Current Employment Position(s)

Member, since 1982

Lawyer Overview

Doug Hofmann has been with Williams Kastner since 1975 and a Member since 1982. Mr. Hofmann is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. He serves as National and Regional Counsel for several clients and he specializes in complex litigation. Mr. Hofmann's practice emphasizes litigation and he has tried over 50 cases involving commercial disputes, construction, product liability, pharmaceutical & medical devices, medical malpractice, toxic tort, coverage, marine vessels and business claims involving unfair competition, royalty, trade secrets and patents. He also has experience helping clients and businesses on insurance issues. Mr. Hofmann is a frequent speaker and publisher on litigation, product liability, and construction topics. He has also worked on many appeals and argued cases to the Supreme Court of Washington where law was established on market share liability, joint and several liability, media reporting of criminal charges, defamation and qualified privilege, and the law of successor liability. He also authors the Washington chapter for the 50 state compendium for the Tort Law Desk Reference and he is the Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) MDL Co-Defense Liaison Counsel. Mr. Hofmann has been named to Super Lawyers every year since 2001 by Washington Law & Politics magazine, and Seattle Magazine has named him as a "Top Lawyer."

Areas of Practice

• Construction
• Health Care
• Insurance
• Litigation - Commercial
• Litigation - General
• Product Liability

West Practice Categories

Business & Commercial Law, Construction Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, Health & Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Litigation & Appeals, Products Liability Law, Real Estate Law

Bar Admissions

• Washington, 1975
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington
• U.S. District Court Western District of Washington

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Seattle-King County Bar Association (Member)
• Washington State Bar Association (Member)
• American Bar Association, 1984 - Present (Vice-Chairman, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee)
• American Bar Association (Toxic and Hazardous Waste and Environmental Law Committee)
• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (Member)
• Association of Defense Trial Lawyers, 1989 - 1992 (Member, Executive Council)
• Association of Defense Trial Lawyers, 1992 - 1993 (Vice-President)
• Association of Defense Trial Lawyers, 1993 (President-Elect)
• Association of Defense Trial Lawyers, 1994 - Present (President)
• Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel
• Defense Research Institute, 1994 - Present (Board of Directors)
• Defense Research Institute (Product Liability Advisory Council)

Classes and Seminars

• Washington Products Liability, Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, 1985
• Litigation Mechanics, Sullivan Payne Co. (Reinsurance), 1986
• Pharmacy Liability, Pierce County Pharmaceutical Association, 1987
• Tort Reform and Non Economic Damage Caps, American Bar Association, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee Mid Year Meeting, 1988
• Legal Aspects of Occupational Safety and Health, Health and Safety Responsibilities in Construction Contracts, Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, University of Washington, 1989
• Depositions: Strategies, Tactics and Mechanics, Professional Education Systems, Inc, 1989
• Washington Product Liability Law: Recognizing, Evaluating Preparation and Trial, Professional Education Systems, Inc., 1990
• Construction Safety Management, Northwest Center for Occupational Health & Safety, University of Washington, 1990
• Depositions: Problems and Procedures, Professional Education Systems, Inc, 1990
• Washington Job Site Liability Law, Associated Builders and Contractors
• Preparing for and the Defense of Medical Malpractice Claims, Series of medical malpractice seminars/workshops presented to Physicians, Nurses and Staff at Providence Hospital, Anchorage, AK, 1990
• Medical Malpractice, Negligent Credentialing, Anti Trust, and How to Minimize Risk, Seminar/workshop presented to medical staff retreat of St. Vincent’s Hospital, 1991
• Recent Developments in Construction Site Safety Liability Issues, Construction Update for the ‘90s, a construction law seminar presented by Williams, Kastner & Gibbs, 1991
• Cross Examination of Plaintiff’s Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, 1991
• Discovery Tactics: Drawing the Line Between Clever and Unfair, Professional Education Systems, Inc., 1991
• Medical Malpractice Workshop, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Yakima, WA, 1991
• Fall Prevention on Construction Sites, Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, University of Washington, 1992
• Washington Products Liability Law: Recent Developments and Restricted Joint and Several Liability, Continental Insurance Company - Spring Seminar, 1992
• Settlement Trusts, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, 1992
• Work Site and Land Owner Safety Liability and Recent Changes Arising From Stute v. P.B.M.C., Washington Logging Safety Conference, Tumwater, WA, 1992
• Avoiding Costs of Litigation and Recent Developments in Construction Site Law, Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference, Spokane, WA, 1992
• Depositions: Strategies, Tactics & Mechanics, Professional Education Systems, Inc., 1993
• “Avoid Costly Litigation, An Ounce of Prevention - During a Flurry of Change,” selected topics on multi-employer work site, joint and several liability, indemnity agreements and additional insurance, Construction Update seminar presented by Williams, Kastner & Gibbs, Seattle, 1993
• Discovery Tactics: Drawing the Line Between Clever and Unfair, Professional Education Systems, Inc., 1993
• Allocation Between Insured and Insurer in Insurance Coverage Actions, Northwest Environmental Claims Association, 1994
• Presentation to Washington House and Senate Committees on HB 1989 and SB 5978 for Construction site Employer Immunity, Olympia, WA,, 1995
• What the Defense Bar is Doing Wrong and What Should Be Done About It, DRI’s National Conference of Defense Bar Leaders, 1995
• Law Office Practice and Economics, The Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, 1995
• Direct and Cross Examination Instruction, Washington State Bar Association Skills Training Course
• Multi-Party Cases - End Product Manufacturer’s Perspective, Washington State Defense Trial Lawyers Product Liability Seminar
• Washington Liability and Claims Handling Overview for Personal Lines Insurance, CNA Insurance Companies West Coast Regional Office, Sacramento, CA, 1996
• Construction Safety: The Bottom Line, Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, 1996
• Using Alternative Fee Structures to Improve Profitability and Client Relations, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, 1996
• Historical Development of Job Site Liability in Washington and Construction Safety, USF&G Insurance, 1996
• 1996 Construction Update, Historical Development of Construction Law and Job Site Safety, CNA Insurance, 1996
• Construction Safety and Development of Washington Law of Job Site Liability, Reliance Insurance, 1996
• Legislative Briefing: “Construction Issues, Job Site Liability, and the Statute of Repose,”, presentation to Washington state legislators and Liability Reform Coalition, Seattle, WA, 1996
• How to Think Like a Scientist to Prepare Your Case and Use Daubert, CLE of the Nevada State Bar Association, 1996
• Powerful Expert Witness Strategies in Washington, How and Where to Find Qualified Expert Witnesses and Direct Examination, National Business Institute, Seattle, WA, 1997
• Daubert and its Implications, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, 1997
• Injury and Litigation Prevention - Trial Demonstration and Evaluation, Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, 1998
• Legal Aspects of Construction Safety: Construction Law and Liability, Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, 1998
• Spinnaker and Beyond: Indemnification Strategies and Theories, How to Avoid Spinnaker Pointe Indemnity, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers, Condominium Construction Defect Litigation, 2004 - Present
• PPA MDL: Recent Rulings, Status, and Life Expectancy, Mealey’s Ephedra & PPA Litigation Conference, 2005

Education

• Saint Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri, 1975
  J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
  
  Law Review: Member, St. Louis University Law Journal, 1974 - 1975
• University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington
• Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1972
  B.A., Bachelor of Arts

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Address

Two Union Square
601 Union Street, Suite 4100
Seattle, WA 98101-2380

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(206) 628-6636

Faxes

(206) 628-6611

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Websites

http://www.williamskastner.com