NOTICE: SLIP OPINION (not the court’s final written decision)
The opinion that begins on the next page is a slip opinion. Slip opinions are the written opinions that are originally filed by the court. A slip opinion is not necessarily the court’s final written decision. Slip opinions can be changed by subsequent court orders. For example, a court may issue an order making substantive changes to a slip opinion or publishing for precedential purposes a previously “unpublished” opinion. Additionally, nonsubstantive edits (for style, grammar, citation, format, punctuation, etc.) are made before the opinions that have precedential value are published in the official reports of court decisions: the Washington Reports 2d and the Washington Appellate Reports. An opinion in the official reports replaces the slip opinion as the official opinion of the court. The slip opinion that begins on the next page is for a published opinion, and it has since been revised for publication in the printed official reports. The official text of the court’s opinion is found in the advance sheets and the bound volumes of the official reports. Also, an electronic version (intended to mirror the language found in the official reports) of the revised opinion can be found, free of charge, at this website: https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports. For more information about precedential (published) opinions, nonprecedential (unpublished) opinions, slip opinions, and the official reports, see https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions and the information that is linked there. For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/.
THE SUPREME COURT OF WASHINGTON ROGER LEISHMAN, ) ORDER DENYING FURTHER ) RECONSIDERATION Respondent, ) ) No. 97734-8 v. ) ) OGDEN MURPHY WALLACE, PLLC and ) PATRICK PEARCE, ) ) Petitioners. ) ) ______________________________________ )
The Court considered “RESPONDENT ROGER LEISHMAN’S MOTION FOR
RECONSIDERATION” and “PETITIONERS OGDEN MURPHY WALLACE, PLLC, &
PATRICK PEARCE’S ANSWER TO MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION”. The Court
entered an order amending the concurring opinion of Gordon McCloud, J., on August 19, 2021.
Now, therefore, it is hereby
ORDERED:
That further reconsideration is denied.
DATED at Olympia, Washington this 19th day of August, 2021.
For the Court For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
ROGER LEISHMAN,
Respondent. No. 97734-8
v. ORDER OGDEN MURPHY WALLACE, PLLC AMENDING and PATRICK PEARCE, OPINION
Petitioners.
It is hereby ordered that the concurring opinion of Gordon McCloud, J., filed January 28,
2021, in the above entitled case is redesignated a concurring in part and dissenting in part opinion
and amended as indicated below.
Beginning on page 1, line 1 of the slip opinion, delete all material down to and including
“respectfully concur.” on page 2, line 14 and insert:
No. 97734-8
GORDON McCLOUD, J. (concurring in part and dissenting in part)—Roger Leishman sued the law firm Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC and lawyer Patrick Pearce, lead counsel on the investigation and report at issue here. Ogden Murphy and Pearce defended For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, No. 97734-8 (order amending opinion)
on the ground that our state’s anti-SLAPP 1 statute, RCW 4.24.510, provided them with immunity from this lawsuit. Specifically, those defendants explain that—using the language of the anti-SLAPP statute—they are “person[s]” who are immune from “civil liability” that is “based upon” certain “communication[s]” to the “government.” Id. I agree with the majority’s resolution of the issue about the meaning of “person.” The anti-SLAPP statute shields “[a] person” who “communicates” certain information to the “government” from civil liability for certain claims. Id. The only exception that we have carved out of the otherwise expansive meaning of “person” is a “government agency.” Segaline v. Dep’t of Labor & Indus., 169 Wn.2d 467, 472-75, 238 P.3d 1107 (2010) (lead opinion), 479 (Madsen, J., concurring). The defendants in this case do not fit within that exception. They are definitely not government agencies. Even the complaint admits this. Clerk’s Papers at 2 (“At all times relevant herein, neither Ogden Murphy nor Pearce was an officer, agent, employee, agency, or department of the State of Washington.”). The conclusion is therefore inescapable: each of the government contractors in this case was a “person” within the meaning of the anti- SLAPP statute. But that doesn’t mean that