Karen Southworth Weaver

Karen Southworth Weaver received her undergraduate degree from Yale and her J.D. with honors from the University of Minnesota Law School. While at Yale, she lettered as coxswain for the men’s heavyweight crew. During law school she competed successfully on an award-winning international moot court team.

Ms. Weaver is admitted to practice before state and federal courts in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska as well as before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She focuses her practice primarily on insurance coverage and bad faith issues, with a secondary focus on civil appeals. Areas of expertise include, among other things, property & casualty policies of all types, professional liability coverage, coverage opinions, coverage and bad faith litigation and appellate representation. She has drafted and revised professional liability policies and endorsements for healthcare professionals and midwifery professionals and has drafted endorsements for commercial general liability policies. Ms. Weaver has testified as an expert before committees of the Washington and Oregon legislatures regarding insurance-related bills and participated in the Washington Insurance Commissioner’s rule-making process for environmental claim-handling and lost policy regulations. Key appellate cases include Tank v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 105 Wn.2d 381, 715 P.2d 1133 (1986); Unigard v. Leven, 97 Wn. App. 417, 983 P.2d 1155 (1999), review denied, 140 Wn.2d 1009 (2000); and Unigard v. Mutual of Enumclaw Ins. Co., 160 Wn. App. 912, 250 P.3d 121 (2011). She has both prosecuted and defended actions for insurance coverage and bad faith.

Since 1993, Ms. Weaver has also been adjunct faculty at the University of Washington School of Law, teaching the upper class course on insurance law. She acts as an expert regarding bad faith and coverage issues and has mediated and arbitrated complex commercial insurance coverage disputes. She is a frequent author and lecturer on insurance topics. She is “A-V” rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been named a Washington “Super Lawyer” and listed in “Top Women Attorneys in Washington” numerous times.

Outside of law practice, Ms. Weaver is principal harpist of the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra, a trustee of the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra and an active supporter of Rotary International service projects. She and her family enjoy international travel, music and the outdoors.

University of Washington School of Law, Part-Time Lecturer in Insurance Law (1993-present). Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team (Best Memorial, Chicago Region 1980). Frequent speaker and author on insurance-related issues. Co-Editor and Author: Washington Accident Insurance Desk Book, WSBA, 1989, 1994; "UM/UIM Arbitrations," Arbitration and Mediation in Washington, WSBA, 1989, 1994. Frequent selection as Washington Super Lawyer and Top Women Lawyers. Board of Trustees, Everett Philharmonic Orchestra.