Throughout 2019, Holmquist + Gardiner is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by  reflecting on its journey to become one of Seattle’s most comprehensive and admired real-estate law firms. Read our first article in the series to discover the power of a radical idea when scrawled on the napkin of a Capitol Hill bar.

To celebrate their law firm’s 10th year providing dedicated legal services to Seattle-area clients, founding partners Imants Holmquist and Hamilton Gardiner reflected on the phrase that fortified Holmquist + Gardiner’s most distinctive quality:

Relationships make the difference.

Be advised: Seattle’s Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (FCHO) bars landlords fromconsidering prior arrest records or past convictions when screening prospective tenants. This includes prospective renters who are registered sex offenders. 

Anti-discrimination policies benefit the common good. However, such policies can create conflict when landlords have a duty to protect their tenants from foreseeable criminal conduct. Therefore, the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance presents potential complications that could unintentionally place landlords in legal jeopardy — even if landlords have the best intentions in mind.

Is it time once again to consider renewing your residential lease? Often that leaves tenants asking if they should stay another year. Is there room to negotiate a better deal or should tenants save time, energy and effort and move to a new place? 

Previously, we’ve looked at commercial lease negotiations best practices, but we at Holmquist + Gardiner often receive requests for guidance with residential property lease negotiations as well.

Spring is here. The cherry blossoms are blooming. It’s nearly time to roll out the grill for its summer stint on the patio. Hopefully any extended time spent outside enjoying your property includes a friendly wave from your neighbor. For residential property owners dealing with the turmoil of a contentious boundary line dispute, a wave is more likely an apoplectic stare, or worse. 

When it comes to landlord – tenant relationships, nothing should be left to translation or interpretation. The dealings between both parties should be mutually beneficial, respectful, and above all else, clear. With that in mind, the attorneys at Holmquist & Gardiner work with landlords (and tenants) to make sure their interests are provided for and protected.

2019 is a big year for local Seattle law firm, Holmquist + Gardiner! Celebrating 10 years in business, founders Imants Holmquist and Hamilton Gardiner look back on how they got their start and how they’ve successfully grown over the years, establishing themselves as one of the top law practices in the city of Seattle.