all government contractors necessarily fall within the anti-SLAPP statute’s definition of “person.” I therefore disagree with the lead opinion’s conclusion that all “organization[s] or individual[s] [who] communicate[] under a contract with a government entity,” lead opinion at 2, constitute such “person[s].” Instead, based on the facts of a particular case, a contractor might be considered an “agent” of the government itself. But not here. I also part company with the lead opinion’s conclusion about whether the statute immunizes these defendants from all of Leishman’s claims or only some of them. The lead opinion sets up the correct analytical framework: start with the plain language of the statute. The anti-SLAPP statute immunizes a speaker from liability for claims that are “based upon” certain communications to the government. The majority then gives the undefined prepositional phrase “based upon” a very broad meaning. To be sure, the phrase “based upon,” when undefined, is not completely clear. The lead opinion concludes that “‘based upon’ refers to the starting point or foundation of the claim and includes conduct of the investigation leading to the communication.” Lead opinion at 16 (citing Tham Thi Dang v. Ehredt, 95 Wn. App. 670, 682-84, 977 P.2d 29 (1999) (emphasis added). Other decisions have similarly held that the phrase “based upon,” as used in a particular writing, should be construed broadly. E.g., PennyMac Loan Servs., LLC v. Black Knight, Inc., No. 2:19-cv-09526-RGK-JEM, 2020 WL 5985492, at *5 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 13, 2020) (court order). But some decisions have held that the same phrase, used in a different writing, should be construed more narrowly. E.g., Saudi Arabia v. Nelson, 507 U.S. 349, 356-57, 113 S. Ct. 1471, 123 L. Ed. 2d 47 (1993). The common point of agreement is that the phrase, when undefined, is not completely clear about its scope. So context matters. The context of this case is a statute that provides immunity from liability. “Statutory grants of immunity in derogation of the common law are strictly construed.” Dissent at 4. Thus, in this context, I think we must choose the narrower meaning. I would therefore remand to the trial court to sort out which claims are directly “based upon” the challenged communication to the government and which are based on
1 SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation.
2 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, No. 97734-8 (order amending opinion)
something other than the communication itself. In my opinion, the claims “based upon” the conduct of the investigation—exclusive of the communication—survive this anti- SLAPP challenge. I therefore respectfully concur in part and dissent in part.
DATED this ______ 19th day of August, 2021.
____________________________________ Chief Justice
APPROVED:
____________________________________
3 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. FILE THIS OPINION WAS FILED FOR RECORD AT 8 A.M. ON IN CLERK’S OFFICE JANUARY 28, 2021 SUPREME COURT, STATE OF WASHINGTON JANUARY 28, 2021 SUSAN L. CARLSON SUPREME COURT CLERK
ROGER LEISHMAN, ) No. 97734-8 ) Respondent, ) ) v. ) EN BANC ) OGDEN MURPHY WALLACE, ) PLLC and PATRICK PEARCE, ) ) Filed :__________________ January 28, 2021 Petitioners. ) ______________________________ )
MONTOYA-LEWIS, J.—The Washington State Legislature created civil
immunity for persons who communicate information to the government.
Washington passed its anti-SLAPP statute, 1 RCW 4.24.510, in 1989 in order to
protect individuals from retaliatory lawsuits that could deter them from making vital
reports to the appropriate governmental body. RCW 4.24.500. RCW 4.24.510
provides immunity to a “person” who communicates a complaint or information to
1 The term “SLAPP” stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation and was coined by George W. Pring and Penelope Canan in the 1980s and 1990s. See GEORGE W. PRING & PENELOPE CANAN, SLAPPS: GETTING SUED FOR SPEAKING OUT (1996); George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, 7 PACE ENVTL. L. REV. 3 (1989). For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
a federal, state, or local agency regarding a matter of reasonable concern to that
agency. This immunity applies to civil claims based on that communication. RCW
4.24.510. 2
Only a “person” can take advantage of the immunity RCW 4.24.510 affords.
In this case we must decide whether a government contractor hired to perform an
independent investigation is a “person” under the statute. We hold that they are.
