Emily Brubaker Harris

1015 Second Avenue, Floor 10
Seattle, WA 98104-1001
Telephone: (206) 625-8600
Direct Line: (206) 621-1477
Facsimile: (206) 625-0900
Email: eharris@corrcronin.com

Emily Brubaker Harris

Emily is the firm’s managing partner.  Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation, class action defense, consumer protection act claims, products liability, real estate litigation, and employment litigation, at the trial and appellate levels.  Emily excels in handling large and complex matters that require creative problem-solving, diligence, and fine attention to detail.

Prior to joining Corr Cronin in 2004, Emily was a litigation associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles.  She clerked for the Honorable Thomas G. Nelson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Emily is licensed to practice in Washington and California.

Emily is repeatedly recognized by her peers and clients for her litigation skills and client service.  She has been named a Washington Super Lawyer by her peers in the legal community in 2020-2022.  Emily was recognized as a 2022 and 2023 Best Lawyer in America and a Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for 2023.  And Emily was named a 2022 BTI Client Service All-Star — one of only 565 attorneys nationwide to receive this distinction based on input from corporate counsel.

Featured Cases

Featured Cases

Rails to Trails Class Actions – Defending King County in numerous cases challenging ownership of former railroad corridors valued at over $100 million. Defeated motion for preliminary injunction, secured dismissal of claims for quiet title and a declaratory judgment regarding ownership of the corridor and obtained judgments quieting title in King County.

Seattle Times – “Dispute over stop signs latest delay in completion of East Lake Sammamish Trail”

Oso Landslide – Pursued wrongful death claims arising from the March 22, 2014 Oso, Washington Landslide. Obtained significant spoliation sanction order against State of $1.2 million. With co-counsel, obtained $60 million settlement from the State and timber landowner.

Seattle Times – “Victims’ attorneys say state committed fraud by covering up deleted emails”

HeraldNet – “State’s experts destroyed Oso mudslide records, lawyers say”

HeraldNet – “State settles Oso mudslide lawsuit for $50 million”

Wall Street Journal – Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Over 2014 Mudslide in Oso, Wash.

Fiber Optic Right of Way Litigation – Defense of telecommunications company in multiple class actions in state and federal courts alleging claims of trespass arising from installation of fiber-optic cable on railroad rights-of-way.

Class Action Jury Trial – Defense verdict in four-week jury trial defending a national transportation company against multi-million dollar claims that its independent contractor drivers were employees.

Municipal Litigation – Defends companies in disputes with municipalities including use of rights-of-way, condemnation, and development agreements for master planned.

Commercial Lease Litigation – Successful litigation against commercial landlords in leasing disputes valued at over $20 million.

Products Liability Trial – Successfully defended bottle manufacturer and winery against products liability claims seeking more than $900,000 in damages. After a four-week bench trial, obtained a complete defense verdict.

More Representative Cases

Business Litigation

Ruckman v. Rossfoxglove LLC – currently representing LLC member in dissolution dispute. Obtained preliminary injunction preventing improper disposition of LLC assets.

Hearst/Seattle P-I v. Seattle Times – successful representation of Hearst and the Seattle P-I in litigation concerning the Seattle Times’ attempt to end the parties’ joint operating agreement (JOA). The litigation settled in 2007 when the Seattle Times agreed to pay Hearst $24 million and continue the JOA for at least nine more years.

Class Action/Mass Tort

Rails to Trails Class Actions – Defending King County in numerous cases challenging ownership of former railroad corridors valued at over $100 million. Defeated motion for preliminary injunction, secured dismissal of claims for quiet title and a declaratory judgment regarding ownership of the corridor and obtained judgments quieting title in King County.

Seattle Times – “Dispute over stop signs latest delay in completion of East Lake Sammamish Trail”

Oso Landslide – Pursued wrongful death claims arising from the March 22, 2014 Oso, Washington Landslide. Obtained significant spoliation sanction order against State of $1.2 million. With co-counsel, obtained $60 million settlement from the State and timber landowner.

Seattle Times – “Victims’ attorneys say state committed fraud by covering up deleted emails”

HeraldNet – “State’s experts destroyed Oso mudslide records, lawyers say”

HeraldNet – “State settles Oso mudslide lawsuit for $50 million”

Wall Street Journal – Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Over 2014 Mudslide in Oso, Wash.

Fiber Optic Right of Way Litigation – defense of telecommunications company in multiple class actions in state and federal courts alleging claims of trespass arising from installation of fiber-optic cable on railroad rights-of-way.

Nilsen v. City of Long Beach et al. – defense of oil refinery in connection with claims asserting failure to warn of exposures to chemicals.

Class Action Litigation – Defense verdict in four-week jury trial defending a national transportation company against multi-million dollar claims that its independent contractor drivers were employees.

