Jury Awards $20.9 Million to Washington Worker Diagnosed with Mesothelioma after Asbestos Exposure at “Tacoma Aroma” Mill
A King County jury has awarded $20.9 million to Scot McLeod, a former abatement worker who developed mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos at industrial worksites across the Pacific Northwest beginning in 1989. Mr. McLeod is represented by attorneys Kaitlin Cherf, Colin Mieling and Craig Sims of Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB).
Washington flooring retailer has agreed to a $2.3 million settlement with Derek Lilleskare, a cancer survivor whose career was derailed after the company subjected him to years of discrimination and retaliation before wrongfully terminating him – all while he was undergoing life-saving cancer treatment. Mr. Lilleskare is represented by attorneys Elizabeth Hanley and Chen-Chen Jiang of Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB).
In January's Trial News, focused on elder law, WSAJ president and SGB attorney Elizabeth Hanley trumpets the importance of protecting seniors from institutional abuse and neglect.
SGB’s Craig Sims recognizes the essential lessons learned through supporting aging family members in this month’s edition of WSAJ Trial News.
Dr. Ben Danielson prevailed in a race discrimination lawsuit against Seattle Children’s Hospital for its failure to address acts of racism within the institution.
In Washington State Association for Justice’s December edition of Trial News, SGB attorney and WSAJ President Elizabeth Hanley dives deep into the applications of DEI in the legal field and the uncontroversial role it plays for plaintiffs’ lawyers.
Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB) was recognized as a Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers®, a prestigious, peer-reviewed publication for the legal industry, for the 15th consecutive year. Honored as a Tier 1 firm in employment law, medical malpractice law, personal injury litigation and product liability litigation practice areas, SGB achieved the highest ranking awarded during Best Lawyers’ annual review of law firms.
Each month, SGB attorney and WSAJ president Elizabeth Hanley pens a column for Trial News, sharing insights into a range of legal topics and publication’s special focus areas.
Earlier this year, three women in Kennewick, Washington, filed tort claims against the Benton-Franklin Health District for failing to prevent workplace sexual harassment and retaliation brought upon them by the former administrator, Jason Zaccaria. Now, the women are moving forward with a lawsuit to seek justice for those failures, while also alleging leaders within the health district were aware of Zaccaria’s history of sexual misconduct in the workplace but skirted standard procedures to hire and supervise him anyway.
In the October edition of Washington State Association for Justice Trial News, the 2025 WSAJ president and SGB’s own Elizabeth Hanley urges attorneys to become members of the American Association for Justice.