Although immunities are generally construed narrowly, RCW 4.24.510’s immunity
unambiguously applies to organizations and individuals, and there is no language in
the statute limiting its application when an organization or individual communicates
under a contract with a government entity. When the plain meaning of the statute
grants immunity to individuals and organizations regardless of the content or motive
behind the communication, we cannot construe it to exclude an individual or an
organization hired to speak to a government agency. Accordingly, we reverse.
I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Roger Leishman, an openly gay man, began employment with the Washington
Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in Bellingham as chief legal advisor to Western
2 RCW 4.24.510 states: A person who communicates a complaint or information to any branch or agency of federal, state, or local government, or to any self-regulatory organization that regulates persons involved in the securities or futures business and that has been delegated authority by a federal, state, or local government agency and is subject to oversight by the delegating agency, is immune from civil liability for claims based upon the communication to the agency or organization regarding any matter reasonably of concern to that agency or organization. 2 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
Washington University in June 2015.3 Shortly after commencing work at the AGO,
Leishman began exhibiting serious trichotillomania, anxiety, and other symptoms,
which he disclosed to his employer. In November 2015, Leishman’s physician
diagnosed him with posttraumatic stress disorder and codependency; Leishman
informed the AGO about his new diagnoses as well. In a meeting in January 2016,
Leishman learned he did not receive a $3,000 raise given to other assistant attorney
generals due to complaints his supervisor made about his conduct at work. Leishman
contends that his supervisor based her complaints on homophobic beliefs. In
February 2016, Leishman submitted a formal request for reasonable accommodation
of his disability, which the AGO subsequently denied.
In March 2016, Leishman drafted a discrimination complaint alleging that his
supervisor made homophobic statements toward him. In accordance with AGO
policy, Leishman and his supervisor met to discuss his complaint. During this
meeting, his supervisor denied wrongdoing in connection with her statements,
accused Leishman of faking his disability, and refused to support his then-pending
accommodation request. Leishman admits that during this meeting he became angry,
restless, and agitated, and he raised his voice. Leishman formally submitted his
3 The facts come from Leishman’s complaint and are substantially the same as the facts recited in the Court of Appeals opinion. Becker v. Cmty. Health Sys., Inc., 184 Wn.2d 252, 257- 58, 359 P.3d 746 (2015) (when reviewing a motion to dismiss, we take facts alleged in the complaint as true). 3 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
discrimination complaint to the AGO. Leishman’s supervisor complained to the
AGO about Leishman’s conduct during their meeting, and the AGO placed
Leishman on home assignment, where he remained until his termination.
The AGO retained Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC (OMW), to conduct an
independent investigation into Leishman’s discrimination complaint and his
supervisor’s allegation that Leishman was inappropriate during their meeting.
Patrick Pearce, an OMW employee, headed the investigation. OMW did not inform
Leishman that the scope of the investigation covered both his discrimination
complaint and Leishman’s workplace conduct; Leishman believed the investigation
covered only his discrimination complaint. OMW drafted a report and concluded
that “Leishman has not established support for his complaint of discrimination
against him based on sexual orientation” and that “Leishman’s conduct during the
March 1 meeting violated expected standards of conduct for his position as reflected
in his job description.” Clerk’s Papers at 214-15. The AGO terminated Leishman’s
employment effective June 1, 2016.
After his termination, Leishman brought a lawsuit against the AGO. The
parties reached a settlement agreement, and Leishman released his claims against
the State and any officers, agents, employees, agencies, or departments of the State
of Washington. Leishman subsequently sued OMW and Pearce for negligence,
violation of the Consumer Protection Act, ch. 19.86 RCW; negligent
4 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
misrepresentation; fraud; and discrimination. In Leishman’s complaint, he alleged
that neither Pearce nor OMW was acting as the AGO’s agent, and, therefore, his
claims against OMW and Pearce are not barred by the settlement.
OMW filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, under CR 12(c), arguing
that OMW and Pearce had immunity under RCW 4.24.510. The trial court granted
OMW’s motion, and Leishman appealed. The Court of Appeals reversed, holding
that “government contractors, when communicating to a government agency under
the scope of their contract, are not ‘persons’ entitled to protection under RCW
4.24.510.” Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC, 10 Wn. App. 2d 826, 836,
451 P.3d 1101 (2019). OMW sought this court’s review. We granted review and
now reverse.
