Steven A. Stolle, Owner
Steve is a native Washingtonian and long-time resident of Seattle. Prior to law school, Steve and his wife owned and operated a successful restaurant business north of Seattle. Steve draws on his practical business experience to provide cost-effective results to his clients. With extensive experience in both insurance defense and insurance coverage, Steve is uniquely qualified to step in and provide a vigorous defense to clients whose insurers have denied a tender of defense, while working with their insurers to obtain coverage and reimbursement of incurred defense fees and costs. And when necessary, Steve has successfully sued recalcitrant insurers for wrongfully denying a defense to their insureds.
Steve also represents insurers in contribution and subrogation matters, and provides coverage advice and defense against insureds’ claims for coverage and allegations of bad faith and other extra-contractual claims. Having worked both for and against some of the world’s largest insurance companies, Steve has the experience, perspective, and sound judgment to provide his clients the best possible case assessment and counsel in the most complex and difficult matters.
Steve’s current practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including insurance coverage and bad faith, environmental liabilities and brownfield issues, product and premises liability, construction defects, subrogation, and intellectual property.
Before founding the Stolle Law Group, Steve spent over sixteen years working in Seattle law firms specializing in commercial, intellectual property, and securities litigation; insurance defense of complex, high-value claims, including wrongful death; and complex insurance coverage matters regarding environmental liabilities, brownfields, product liability, premises liability, additional insured claims, and professional liability, representing both insurance companies and insureds.
Steve also is an experienced arbitrator, serving as an arbitrator for the King County Mandatory Arbitration Department for the past several years.
When not practicing law, Steve enjoys traveling with his family, reading everything from Sherlock Holmes mysteries to Dostoevsky, and volunteering with his local chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Education
BA, Russian and East European Studies, University of Washington, 1987
BA, Russian Language and Literature, University of Washington, 1996
J.D., Seattle University School of Law, 2000; Editor of Lead Articles, Seattle University Law Review, 1999-2000
Admissions to Practice
Washington State Courts, 2000
Oregon State Courts, 2010
United States District Court, Western District of Washington 2000; Eastern District 2010
United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington, 2003
United States District Court, District of Oregon, 2013
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2001
United States Supreme Court, 2011
Memberships
Washington State Bar Association
Oregon State Bar Association
Published Cases
Bryant v. Country Life Ins. Co., 414 F.Supp.2d 981 (W.D.Wash. 2006)
Harmony at Madrona Park Homeowners' Ass'n v. Madison Harmony Develop., 143 Wn. App. 345, 177 P.3d 755 (Div. 1, 2008)
Aecon Bldgs., Inc. v. Vandermolen Constr. Co., 155 Wn. App. 733, 230 P.3d 594 (Div. I, 2009)
Wash. State Major League Baseball Stadium Pub. Facilities Dist. v. Huber, Hunt & Nichols-Kiewit Const. Co., 176 Wn.2d 502, 296 P.3d 821 (2013)
Seaway Properties, LLC v. Fireman’s Fund Ins. Co., 16 F.Supp.3d 1240 (W.D.Wash. 2014)
Reported Unpublished Decisions
Mallett v. Adelphi, LLC, No. 70267-0-III (Wash.Ct.App. 2014)
Widrig v. Villas at Meadow Springs, No. 31687-4-III (Wash.Ct.App. 2015)
160 Lee St. Condo. Homeowners' Ass'n v. Mid-Century Ins. Co., No. C17-1170-MJP, 2018 U.S.Dist. LEXIS 71359 (W.D.Wash. April 30, 2018)