Leading the firm’s commercial and creditor rights group, Mr. Walker enjoys helping individuals and businesses achieve successful outcomes in real estate, commercial, debtor-creditor, construction, and general business litigation and transactions. Mr. Walker looks for creative, cost effective, and client oriented resolutions while understanding effective litigation could be needed to achieve his clients’ goals. Mr. Walker also routinely advises employers and provides employment claims defense.
Mr. Walker earned his law degree from Willamette University in 1996, where he also received a Certificate in Dispute Resolution and earned multiple awards for academic excellence. Mr. Walker received his undergraduate degree in history from the University of Oregon in 1991. Before joining Ogden Murphy Wallace in 1997, Mr. Walker externed at the Oregon State Supreme Court.
Legal Community Involvement
A member of the Washington State Bar Association, the Chelan-Douglas County Bar Association, and the Debtor-Creditor Section of Washington State Bar, Mr. Walker has successfully advocated for clients in all levels of the Washington State Courts, including before the Washington State Supreme Court and in both the Western and Eastern Federal Districts Courts for Washington State.
Mr. Walker frequently speaks on commercial and real estate topics, and has presented attorney continuing legal education programs on debt collection, real property, and employment law. Mr. Walker provides pro bono assistance at the Chelan-Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services to low-income members of North Central Washington.
Mr. Walker is a contributing legal columnist for the Business World, a monthly business magazine focusing on Chelan and Douglas Counties, Washington.
Community Involvement
A Board Member and Secretary of the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, Mr. Walker is currently working on WVHS’ goal to build a new animal adoption center.
Mr. Walker is a member of Wenatchee North Rotary and a past Board Director and President. During Mr. Walker’s presidency, WNR increased its international programs with its annual sponsorship of an elementary school in Guatemala. Mr. Walker currently chairs the Club’s fall fundraiser (the Arlberg Sports’ Shopping Spree Raffle) that funds WNR’s international program and its continuing commitment to fund Wenatchee’s Rotary Park.
Since 2007, Mr. Walker has proudly coached Ogden Murphy Wallace’s youth soccer team, and has coached the Wenatchee Valley Lacrosse Association’s high school and elementary school teams.
Practice Achievements
Commercial and Bankruptcy
Mr. Walker led OMW’s litigation team to the successful resolution at mediation of a multi-million dollar federal commercial lawsuit filed against an international chemical company in Federal Court for breach of an alleged interest rate swap transaction. Mr. Walker’s effective defense forced the plaintiff to settle for about 10% of its damage demand.
After collecting the full amount due a regional financial institution on a large delinquent commercial loan, Mr. Walker obtained the Washington State Supreme Court’s dismissal of the borrower's federal Truth in Lending Act and state law based counterclaims. Courts and lenders nationwide now use this Supreme Court ruling to determine whether a loan is a commercial or consumer debt obligation under the federal Truth in Lending Act.
After protracted litigation, Mr. Walker forced guarantors to fully satisfy their multi-million dollar personal guarantees securing a community bank’s loan for the development of a hotel, casino, and restaurant business in North Central Washington.
Through litigation and creative loan workout negotiations with a regional real estate development corporation, Mr. Walker obtained one of the largest judgments in North Central Washington history (over $10 million) and the satisfaction of that judgment for a national capital investment group.
Real Estate and Construction
Mr. Walker defended the developer and owner from a potential buyer’s specific performance and damages lawsuit following the buyer’s failed efforts to acquire multi-million dollar prime Wenatchee residential development property.
Prior to litigation being filed, Mr. Walker resolved, with no payment to the claimants, a homeowners’ defective construction claim against a local builder of upscale custom homes.
Mr. Walker successfully represented a motel owner sued for adverse possession by a neighboring property developer wanting to put commercial development in the motel’s parking lot. The Court dismissed all of the Plaintiff’s claims on summary judgment.
Following trial, Mr. Walker obtained judgment for actual damages, treble damages, and the plaintiffs’ legal fees and costs for a boundary and access easement dispute with the neighboring owner of Lake Chelan development property.
Mr. Walker successfully defended a regional non-profit landlord from housing disability discrimination claims after the landlord evicted tenants believing they were manufacturing drugs in the leased premises.
Business and Employment
Mr. Walker resolved an age discrimination lawsuit on terms favorable to a local municipal corporation and its officials following the Washington State Supreme Court dismissing a portion of the plaintiff’s claims.
Using the plaintiff’s failure to list his employment claims on his bankruptcy schedules, Mr. Walker secured dismissal of the plaintiff’s claims against an international logging company on summary judgment.
Despite the adverse parties’ efforts to dissolve and liquidate a profitable, regional and family owned construction company, Mr. Walker negotiated the separation of the company from its underperforming members.
Miscellaneous Cases
Following probate litigation, Mr. Walker successfully resolved efforts to deprive a regional non-profit animal shelter its share of a multi-million dollar estate, with full payment to the shelter.
For the personal representative of an estate, Mr. Walker obtained and satisfied a judgment after the defendant heir refused to repay the estate over $600,000 in loans, claiming the funds were gifts or advances on his inheritance.