II. ANALYSIS
Growing litigation beginning in the 1970s targeted “non-governmental
individuals and groups for having communicated their views to a government body
or official on an issue of some public interest.” George W. Pring, SLAPPs: Strategic
Lawsuits Against Public Participation, 7 PACE ENVTL. L. REV. 3, 4 (1989). These
lawsuits, known as SLAPPs or SLAPP suits, “send a clear message: that there is a
‘price’ for speaking out politically.” Id. at 6. Many states responded to the increase
in these suits by creating statutory remedies aimed at defeating SLAPPs quickly.
Michael Eric Johnston, A Better SLAPP Trap: Washington State’s Enhanced
5 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
Statutory Protection for Targets of “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public
Participation,” 38 GONZ. L. REV. 263, 275 (2002). Known as anti-SLAPP statutes,
the protections that states provide vary widely and depend on the specific statutory
language that the legislature included. Id. at 276-80.
In 1989, Washington passed RCW 4.24.510—Washington’s anti-SLAPP
statute—and provided immunity to a “person” who communicates a complaint or
information to a federal, state, or local agency for claims based on the
communication regarding any matter reasonably of concern to that agency. To
determine whether OMW and Pearce are immune from suit, we must address the
scope of Washington’s anti-SLAPP law specifically.
The question before this court is whether government contractors, who report
information to a government agency under the scope of their contract, are “persons”
under RCW 4.24.510. An individual is undisputedly a “person” under the statute.
LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, §§ 1, 2. We have also applied this immunity to organizations.
See Right-Price Recreation, LLC v. Connells Prairie Cmty. Council, 146 Wn.2d 370,
384, 46 P.3d 789 (2002) (holding that a community council organization is immune
under the statute).4 However, we have also held that government agencies are not
4 See also Tham Thi Dang v. Ehredt, 95 Wn. App. 670, 686, 977 P.2d 29 (1999) (applying RCW 4.24.510 immunity to a bank); Harris v. City of Seattle, 302 F. Supp. 2d 1200, 1201 (W.D. Wash. 2004) (applying RCW 4.24.510 immunity to the firm hired by the city of Seattle to conduct an independent investigation of a hostile workplace allegation). 6 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
“persons” under the statute. Segaline v. Dep’t of Labor & Indus., 169 Wn.2d 467,
470, 238 P.3d 1107 (2010) (plurality opinion). The issue here is whether an
organization and an individual—who would ordinarily have immunity under the
statute—lose their immunity when they speak to the agency as a paid government
contractor. We hold that OMW and Pearce are “persons” under RCW 4.24.510
because the plain language of the statute unambiguously encompasses individuals
and organizations, regardless of whether they report information to a government
agency under the scope of their contract.
We review a trial court’s ruling on a motion to dismiss de novo. Becker v.
Cmty. Health Sys., Inc., 184 Wn.2d 252, 257, 359 P.2d 746 (2015). Factual
allegations in the complaint are accepted as true, and if it appears beyond doubt that
Leishman can prove no set of facts consistent with the complaint that would entitle
him to relief, the motion to dismiss must be granted. Id. at 257-58. If OMW and
Pearce are “persons” under RCW 4.24.510, then they are immune from Leishman’s
suit based on their communication to the AGO, and the case must be dismissed.
We start with the language of the statute itself to determine the meaning of
“person.” Statutory interpretation is a question of law we also review de novo.
Jametsky v. Olsen, 179 Wn.2d 756, 761, 317 P.3d 1003 (2014) (citing Dep’t of
Ecology v. Campbell & Gwinn, LLC, 146 Wn.2d 1, 9, 43 P.3d 4 (2002)). The goal
of statutory interpretation “is to ascertain and carry out the legislature’s intent.” Id.
