Mary Whisner points out in her Trial Ad (and other) Notes blog that the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington has published a profile of Benjamin Settle, one of the Western District’s newest judges (article starts on page 7). This is a great introduction to Judge Settle, and one those who practice in the Western District should read. (STL’s July 10 post on Judge Settle here).
Of particular interest to local practitioners:
“Judge Settle has a couple of tips for lawyers who will appear before him. First, get to the heart of the matter as soon as possible. Most cases can be evaluated within a month of arriving in the office, and the client is best served when lawyers zero in on the optimal resolution without going down ‘bunny trails.’ And second, make a bona fide effort to settle early. In cases where attorney fees may be awarded to the prevailing party, Judge Settle will always look to see if the attorneys were more interested in large fees than in protecting the interests of their clients through early alternative dispute resolution.”