Stafford Frey Cooper’s asbestos defense team has been at the forefront of regional asbestos litigation for more than 30 years.  We have successfully defended manufacturers, distributors, contractors and premises owners in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana.

Stafford Frey Cooper attorneys have obtained several landmark rulings.  We obtained Washington’s first personal injury defense verdict in a mesothelioma case. We also obtained the nation’s first defense verdict in a school district property damage trial. And, we were the first firm in the nation to successfully challenge diagnoses made by so-called “screening mills.”  We also have a record of significant successes in Washington’s appellate courts, many of which have established law favorable to our clients.  For example, we obtained a Court of Appeals opinion applying the full value of bankruptcy awards as a set-off to recoverable damages.  We also achieved a favorable ruling for equipment manufacturers in the state Supreme Court.  In addition, we have obtained successful rulings on motions that have applied tort reform, limited the physical boundaries of a “job site,” applied the statute of limitation to state claims, and limited wrongful death damages to funeral expenses.

We have the people, resources and procedures to successfully and cost-effectively litigate and manage multiple complex asbestos cases, and clients regularly benefit in practical ways from our broad experience. For example, we have developed and maintained libraries of searchable information on nearly every northwest industrial site, including references to over 1,000 witnesses. We have a vessel database with information on nearly all Pacific Navy vessels and many merchant marine ships. 

Stafford Frey Cooper has served as national, regional, local and/or primary trial counsel for large and small companies such as Fibreboard, Alcoa, Paccar, EJ Bartells, Metalclad, CH Murphy, P-G Industries, Selas Corporation, Seco Warwick, Waterpik, Butler Manufacturing, Clark Equipment, JC Whitney, Alaska Steamship, JT Thorpe & Son, Inc., Lawrence Pumps, Olympic Steamship, Reynolds Metals, Kelsey-Hayes, Tree Top and many others.

Attorneys:                                         
• Katherine M. Steele
• Katrina E. Mulligan
• Katherine N. Sadlon
Related Practice Areas:
• Toxic Tort & Environmental
• Product Liability
• Business & Commercial Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Complex & Class Action Litigation