Jessica L. Goldman

With a strong track record of winning cases on summary judgment, clients know Jessica as a creative and aggressive advocate and smart, thorough legal advisor. From the earliest stages of an engagement, she focuses on enabling her clients to make informed decisions about case strategy and tactics and resolving disputes consistent with her clients’ legal and business objectives. Jessica’s extensive experience includes:

First Amendment and constitutional litigation.  Jessica represents media organizations – including newspapers, broadcasters, and publishers – as well as public entities in First Amendment and other constitutional litigation. She has represented clients in cases involving defamation, commercial speech, privacy, access, prior restraint, reporters’ shield laws, newsgathering torts, and other claims. She also provides pre-publication counsel to newspapers, publishers, and others concerned with risks related to defamation and invasion of privacy claims.

Public Records Act litigation.  Jessica defends public entities sued for violation of the Public Records Act, which generally requires that public records kept by state and local agencies in Washington be made available to members of the public.

Credentials

Awards & Accolades

• Washington Super Lawyers, “Super Lawyer” (2008–2024); “Rising Star” (2001 - 2002, 2007)
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, "Seattle Lawyer of the Year," First Amendment Law (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025); Litigation - First Amendment (2013, 2015, 2017, 2024); recognized since 2008
• Benchmark Litigation, “Washington State Litigation Star” (2015–2020); also listed in Benchmark Top 250 Women in Litigation (4th edition)

Memberships

• American Bar Association Forum on Communication Law
• American Bar Association Section of Litigation
• King County Bar Association

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• "Protecting Public Expression," Washington State Bar Association (July 10, 2024)
• “Disrupting the Status Quo: Unraveling the Impact of Public Sector Strikes,” Association of Washington Cities 2024 Labor Relations Institute (May 9, 2024)
• “The First Amendment, the PRA, and Social Media,” Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys Spring Conference (Apr. 26, 2024)
• First Amendment Training, Pierce County Library System Board (Aug. 9, 2023)
• “Public Records Act Training,” Risk Management Service Agency of the Association of Washington Cities (Apr. 18, 2023)
• "Seattle Times Wins Summary Judgment in Surgeon’s Libel Suit," Media Law Resource Center MediaLaw Letter (March 2021)
• "Public Records: Insights on Compliance and Effective Policy," Association of Washington Cities 2017 Labor Relations Institute (May 5, 2017)
• "Case Law Update: Use of Personal Devices by Public Servants," Law Seminars International Public Records and Open Meetings Seminar (March 31, 2017)
• "What You Need to Know About Public Records and Open Meetings in Washington," Lorman Education Services, Federal Way, Washington (May 9, 2013)
• "Public Records Act Litigation," Law Seminars International, Seattle, Washington (January 30, 2013)
• "What You Need to Know About Public Records and Open Meetings in Washington," Lorman Education Services, Federal Way, Washington (May 9, 2012)
• "Views from a Commercial Litigator: What You Can Learn About Contract Drafting from the Other Side," Washington State Bar Association, Seattle, Washington (May 13, 2011)

Representative Matters

First Amendment and Other Constitutional Litigation

• Represented Seattle University and the Dean of its Law School in defense of a defamation lawsuit filed by a former visiting law professor. Burk v. Seattle University (King County Superior Court 2024). 
• Represented the City of Seattle in defense of the City's COVID gig worker ordinance in a challenge based on the Constitutional Police Powers, Takings Clause, Eminent Domain Clause, and Contracts Clause. Instacart v. City of Seattle (King County Superior Court 2024). 
• Represented the City of Seattle in a First Amendment challenge to the City’s Fair Chance Housing Ordinance.  Yim v. City of Seattle, 63 F.4^th 783  (9th Cir. 2023). 
• Obtained dismissal of claims under the Equal Protection, Contracts and Supremacy Clauses in defense of the City of Burien’s grocery workers hazard pay ordinance.  Northwest Grocery Ass’n v. City of Burien (W.D. Wash. 2021).
• Obtained dismissal of a Consumer Protection Act claim and summary judgment in a $26 million, high-profile defamation lawsuit against a newspaper. Delashaw v. Seattle Times Co. (W.D. Wash. 2018, 2020).
• Successfully defended the City of Seattle against a First Amendment petition claim brought by a local business. Teriyaki v. Wok (W.D. Wash. 2020).
• Obtained summary judgment of defamation claims against a newspaper along with a fee award. Dickerson v. Index Newspapers, LLC (Multnomah County, OR Superior Court 2020).
• Obtained dismissal of a defamation lawsuit against the City of Seattle brought by two police officers based on statements made by a member of the City Council. Miller v. Sawant, 2019 WL 998334 (W.D. Wash. 2019).
• Represented the City of Seattle in the Western District of Washington and before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit brought by the yellow pages industry alleging that a city ordinance violated the First Amendment and Commerce Clause of the US Constitution. Dex Media West v. City of Seattle, 696 F.3d 952 (9th Cir. 2012).
• Represented Cable News Network and Turner Broadcasting Systems in a Montana lawsuit regarding the application of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution to ride-alongs by the news media. Jessica litigated the case from the District of Montana to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and then to the United States Supreme Court. Wilson v. Layne, 526 U.S. 603 (1999).
• Obtained summary judgment dismissal in King County Superior Court of defamation claims brought against The Seattle Weekly involving an article about a well-known artist.
• Obtained a defense judgment in a Douglas County Superior Court defamation suit brought against The Wenatchee World.
• Provided pre-publication review for broadcasters, newspapers and other publications, including a Random House Spanish-language book on a controversial Mexican artist.

