Steven J. Hassing

I am a trial lawyer. I attained my Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1975. I tried my first case 46 years ago. Since then, I’ve tried approximately 120 cases to jury verdict or court judgment in state and federal courts in numerous jurisdictions. I’m licensed and practice in Washington, Arizona, and California. I’ve also litigated cases in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, and Oregon under the pro hac vice provision those states. 

My practice is limited to business litigation. By far, the largest percentage of cases I’ve tried have involved issues related to real estate or construction. A significant number of trials have involved disputes between partners, shareholders of private corporations, or members of limited liability companies. Most of my clients are real estate developers, general contractors, or owners of shopping centers and apartment complexes. 

Between 1980 and 1990, in addition to practicing law, I developed, built, owned, and rented buildings to 7-Eleven, Midas Muffler, Godfather Pizza, Speedy Auto Glass, 60 Minute Lube, and the Idaho State Liquor Division. In total, I developed twenty commercial real estate projects in Washington, Idaho, and Montana including, in addition to the foregoing, various commercial strip centers of between 10,000 and 40,000 square feet each.

Over the past thirty years I’ve also gained considerable experience in the field of appellate practice. During that time, I’ve defended or prosecuted upwards of fifty appeals in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Districts of the California Court of Appeal, Division 3 of the Washington State Court of Appeals, the Washington State Supreme Court, and before the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Northern District of California. I’ve had six appellate decisions published, three in California, one each from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th districts, and three in Washington, two from Division 3 and one decided en banc by the Washington State Supreme Court.

Over the past twenty years, the clients I’ve represented have shown little to no interest in compromise. Accordingly, I engage in mediation or arbitration only when forced by court rule. The great majority of those who retain me have taken pains to locate a lawyer who will try their case rather than try to convince them to settle.

Success as a trial lawyer has to be measured by winning. One does not become a winning trial lawyer by rolling into the office at 9:00, surfing the net for an hour and turning off the lights at 5:00. Winning requires a willingness to dedicate oneself to do that which is necessary to win. In my view, there are three keys to winning difficult cases—or any case—preparation, experience, and confidence.

I believe that any case can be won. Conversely, any case can be lost. The truly successful trial lawyer, enabled by focused preparation, often wins by simply refusing to lose. He or she, through their experience and competitive drive, find a way to win. Nothing is more exhilarating than walking out of the courtroom at the end of a trial knowing you just won a case which, based on the facts and law, you very easily might have lost. You can guess what the converse is. 

Admitted in Washington - (1976) - #006690

Admitted in Arizona -          (1988) - #011226

Admitted in California -      (1990) - #152125

My billing rate is $410 per hour.