laude - 1978
- Major: Oceanography
- Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution - 2013
Published Works
- Equal Employment Opportunity: Are You Overlooking the Application Form, Personnel, July/August, 1982
- Effective Use of the Expert Real Estate Appraisal Witness, DeNovo, May, 1989
Representative Cases
- Christen v. Lee, 113 Wn.2d 479, 780 P.2d 1307 (Wash. 1989)
- Frobig v. Gordon, 124 Wn.2d 732, 881 P.2d 226 (Wash. 1994)
- Estate of Morgan v. N. Kitsap Fire & Rescue, 30197-1-II (Wash.App. 2004)
- McGrane v. Cline, 94 Wn.App. 925, 973 P.2d 1092, cert den. (Wash.App. 1999)
- Hyde v. Bruell, 2001 WL 719333 (Wash.App. 2001)
- Koehler v. Cunningham, 61 Wn.App. 1011, cert den., 117 Wn.2d 1027 (Wash.App. 1991)
- Hartley v. American Contract Bridge League, 61 Wn.App. 600, 812 P.2d 109 (Wash.App. 1991)
- Nationwide Insurance v. Williams, 71 Wn.App. 336, 858 P.2d 516 (Wash.App. 1993)
- MacKenzie v. Empire Insurance Companies, 113 Wn.2d 754, 782 P.2d 1063 (Wash. 1989)
- Dulaney v. St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, 137 Idaho 160, 45 P.3d 816 (Idaho 2002)
Representative Clients
- Amica Mutual Insurance
- VFIS Claims Management
- Bridgestone/Firestone
- Glatfelter Insurance Group
Classes/Seminars
- Personal Injury: Handling the MAR Arbitration - Suggestions and Warnings From Someone Who Has Served All Three Roles (Arbitrator, Plaintiff's Counsel and Defendant's Counsel), WSTLA
- Advanced Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Law: Whether Insured or Insurer ? Wouldn?t it Be Nice if IFCA Wasn?t Necessary?,
National Business Institute, NBI
- Personal Injury Claims: Evaluating The New Claim and Using Evidence to Identify Weaknesses, National Business Institute, NBI
Honors and Awards
- AV-Rated (Martindale-Hubbell)
- Who's Who in American Law
- National Registry of Who's Who (Life Member)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Washington State Bar Association, Member
- Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ), Member
- Seattle/King County Bar Association, Member
- Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL), Member
Past Employment Positions
- US Navy, Nuclear Submarine Officer, 1978 - 1983
- Hon. Alvin D. Lichtenstein (Denver District Court), Judicial Law Clerk / Bailiff, 1984
- Betts Patterson & Mines, Attorney, 1986 - 1990