Stephen M. Rummage
Partner
Steve Rummage represents clients in complex litigation and appeals, with an emphasis on commercial litigation and class action defense. In 41 years of practice, he has handled a wide variety of high-value litigation, including consumer class actions, securities fraud claims, employment class actions, complex contract disputes, and intellectual property claims. His work has included leading roles in some of the Pacific Northwest's most significant litigation, ranging from the Washington Public Power Supply System bond default in the 1980s, the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation in the 1990s, and the Washington Mutual Securities Litigation in the most recent decade.
Steve represents clients from a broad variety of industries, including software, sharing economy platforms, telecommunications, cloud services, and financial services. In addition to his trial practice, Steve has argued dozens of appeals in state and federal courts, including high-profile cases that established Washington and federal law on issues ranging from class action procedure to securities to land use.
Class Action Experience
Selected Securities Litigation Experience
Selected Appellate Experience
Admitted to Practice
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Washington, 1980
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U.S. Supreme Court, 1985
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U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 2016
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U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1983
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U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2008
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U.S. District Court Western District of Washington, 1980
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington, 1986
Education
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J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 1980
- Order of the Coif
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B.A., History & Creative Writing, Stanford University, 1977, with distinction
- Phi Beta Kappa
Professional Recognition
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- Named one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Litigation: General Commercial (Washington), 2004-2021; Received "Band 1" ranking, 2012-2022
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers in Commercial Litigation, 2006-present; in Business Litigation, 2003-2006; in Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2010-present; in Appellate Practice, 2015-present
- Selected by Best Lawyers as Seattle's "Lawyer of the Year" in Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2017, 2019
- Selected to "Top 100 Washington Super Lawyers," 2003-2016; "Washington Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2003-2022
