(206) 462-5738 tom@lethermediation.com

Efficient and practical resolutions.

Expert Witness

Based upon 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer in the insurance and bad faith industry, Tom Lether is uniquely qualified as an expert in insurance and extra-contractual claims issues. He is qualified in both the State and Federal courts. His expertise includes addressing underwriting issues, agent-broker duties and obligations, insurance coverage issues in all lines of coverage, and insurance claims handling issues. The fact that his track record as an attorney includes a number of Washington State Court of Appeals and Federal Court decisions notes that he is ideally suited to address legal questions as well as coverage issues. With his experience in advising insurers and policy holders in all types of claims, he can discuss the standards of care in regard to insurer’s conduct as well as the obligations of the insured under policies of insurance.

Tom often presents on insurance seminars and claims handling issues to various groups including the Washington State Trial Lawyers, the National Business Institute, the West Coast Casualty Conference, the National CLM Seminar on insurance and construction, and directly to a number of insurers. He has also acted as a chairperson for the Washington State Insurance Law Seminar presented through the Seminar Group for the past five years.

Most importantly, a client needs to have an expert who can testify well. As a civil litigator and trial attorney, Tom Lether has learned how to provide a deposition and how to testify effectively before a judge or jury. He has a keen awareness and an ability to explain complex coverage and claims handling issues in a manner which a court or jury can understand. This makes him an effective witness on these issues.

Tom Lether’s fees for services provided through Lether Mediation, Arbitration, and Expert services are available upon request.

“That’s the difference between a good mediator and a bad one. A good meditator continues to work on the case. You can’t just quit after the opening mediation. Sometimes, it takes two or three sessions. Also a lot of the time it means the mediator is just staying on the phone and checking in with the parties. I was just involved in a large case that settled and it was because the mediator kept making those follow-up calls and kept the parties engaged.”