Barry N. Mesher

Shareholder | Seattle | 206.223.7961 | mesherb@lanepowell.com

Areas of Practice

Barry Mesher focuses his practice on toxic tort, mass and municipal tort, premises liability, insurance coverage, personal injury, product liability, professional liability and labor and employment law. He was a co-founder of the Washington Asbestos Defense Association and has served as its Court Liaison and President. He is a member of the American College of Law and Medicine and New York Academy of Sciences. Barry has been involved in the “bet the company” asbestos litigation continuously since 1980. He regularly serves as national, regional and local counsel for firm clients, devising and executing comprehensive defense strategies in mass tort cases across the country.

Admitted to Practice

• Washington
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Washington
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. Supreme Court

Academics

• University of Puget Sound (J.D., 1977; B.S., with honors, 1973)
• University of Washington School of Law
• Claremont Graduate School (M.A., with honors, 1974)

Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships

• Aviation
• Class Action Defense
• Director and Office Liability
• Environmental
• ERISA Litigation
• Health Care
• Insurance and Toxic Tort
• Labor and Employment
• London
• Native American Affairs
• Premises Liability
• Products Liability
• Professional Liability
• Public/Private Partnerships
• Railroad and Mass Transportation

Representative Cases

• Head of the Joint Defense Counsel and Lead Trial Counsel in Port of Tacoma v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London, et al; Port of Everett v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds’, London et al; Marine Industries Northwest Inc. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London, et al; Zidell Marine Corporation v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London, et al (Federal Court and State Court – Hylebos Claims) – Environmental Coverage Litigation
• National, regional and/or local counsel in the defense of asbestos personal injury and property damage litigation since 1980
• Program, loss control and defense counsel for employment issues
• Lead trial counsel in Bradley v. City of Ellensburg, et al – Civil rights litigation

Publications

• “Expanding The Duty To Warn In Wash. Liability Case,” Law360, Porfolio Media, Inc., October 21, 2008
• “The Role of an Insurance Lawyer,” Insurance Settlements and Negotiations, Aspatore Books, 2006

Speaking Engagements

• Barry is a frequent speaker at Defense Research Institute and Washington State Bar Association Seminars
• “In-House Corporate and Insurer Panel on Financial & Legal Decisions, Managing Claims, Lowering Defense Costs and Settlement Negotiations,” American Conference Institute’s 12th National Forum on Asbestos Claims & Litigation, January 26, 2011 (Moderator)

Awards and Honors

• Peer Review Rated “AV” in Martindale-Hubbell
• Named as a “Washington Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers magazine, Class Action/Mass Torts, 2006-2011 (“Top 100 Washington Super Lawyers,” 2010-2011)

Professional and Community Activities

• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association
• Federal Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute (Industry-Wide Litigation Committee)
• Committee of Bar Examiners, Washington State Bar Association
• American Bar Association (Governmental Liability Sub-Committee)
• First Amendment Lawyers Association
• Founder, Court Liaison and President (1986), Washington Asbestos Defense Association (1979-1986)
• Member, New York Academy of Sciences
• Member, American College of Law and Medicine
• Master, Honorable Robert J. Bryan American Inns of Court
• Committee Member, King County Judicial Conferencing Committee (2011)