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Tim D. Wackerbarth Photo

Tim

Tim D. Wackerbarth
Shareholder
Seattle
D 206.223.7960
C 206.310.7681
wackerbartht@lanepowell.com

Tim Wackerbarth represents some of the world’s most prominent freight and passenger railroads, including Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad Company, BNSF Railway Company and the Canadian National Railroad in complex litigation, liability and regulatory matters. He also represents commuter railroads, including Sound Transit.  

Tim counsels clients on:

  • Railroad litigation;
  • FELA litigation;
  • FRSA litigation;
  • Wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury litigation;
  • Product liability and mass torts;
  • Life insurance;
  • Environmental; and
  • Employment litigation.

He has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts in Washington and Oregon, including:

  • Representing carriers in railroad related litigation, including FELA, FRSA and grade crossing;
  • Advising carriers in claims for spilled fuel and other contaminants;
  • Manufacturers in product liability and toxic tort litigation; and
  • Insurers and insured businesses in complex insurance coverage litigation.

Tim is active in many industry associations including The National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel (NARTC), where he is past Regional Vice President and a current member of the Executive Committee. He is also President of the Association of Transportation Law Professionals (ATLP) and an active member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL).

Representative clients include:

  • American Presidents Line
  • APL Land Transport
  • BNSF Railway Company
  • Canadian National Railway Company
  • Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
  • National Railroad Passenger Corporation
  • New York Life Insurance Company
  • NYLIFE Securities, Inc.
  • Sound Transit
  • Square D Company
  • Weyerhaeuser
  • Union Pacific Railroad Company
  • USAA Life Insurance Company
  • Xerox

Experience

  • Paul Parker, Personal Representative of the Estate of Curtis Rookaird v. BNSF Railway Company
    Case No. 2:14-cv-00176U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
    Successfully defended BNSF Railway Co. in a Federal Railroad Safety Act whistleblower/retaliation case.
  • Estate Of Maia Haykin And Richard Haykin, Apps. V. City Of Bellingham, Et Al., Res.
    Case No. 10-2-00168-5Whatcom County Superior CourtBellingham, Washington
    Successfully defended National RR Passenger Corp. against a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of an individual killed by an Amtrak train while crossing railroad tracks in Bellingham, Washington.
  • House v. Amtrak and BNSF Railway Company
    Case No. 11-CV-2110-TSZU.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
    Successfully defended National RR Passenger Corp. against a lawsuit filed brought by a driver severely injured in a train accident in Marysville, Washington.
  • McVay v. BNSF Railway Company
    Case No. 2014 FRS-00068
    Successfully defended BNSF against a whistleblower/retaliation claim under the Federal Rail Safety Act.
  • Panter et al v. BNSF et al
    Case No. 3:2011cv05691U.S. District Court, Western District of WashingtonTacoma, Washington
    Successfully defended National RR Passenger Corp. in litigation brought by family members of a woman who died in a vehicular grade crossing accident involving a BNSF train and an Amtrak train in Bucoda, Washington.
  • Powers v. Union Pacific Railroad Company
    Case No. 2010-FRS-030
    Successfully defended Union Pacific against whistleblower and retaliation claims under the FRSA.
  • Electrical Equipment Manufacturer Product Liability Claim
    Successfully represented an electronic equipment manufacturer in product liability and toxic tort litigation.

Community Involvement

American Bar Association

  • Member, Rail and Motor Carrier Law Committee — Tort and Insurance Practice Section
  • Member, Life Insurance Committee — Tort and Insurance Practice Section

National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel

  • Executive Committee
  • Regional Vice President

Washington State Bar Association, Member

Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association, Member

Association of Transportation Law Professionals

  • President (2019-2020)
  • Board of Directors

Defense Research Institute, Member

Washington Athletic Club, Member

Seattle Tennis Club, Member

Thought Leadership

  • August 18, 2022News

    The Best Lawyers in America© 2023 Recognizes 90 Lane Powell Attorneys

    Awards & Honors
  • July 14, 2022News

    Forty-four Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers in Washington for 2022

    Awards & Honors
  • August 19, 2021News
    The Best Lawyers in America© 2022 Recognizes 90 Lane Powell Attorneys
    Awards & Honors
  • July 15, 2021News
    Forty-Three Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers for 2021
    Awards & Honors
  • December 1, 2020Event / CLE
    Cutting Edge Transportation Issues for Litigation and Transactional Cases
    ProLawCLE | Virtual
  • August 20, 2020News
    The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 Recognizes 92 Lane Powell Attorneys
    Awards & Honors
  • July 16, 2020News
    Thirty-Two Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers in Washington for 2020
    Awards & Honors
  • August 15, 2019News
    The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 Recognizes 63 Lane Powell Attorneys
    Awards & Honors
  • June 10, 2019News
    Thirty-one Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers’ and Nine Named ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • August 15, 2018News
    The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 Recognizes 62 Lane Powell Attorneys
    Awards & Honors
  • June 18, 2018News
    Thirty-two Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers’ and 14 Named ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • May 11, 2018News
    Beck and Wackerbarth Honored by America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators®
    Awards & Honors
  • August 15, 2017News
    Fifty-nine Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers® in America 2018
    Awards & Honors
  • August 17, 2016News
    Fifty-one Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017
    Awards & Honors
  • August 17, 2015News
    Forty-eight Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016
    Awards & Honors
  • August 18, 2014News
    Fifty-One Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015
    Awards & Honors
  • June 13, 2014News
    Thirty-five Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers’ and Fifteen Named as ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • June 14, 2013News
    Thirty-Six Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers’ and Sixteen Named as ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • June 13, 2012News
    28 Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers;’ 12 Named as ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • August 9, 2011News
    Thirty-six Lane Powell Attorneys Listed as Top Lawyers in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
    Awards & Honors
  • June 20, 2011News
    Twenty-six Lane Powell Attorneys Named ‘Washington Super Lawyers;’ Ten Lane Powell Attorneys Named As ‘Washington Rising Stars’
    Awards & Honors
  • July 20, 2010News
    58 Lane Powell Attorneys Listed as Top Lawyers in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
    Awards & Honors
  • Awards_2023 Best Lawyers America
  • Washington Super Lawyers 2022

Practices & Industries

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Labor, Employment & Benefits
  • Transportation

Education

  • Willamette University , J.D., 1983
    • Willamette Law Review, Associate Editor (1982-1983)
  • Westmont College , B.A., magna cum laude, 1979

Admissions

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

Honors

The Best Lawyers in America©, Railroad (2015-2023)

"Washington Super Lawyer," Thomson Reuters, Transportation/Maritime (2011-2014, 2018-2022)

America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators®, Washington (2018)

Judicial AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®

Avvo Rated 10/10 “Superb”

Before proceeding, please note:  If you are not a current client of Lane Powell PC, please do not include any information in this email that you or someone else considers to be confidential or secret in nature.  Prior to the establishment of a lawyer-client relationship, unsolicited emails from non-clients containing confidential or secret information cannot be protected from disclosure.

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