Maren R. Norton

Maren Norton is the Seattle Office Managing Partner and immediate past chair of Stoel Rives’ Litigation group. Maren has a broad range of trial and appellate experience in complex commercial disputes, environmental litigation, health care litigation, governmental investigations and litigation, mass torts, and tax disputes. She has handled administrative proceedings and all phases of litigation, including multiple trials, in both state and federal courts.

Prior to joining the firm, Maren was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Education

University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 2004; President, Law School Student Senate; Associate Editor, University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Stanford University, B.A., 1999; Student Body President, 1998-1999

Admissions

Washington

Alaska

United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington

United States District Court for the District of Alaska U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Supreme Court of the United States

Trial Experience

• In the Matter of Coordinated Care. Representation of carrier in administrative hearing successfully challenging denial of approval of health plans for inclusion in the Washington Health Exchange.
• Adams v. United States. Representation of DuPont in a large products liability case involving over 100 individual plaintiffs.
• Weyerhaeuser v. Accurate. Representation of forest products company in a federal jury trial in a commercial dispute.
• Secured dismissal with prejudice for car manufacturer midway through trial in products liability action occurring in a joint and several state. Plaintiffs sought over $48 million in damages.
• Representation of various industrial clients in asbestos matters, including and through expedited trials.
• Representation of United States in immigration, employment, civil rights, and tort actions, including significant trial experience in both tort actions and medical malpractice defense.
• Representation of telecommunications company in a challenge to local regulations under the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act.
• Representation of pro bono clients, including a custodian in a non-parental custody trial and public housing tenants in administrative grievance hearings.

Environmental Litigation

• Represent municipal ports and commercial clients in multi-party Superfund cost recovery actions under CERCLA and MTCA, in state and federal courts and through allocation and mediation processes.
• Representation of petroleum company in a challenge to NPDES permit before the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
• Representation of landowner in a multi-party MTCA contribution action involving perchloroethylene releases.
• Advises clients on pre-litigation risks associated with various environmental statutes, including MTCA, CERCLA, and RCRA.

Health Care

• In the Matter of Washington Counties Insurance Fund; In the Matter of Moda Health Plan, Inc.; and In the Matter of Cambia Health Solutions. Representation of association health plan and carriers in successful challenges of state insurance commissioner’s denial of rate filings.
• E.S., ex rel., R.S. & J.S., & Jodi Sternoff v. Regence BlueShield & Cambia Health Solutions, Inc., f/k/a The Regence Group. Represent carrier in defense of putative class action challenging plan design under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.
• In the Matter of Coordinated Care. Representation of carrier in administrative hearing successfully challenging denial of approval of health plans for inclusion in the Washington Health Exchange.
• Representation of providers and health plans in connection with Department of Health, Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and Attorney General investigations and complaints.

Tax Litigation

• Representation of a telecommunications company in actions for the refund of utility taxes.
• Representation of a large industrial entity in a property tax challenge before the Board of Tax Appeals.
• Representation of taxpayers in a challenge to the constitutionality of the imposition of a new tax.

Insights & Presentations

• “Slicing Up the Potentially Expanding Pie: Allocation Considerations at Sediment Sites,” WSBA ELUL Mid-Year Meeting, June 2015

Multimedia

• Selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Washington) by Chambers USA (Litigation: General Commercial), 2023–present
• Named by Best Lawyers^® as Litigation—Health Care “Lawyer of the Year,” Seattle, 2023
• Included in The Best Lawyers in America^® (Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation—Health Care, Litigation—Insurance), 2019–present
• Listed in Washington Super Lawyers^®, (Civil Litigation, Environmental Litigation, Health Care, General Litigation), 2019–2021
• Listed among Rising Stars (Civil Litigation, Environmental Litigation, Health Care, General Litigation), Washington Super Lawyers^®, 2008–2009, 2013–2017
• Outstanding Advocate, Shoreline PTA Council, 2017
• Community Leadership Award, Washington Association of School Administrators, King County Region, 2014
• Volunteer of the Year, King County Bar Association, Kinship Care Solutions Project, 2006
• Irving Stenn, Jr. Award, University of Michigan Law School, 2004
• Ford Motor Company Leadership Award, 2003
• Book Award Recipient, Legal Practice Program, 2002
• J.E. Wallace Sterling Award, Stanford Alumni Association, 1999

Civic

• Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, past President
• Citizens for Shoreline Schools, Chair, 2013–2014, 2016–present
• Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, Trustee, 2012–present
• Meridian Park Elementary School, Student Council Advisor, 2017–present
• Shoreline School Board, past Vice President
• Stanford Club of Washington, former Board Member
• University of Michigan Law School, Class Agent, 2004–present
• Washington State History Day, Board Member, 2008–present
• Historylink.org, former Pro Bono General Counsel
• Washington State History Day, former Judge