Employment Law

Class Action Litigation – Defense verdict in four-week jury trial defending a national transportation company against multi-million dollar claims that its independent contractor drivers were employees.

Personal Injury

 Oso Landslide – Pursued wrongful death claims arising from the March 22, 2014 Oso, Washington Landslide. Obtained significant spoliation sanction order against State of $1.2 million. With co-counsel, obtained $60 million settlement from the State and timber landowner.

Seattle Times – “Victims’ attorneys say state committed fraud by covering up deleted emails”

HeraldNet – “State’s experts destroyed Oso mudslide records, lawyers say”

HeraldNet – “State settles Oso mudslide lawsuit for $50 million”

Wall Street Journal – Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Over 2014 Mudslide in Oso, Wash.

Nilsen v. City of Long Beach et al. – defense of oil refinery in connection with claims asserting failure to warn of exposures to chemicals.

Godfrey v. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates & Saint Gobain Containers – successfully defended bottle manufacturer and winery against products liability claims in which Plaintiff sought more than $900,000 in damages. After a four-week bench trial in Pierce County Superior Court, Ms. Harris and her team obtained a defense verdict for her clients.

Products Liability

Godfrey v. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates & Saint Gobain Containers – successfully defended bottle manufacturer and winery against products liability claims in which Plaintiff sought more than $900,000 in damages. After a four-week bench trial in Pierce County Superior Court, Ms. Harris and her team obtained a defense verdict for her clients.

Aiello v. FKI – obtained dismissal of plaintiff’s market-share alternate strict liability claim and grant of summary judgment on plaintiff’s alternate liability negligence claim resulting in dismissal of all claims against all defendants in products liability case brought against multiple load binder manufacturers.

Professional Liability

Defamation – successfully defended major Seattle law firm against defamation claims arising from representation of client.

Legal Malpractice – successfully defended major Seattle law firm against legal malpractice claims, obtaining dismissal on summary judgment.

Real Estate & Environmental Litigation

Oso Landslide – Pursued wrongful death claims arising from the March 22, 2014 Oso, Washington Landslide. Obtained significant spoliation sanction order against State of $1.2 million. With co-counsel, obtained $60 million settlement from the State and timber landowner.

Seattle Times – “Victims’ attorneys say state committed fraud by covering up deleted emails”

HeraldNet – “State’s experts destroyed Oso mudslide records, lawyers say”

HeraldNet – “State settles Oso mudslide lawsuit for $50 million”

Wall Street Journal – Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Over 2014 Mudslide in Oso, Wash.

Nilsen v. City of Long Beach et al. – defense of oil refinery in connection with claims asserting failure to warn of exposures to chemicals.

Ruckman v. Rossfoxglove LLC – currently representing LLC member in dissolution dispute. Obtained preliminary injunction preventing improper disposition of LLC assets.

Rails to Trails Class Actions – Defending King County in numerous cases challenging ownership of former railroad corridors valued at over $100 million. Defeated motion for preliminary injunction, secured dismissal of claims for quiet title and a declaratory judgment regarding ownership of the corridor and obtained judgments quieting title in King County.

Seattle Times – “Dispute over stop signs latest delay in completion of East Lake Sammamish Trail”

Fiber Optic Right of Way Litigation – defense of telecommunications company in multiple class actions in state and federal courts alleging claims of trespass arising from installation of fiber-optic cable on railroad rights-of-way.

Level 3 Communications v. H5 Capital – successfully brought claims against commercial landlord to prevent wrongful lease termination. The case was resolved on favorable terms.

Qwest v. City of Auburn – successfully represented telecommunications company in appeal of challenge to municipal telecommunications ordinances.

Other

Defamation

Successfully defended major Seattle law firm against defamation claims arising from representation of client.

Presentations and Publications

Class Action Trends and Legal Developments, Network of Trial Law Firms, San Diego, California, November 2019

Ethical Duties for Lawyers Working with Expert Witnesses, Landslides in Washington, Law Seminars Int’l, Seattle, Washington, March 2017

Occam’s Razor: Simplicity as an Effective Trial Tool, Network of Trial Law Firms, Napa, California, April 2015 

Class Action Jury Trials: Going the Distance, Network of Trial Law Firms, Naples Florida, May 2013

Education / Background

J.D., Loyola Law School of Los Angeles

M.A., Annenberg School for Communications, U.S.C.

B.A., Communications Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Associate, O’Melveny & Myers LLP

Law Clerk, Judge T.G. Nelson, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional Associations

Washington State Bar Association

California State Bar Association

International Association of Defense Counsel

Network of Trial Law Firms

1015 Second Avenue, Floor 10
Seattle, WA 98104-1001

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