Note: This article was originally published on Ruiz & Smart’s home page.

As we say goodbye to 2022, Ruiz & Smart gives thanks to all of our clients we’ve been privileged to represent. 2022 was a year of success and growth for our firm.

Highlights include several important summary-judgment rulings. These include federal court decisions holding:

• that the Seattle School District violated our client’s due-process rights in expelling him for an alleged (and false) school shooting threat without giving him any opportunity to tell his side of the story;

• that RiverSource Life Insurance Company lacked necessary statistical data justifying its refusal to sell a long-term-care rider to our client with a mental-health diagnosis; and

• that various aspects of Allstate Indemnity Company’s throw-the-kitchen-sink case against our client lacked evidentiary support.

As in previous years, our attorneys represented families, individuals, and businesses against companies that failed to live up to their promises—whether as a result of incompetence, lack of attention, or greed. We brought many of these cases to a successful close this year, while filing new ones to replace them.

Ruiz & Smart continues to grow. At the end of 2022, we have five attorneys and four legal staff. We have cases from both sides of the state. All of our available metrics show a growing, thriving practice. The volume of depositions we handled grew approximately 20 percent from 2021. Our expense on litigation experts and consultants grew by a similar amount.

In 2023, we’ll continue to strive to do our best work to achieve the greatest impact our the lives of our clients.

We hope you have a wonderful new year!

Ruiz & Smart