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Rachel Tallon Reynolds

Partner

Rachel Reynolds is the administrative partner in the Seattle office of Lewis Brisbois. She acts as counsel for a variety of product manufacturers and premises defendants in asbestos litigation, and manufacturers and suppliers of medical devices, automobiles, personal watercraft, appliances, and myriad other products.  Rachel has a particular interest in workplace injury claims, representing property owners, manufacturers, and employers from incident response through civil litigation and the government investigation in between.

Rachel takes an innovative approach to her cases to obtain the best result in each case for each client. She develops creative strategies for early resolution or dismissal, but is prepared to try cases that need to be tried. Development of a defense strategy is not a one size fits all affair, and Rachel believes that candid conversations, appropriate staffing, and an early understanding of the parameters of the case are not best practices, but standard practices.

An experienced first chair trial attorney, Rachel obtained one of the first COVID-era defense verdicts in Washington State in a real estate breach of contract matter in 2020. Rachel spent a total of ten weeks in 2019 in asbestos trials in Washington State, resulting in two defense verdicts. In addition to her trial work, she has represented clients in the Washington, Oregon, and California appellate courts and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Rachel prides herself on providing creative solutions to legal challenges. Having grown up in a small town and then traveling the world as a member of the U.S. Army translator, Rachel is uniquely able to connect with people from all walks of life. This skill serves her well when persuading jurors, deposing witnesses, or managing all aspects of complex litigation. 

Rachel began her career as a Deputy District Attorney in Southern California, where she was named a "Prosecutor of the Year." She is an active member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, and is a Past President of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers. Rachel was listed in “Best Lawyers in America,” named a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine from 2018-2022 and a Rising Star every year from 2013-2017.  In 2022, Rachel was named one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Washington State by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Publications

  • Author, “A Causation Theory By Any Other Name…Would Smell Just As Scientifically Unreliable,” FDCC E-Newsletter (2018)
  • Author, "NY High Court Cuts Middle Path for Medical Disclosure," Law360 (2014)
  • Author, "Pushback against Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Abuse May Grow," Law360 (2014)
  • Author, "The ‘George Constanza' Approach to Asbestos Transparency Litigation: Working to Prevent the ‘Double Dip,'" Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs (2013)
  • Author, “Annual Automobile Law Survey,” ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal (2013)
  • Author, “Macias May Mean More Liab. For Wash. Manufacturers,” Law360, (2012)
  • Author, “Too Many Riches: Employment Class and Collective Actions, Republication with Addendum on Ninth Circuit Certification Decision,” Proceedings of the New York University Conference on Labor & Employment – 56th ed. (2009)

Military Service

United States Army Intelligence Corps, 1995-1999

Recent Client Successes

  • Obtained summary judgment for premises owner based upon statute of limitations. Plaintiff alleged that he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) caused by exposure to benzene.
  • Obtained summary judgment in product liability case based upon the “apparent manufacturer” doctrine of Washington’s Product Liability Act. Plaintiff alleged that she was injured by a defective prosthetic device.
  • Obtained order of dismissal following a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, where Plaintiff alleged that she was injured as a result of client’s allegedly defective medical device.
  • Obtained back-to-back voluntary dismissals in premises liability cases based upon early discovery.
  • Obtained unanimous defense verdict in multi-week, socially distanced trial in King County.
  • Obtained unanimous defense verdict in five-week-long jury trial involving an asbestos premises owner who hired the Plaintiff’s employer as a subcontractor.
  • Member of defense trial team that obtained a unanimous verdict in month-long jury trial involving strict products liability.
  • Obtained a unanimous defense verdict in weeks-long trial involving an allegedly defective personal watercraft.
  • Obtained a unanimous defense verdict in a multi-week jury trial arising out of a commercial trucking accident and resulting alleged traumatic brain injury and permanent disability.

Professional Presentations

  • Speaker, “Meyers-Briggs Personality Inventory and Leadership,” Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting (2022)
  • Speaker, “Direct Examinations – Anatomy of a Trial,” Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting (2022)
  • Defense Bar Representative Panelist, Superior Court Judges Association Annual Meeting, “Civil Litigation Hot Topics” (2021)
  • Speaker, “Insurance Defense 101: Navigating the Tripartite Relationship,” Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Young Lawyers Committee (2021)
  • Testimony in the Washington State Senate Law and Justice Committee regarding Court Operations Impacted By COVID-19 (2020)
  • Speaker, “Vaping 2.0,” FDCC Winter Meeting (2020)
  • Speaker, “What Would You Do? Ethical Dilemmas that Actually Happened,” WDTL Annual Convention (2018)
  • Moderator: “Ethical Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them,” ABA/TIPS Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference (2018)
  • Speaker, “7 Habits for Highly Effective Mediations,” FDCC Winter Meeting (2018)
  • Testimony in the Washington State Senate Law and Justice Committee regarding Proposed Legislative Changes to Mandatory Arbitration Civil Rules (2018)
  • Speaker, "Generation Why? Communicating Effectively with Jurors of All Generations," WDTL Asbestos CLE (2017 and 2018)
  • Speaker, "Lessons from the Gridiron: The Seattle Seahawks and 30(b)(6) Depositions," American Conference Institute (ACI) National Forum on Asbestos Claims & Litigation Conference (2017)
  • Speaker, "Jurors and the Navy Case," American Conference Institute (ACI) National Forum on Asbestos Claims & Litigation Conference (2016)
  • Speaker, "Diving into Social Media," Puget Sound Adjusters Association (PSAA) Annual Conference (2016)
  • Speaker, "Career Advancement Strategies: Communication Skills, Interviewing your Interviewer, and Surviving at Big Law and Beyond," American Conference Institute (ACI) Women Leaders in Environmental and Energy Law Conference (2015)
  • Co-Chair & Speaker, "Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts," Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL) Asbestos CLE (2013)

Admissions

  • State Bar Admissions
    • California
    • Oregon
    • Washington
  • United States District Courts
    • United States District Court for the Central District of California
    • United States District Court for the District of Oregon
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
    • United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
  • United States Courts of Appeals
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court

Admissions

California

Washington

Oregon

United States District Court for the Central District of California

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

United States District Court for the District of Oregon

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States Supreme Court

Associations

  • Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (Past President)
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
    • Products Liability Committee Vice-Chair
    • Class Action and MDL Committee Vice-Chair
    • Admissions Committee Member
    • Diversity Committee Member
    • Pacific Northwest Region Vice-Chair
  • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
    • Women of the ADTA Inaugural Member
  • Defense Research Institute (State and Local Defense Organization Representative for Washington State, Asbestos Medicine Seminar Marketing Committee)

Awards & Honors

  • “Best Lawyers in America,” Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2022-2023, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2023
  • Named a Super Lawyer from 2018-2022
  • Named a "Rising Star," by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2013-2017
  • Wallace Sedgwick Client Service Award in 2013 and 2015 (Sedgwick LLP)
  • Sedgwick LLP Community Service Award

Education

Chapman University School of Law

Juris Doctor, cum laude, 2005

  • Chapman Law Review, Executive Board
  • Nexus Law Journal, Chairperson
  • Student Bar Association, President

Claremont McKenna College

Bachelor of Arts, 2001

  • Arthur R. Adams Fellow in International Strategic Studies

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