Rachael Wallace is a thoughtful and strategic advisor who excels at delivering cost-effective solutions to her clients’ toughest challenges. Her practice focuses on product liability, aviation law, and employment disputes.
Rachael has broad experience defending product manufacturers in matters stemming from property damage, personal injury, and contract claims. She has represented and litigated claims with auto manufacturers, electrical equipment manufacturers, kitchen appliance and grill manufacturers, lithium battery manufacturers, and component manufacturers. In connection with her product liability practice, Rachael also regularly defends against warranty claims under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, as well as state and federal consumer protection acts and unfair business practices claims.
Rachael litigates aviation tort and contract disputes involving the Air Carrier Access Act, the Airline Deregulation Act, the Montreal Convention and its predecessors, the General Aviation Revitalization Act, and the Federal Aviation Regulations. She is skilled at securing dismissals on federal preemption grounds.
Rachael also negotiates and advises on aviation-specific employment disputes for small air carriers and for pilots and other aviation professionals. In the aviation employment context, she addresses regulatory authority and control, Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) issues, terminations by air carriers, operational requirements, and the application of local and state employment law to air carriers.
Outside of litigation, Rachael serves in an employment advisory role to her clients. She regularly assists with wage claims on behalf of employers and employees, with a particular emphasis on claims involving commission plans and payment of commissions, including upon separation. Her employment practice consists of resolving state and federal discrimination claims and assisting clients in addressing improper classifications of employees as independent contractors. Rachael routinely drafts and reviews severance and separation agreements and advises on the enforceability of non-compete clauses for both employers and employees.
Rachael also advises on Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinance and Washington’s Paid Sick Leave law, including accrual rates, variable pay rates, exemptions, policy language, permitted uses, notice requirements, and compliance matters.
