Kellan Byrne

Kellan Byrne is a partner in WSHB’s Seattle office. His practice focuses on complex civil litigation, with an emphasis on professional liability, premises issues, and construction. In the professional liability arena, Kellan represents attorneys, real estate and insurance brokers, construction and design professionals, and various other individuals and corporations. He also has broad experience handling all facets of civil litigation. This includes matters involving premises liability, transportation, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death. As a member of the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Team, Kellan has also represented large businesses in high-exposure data breach class action matters.

Kellan is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court of Washington in the Western and Eastern Districts. He has also argued multiple cases before the Washington State Court of Appeals. Beyond state and federal court litigation, Kellan has extensive experience representing clients in professional disciplinary investigations and hearings, professional quality assurance commission matters,  and other administrative proceedings.

• Lindsay v. Azose Commercial Properties – Defense of property management company in premises liability case. Client managed property in commercial plaza that included co-defendant tavern. An altercation between patrons of the tavern spilled into plaza parking lot and resulted in multiple homicides. Estates of deceased sued client for negligence based on failure to prevent. Summary judgment for client granted based on (1) lack of possession or control of subject premises; (2) lack of special relationship with victims; and (3) lack of foreseeability of subject third-party criminal conduct.
• Westwood v. Watterson – Defense of excavation company in breach of easement and trespass action. Summary judgment for client granted on basis of Spearin Doctrine, holding excavation company could not be liable as a matter of law for merely completing work according to plans and designs it was obligated to follow.
• Private Hospital Arbitration Matter – Represented plaintiff hospital in private arbitration against defendant healthcare services organization. Hospital defended and settled underlying medical malpractice action alleging negligence on behalf of physician provided by healthcare services organization (physician was not employee of hospital). Healthcare services organization did not participate in defense of underlying action, and did not contribute to settlement. Brought arbitration matter on behalf of client to recover portion of settlement amount from healthcare services organization under theory of contractual indemnity. Arbitrator found underlying settlement was reasonable and based in part on provided physician’s alleged negligence. Secured award of $5.7 million on behalf of client.

Education

• Seattle University School of Law (J.D., 2015, cum laude)
• Washington State University (B.A., 2011, magna cum laude)

Licensed to Practice in

• Washington
• U.S District Court, Western District of Washington
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington

News

Publications

Memberships

• Washington State Bar Association
• King County Bar Association