Practice Area(s)

Education
  • Golden Gate University, (M.S., Taxation, 1991)
  • University of Notre Dame, (J.D., 1978)
  • Seattle University, (B.A., summa cum laude, 1974)

 

Admitted to Practice
  • Washington
  • U.S. District Courts for Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Tax Court

 

John Ruhl devotes his practice principally to representing clients in the financial services and transportation industries.

In the financial services area, he has represented banks and other financial institutions throughout his career in a variety of matters, including commercial loan documentation, workouts and bankruptcy. This year he will serve as the 2012-2013 president of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Risk Management Association, a national professional banking association.

John also heads the firm’s Transportation Law Group. He represents a number of national trucking companies, freight brokers and third-party logistics providers in matters ranging from contract negotiations to freight claims and other commercial litigation. Recently he served as lead counsel for a trucking company in settling a wage-and-hour class action involving more than 150 owner-operators who alleged that they were employees.

John’s other commercial trial experience includes obtaining a several- million dollar federal RICO civil judgment on behalf of a national client. He was also lead counsel in obtaining $2.9 million antitrust judgment in favor of a rural electric cooperative against Washington's largest electric utility.

John is a former president of the King County Bar Association. He frequently is selected as a commercial arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association for the King County Superior Court. Recently he served on a panel of arbitrators in a four-week $147 million commercial banking arbitration case in New York City involving a large non-US bank.

Professional and Community Activities
  • President, King County Bar Association (2006-2007)
  • President, Risk Management Association Puget Sound Chapter (2012-2013)
  • Member, Transportation Lawyers Association (Executive Committee Member, 1998-2000)
  • Member, Conference of Freight Counsel
  • Member, Association for Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy
  • Founding President (1986 - 1988) and Board Member (1986 - present), King County Dispute Resolution Center
  • Washington State Bar Association Special Disciplinary Counsel (2001-present)
  • Treasurer, American Judicature Society, Washington Chapter (2000-2004)
  • Member, Washington State Bar Association
  • Member, Federal Bar Association, Western District of Washington
Selected Publications and Speaking Engagements
  • Author, "Enforcing Commercial Guaranties In and Out of Bankruptcy Court," Risk Management Association, 2011
  • Chair and Speaker, "Avoiding Mistakes and Traps in Bankruptcy Court," Puget Sound Chapter of the Risk Management Association Conference, 2011
  • Author, "10 Commandments for Avoiding Lender Liability," Risk Management Association, 2010
  • Chair and Speaker, "Commercial Loan Workouts: Tools and Strategies for Lenders," Puget Sound Chapter of the Risk Management Association Conference, 2010
  • Speaker, "Sorting Out Conflicts of Laws Issues in Class Actions,” Transportation Lawyers Association Annual Conference, 2009
  • Author, "Flood of Money Endangers Perception of Judges’ Impartiality," Washington State Bar News, 2008
  • Speaker, "Case Initiation and Service of Process in the United States District Courts," Washington State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 2001
  • Author, "Enforcing Mechanics' Materialmen's and Laborers' Liens," Washington Lawyers Practice Manual, 1988-2005
Honors and Awards
Background

A competitive rower and sculler during college and for several years after law school, today John is an avid bicyclist. He is attracted to the challenge of cycling up mountain roads just as much as he loves the challenge of preparing and trying cases for his clients.