Intellectual Property Litigation

• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a small Washington-based airline sued for trademark infringement by a publicly traded bus manufacturing company. New Flyer Industries Canada v. Rugby Aviation, LLC, 405 F. Supp. 3d 886 (W.D. Wash. 2019).
• Represented a small telecommunications company plaintiff against a competitor that stole the plaintiff’s trade secrets and interfered with the plaintiff’s employment and customer contracts. The case resulted in a judgment of more than $6 million. Straitshot Communications, Inc. v. Telekenex, Inc., 2012 WL 5880293 (W.D. Wash. 2012).

Real Estate Litigation

• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a Homeowners Association sued by a homeowner for enforcing the HOA’s water restrictions, and affirmance on appeal with a fee award. Tilley v. Edelweiss Maintenance Comm’n, 2024 WL 3618968 (Wash. Court of Appeals Div. III 2024).
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a homeowner in the Somerset community sued by other homeowners alleging violation of the community Covenants, along with a complete fee award. Mason, et al. v. Chu (King County Superior Court 2024).
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of residential tenants in forcing the sale of a house subject to a purchase option, in addition to winning a substantial fee award and sequestration of proceeds pending appeal, and affirmance of two appeals. Smith v. Philips (King County Superior Court 2018); Smith v. Phillips, 12 Wn. App. 2d 1066 (Wash. Court of Appeals Div. I 2020); Smith v. Phillips, 15 Wn. App. 2d 1003 (Wash. Court of Appeals Div. I 2020).
• Defended a homeowners’ association and its board members in a vast federal racketeering and breach of fiduciary duty case brought by 30 homeowners, including filing five successful dispositive motions which resulted in a defense judgment on the eve of trial and affirmance by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ortego. v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 2016 WL 6836885 (W.D. Wash. 2016); Ortego. v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 2016 WL 11621955 (W.D. Wash. 2016); Ortego. v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 2016 WL 11622010 (W.D. Wash. 2016); Ortego. v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 2016 WL 1720763 (W.D. Wash. 2016); Ortego. v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 2015 WL 13828911 (W.D. Wash 2015); Ortego v. Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club, Inc., 738 Fed. Appx. 912 (9th Cir. 2018).
• Represented minority homeowner plaintiffs against the controlling majority owner and the homeowners’ association on claims of breach of fiduciary duty, violation of the covenants, violation of the Homeowners’ Association Act, and piercing the corporate veil. Then enforced a settlement agreement that the majority owner sought unsuccessfully to breach. Parrott v. Benson Crest Homeowners Ass’n (King County Superior Court 2015).
• Represented a large international real estate developer in a malpractice claim in King County Superior Court against its former real estate attorneys, obtaining a settlement for more than $5 million.

Public Records Act Litigation

• Obtained a complete defense judgment for the Washington State Legislature, an order of $0 penalties, and recognition of the constitutional Legislative Privilege as an exemption under the PRA. West v. The Washington State Legislature (Thurston County Superior Court 2024).
• Obtained a limited award of penalties upon successful employment of a CR 68 Offer of Judgment in favor of the City of Langley, which was upheld on appeal, and on plaintiff’s unsuccessful motion for reconsideration. Hood v. City of Langley (Wash. Court of Appeals Div. I 2024).
• Successfully obtained a complete defense judgment for the City of DuPont against a PRA claim asserted by a habitual litigant. Hood v. City of DuPont (Pierce County Superior Court 2024).
• Obtained a complete defense judgment for the City of Langley in one of many lawsuits filed against the City by a habitual litigant. Hood v. City of Langley (Island County Superior Court 2023).
• Obtained a complete defense judgment for the City of Langley. Hood v. City of Langley (Island County Superior Court 2023).
• Obtained the dismissal of a PRA lawsuit filed against the University of Washington. Ellis v. University of Washington (King County Superior Court 2022).

Commercial Litigation

• Prosecuted a breach of settlement agreement claim against a minority shareholder, obtaining injunctive relief and a complete award of attorney’s fees. Allegis Communications, Inc. v. Harvey (King County Superior Court 2018).
• Represented Waste Management of Washington, Inc., before the Utilities and Transportation Commission, the Thurston County Superior Court and the Washington Court of Appeals in litigation that led to the granting of Waste Management’s application for expansion of its biomedical waste services throughout the State of Washington. Stericycle of Wash. v. Waste Management of Wash., 190 Wn. App. 74, 359 P.3d 894 (Wash. Ct. App. 2015).
• Resolved a complex dispute between doctors in a urology practice, resulting in the successful separation of the clients’ practices without the need for litigation.
• Represented a closely held corporation in a derivative action brought by a major shareholder in King County Superior Court and obtained a settlement that favorably resolved all claims in favor of the corporation.
• Represented the controlling partners in a closely held partnership in a valuation dispute against the non-controlling partners. The matter was resolved in private arbitration in favor of the controlling partners.

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