Overview
Harrison Owens is an associate in Stoel Rives’ Litigation group. Harrison represents clients in complex business and commercial disputes, including those involving real estate, landlord-tenant relations, defective products, negligence, breach of contract, and violations of consumer protection statutes. Harrison represents his clients in both individual lawsuits and class actions in state and federal courts and advises clients through mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeals.
As an efficient and effective advocate, Harrison delivers practical solutions to his clients and works diligently to resolve disputes both within and outside of the formal litigation process.
Prior to joining Stoel Rives, Harrison was a judicial law clerk to the Honorable John C. Coughenour of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and to the Honorable Michael J. Trickey of the Washington State Court of Appeals. While in law school, he interned at Focal PLLC and Cline & Casillas and served as a judicial extern for Judge Coughenour and for the Honorable Mary I. Yu of the Washington State Supreme Court.
Education
University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 2016, with honors; Executive Managing Editor, Washington International Law Journal; Pro Bono Honors Award
University of Washington Honors Program, B.A., Psychology, 2013, magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
Washington
United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington
Experience
Commercial Litigation
- Representation of owner of commercial warehouse in claims against contractor and subcontractors related to water intrusion issues.
- Representation of joint partner against claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing.
- Representation of commercial retailer against claims for breach of contract and fraud; secured dismissal on personal jurisdiction grounds.
- Representation of port district in dispute with developer and contractor regarding injection of grout into sewer line.
- Representation of car manufacturer in products liability action occurring in joint and several state where plaintiffs sought over $48 million in damages; secured dismissal with prejudice midway through trial.
- Representation of general partner of four limited partnerships in dispute involving disposition of low-income housing tax credit apartment complexes; obtained dismissal of all claims following trial.
Real Estate Litigation
- Representation of commercial landlords and tenants in unlawful detainer actions and disputes concerning breach of commercial leases, misrepresentation and fraud, negligence, and requests for injunctive relief.
- Representation of buyers and sellers of commercial real estate in disputes concerning breach of purchase-and-sale agreements, misrepresentation and fraud, negligence, and environmental issues.
- Representation of real estate brokerages and individual agents against claims of professional negligence, breach of contract, misrepresentation and fraud, violation of Washington Consumer Protection Act, and breach of statutory duties.
- Representation of escrow companies in interpleader actions necessitated by earnest money disputes.
- Representation of national real estate brokerage and multiple listing service clients in responding to third-party discovery issued by courts across the country.
Class Action Defense
- Representation of website host against class action claims concerning clickwrap and browsewrap practices.
- Representation of insurer against class action claims concerning limitations of insurance coverage, breach of contract, fraud, and violation of consumer protection statutes.
- Representation of insurer against class action claims concerning misclassification of agents and discriminatory employment practices.
Insights
Insights & Presentations
- “Beyond the Bar Number: Harrison Owens,” Washington State Bar News, February 2021
- Comment, “Trial by One’s Peers: The Need to Expand Japan’s Lay Judge System,” 25 Wash. Int’l L. J. 191 (2016)
Affiliations
Professional
- Stoel Rives Seattle Recruiting Committee, Member, 2021–present
Civic
- Listen and Talk, Member, Board of Trustees, 2023–present
- Puget Sound of Phi Beta Kappa, Humanities Achievement Award Committee, Chair, 2021–present
- Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa, Member, Board of Trustees, 2017–present