7 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
at 762. Where possible, we “‘must give effect to [the] plain meaning [of a statute] as
an expression of legislative intent.’” Id. (alterations in original) (quoting Campbell
& Gwinn, 146 Wn.2d at 9-10). “[P]lain meaning is derived from the context of the
entire act as well as any ‘related statutes which disclose legislative intent about the
provision in question.’” Id. (quoting Campbell & Gwinn, 146 Wn.2d at 11). If the
plain language of the statute is unambiguous, our inquiry is over. Id. However, if the
statute is subject to more than one reasonable interpretation, we “‘may resort to
statutory construction, legislative history, and relevant case law for assistance in
discerning legislative intent.’” Id. (quoting Christensen v. Ellsworth, 162 Wn.2d
365, 373, 173 P.3d 228 (2007)).
The plain language of the statute makes clear that the legislature intended
“person” to include nongovernment organizations. RCW 4.24.510 states that “[a]
person who communicates a complaint or information to any branch or agency of
federal, state, or local government . . . is immune from civil liability for claims based
upon the communication to the agency or organization regarding any matter
reasonably of concern to that agency or organization.” The plain meaning of the term
“person” and the published intent of the act demonstrate that the statute
unambiguously covers OMW and Pearce.
The term “person” is not defined within RCW 4.24.510. However, “person”
is included in the general definitions under chapter 1.16 RCW. In RCW 1.16.080,
8 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
the legislature used the term “may” to suggest possible constructions of “person”—
including an organization and an individual—rather than providing a definitive
definition. RCW 1.16.080(1) (“The term ‘person’ may be construed to include . . .
any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an
individual.”); Segaline, 169 Wn.2d at 474.
While RCW 1.16.080(1)’s definition of “person” may be ambiguous in
general, the plain language of RCW 4.24.510 unambiguously covers communication
from individuals and organizations. In a 2002 amendment, the legislature published
its intent regarding RCW 4.24.510:
Strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP suits, involve communications made to influence a government action or outcome which results in a civil complaint or counterclaim filed against individuals or organizations on a substantive issue of some public interest or social significance. SLAPP suits are designed to intimidate the exercise of First Amendment rights and rights under Article I, section 5 of the Washington state Constitution.
LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, §1 (emphasis added). The published intent of this
amendment makes clear that SLAPP suits threaten the First Amendment and article
I, section 5 rights of individuals and organizations. Thus, the immunity applies to
individuals and organizations. This interpretation comports with our prior case law
where we have held that an organization has immunity under the statute. See Right-
Price Recreation, 146 Wn.2d at 384.
9 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
We must then ask if we should exclude an otherwise covered individual or
organization from immunity because they are paid under a contract with the
government. However, we “‘must not add words where the legislature has chosen
not to include them.’” Porter v. Kirkendoll, 194 Wn.2d 194, 212, 449 P.3d 627
(2019) (quoting Rest. Dev., Inc. v. Cananwill, Inc., 150 Wn.2d 674, 682, 80 P.3d
598 (2003)). There is no language in the statute suggesting that a contract is relevant
to whether an individual or organization is a “person.” In fact, the same intent section
of the 2002 amendment states that the change is meant to recognize that advocacy
to government is protected “regardless of content or motive, so long as it is designed
to have some effect on government decision making.” LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, §1
(emphasis added). Even if a contract motivated the individual or organization to
communicate with the government agency, the legislature directs us either to
disregard it entirely or give it no weight. Under the plain language of the statute,
whether the communication is motivated by a contract is not relevant. The dissent
argues that we should construe RCW 4.24.510 narrowly to apply only when it is
necessary to remove the threat of litigation that would otherwise intimidate a person
from exercising their constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the
government for redress. U.S. CONST. amend. I; WASH. CONST. art. I, § 12. While the
dissent is correct to note that we generally construe statutory immunities narrowly,
Michaels v. CH2M Hill, Inc., 171 Wn.2d 587, 600, 257 P.3d 532 (2011), when the
10 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
plain meaning is unambiguous, statutory construction is inappropriate. Campbell &
Gwinn, 146 Wn.2d at 11-12 (citing Cockle v. Dept. of Labor & Indus., 142 Wn.2d
801, 808, 16 P.3d 583 (2001); Timberline Air Serv., Inc. v. Bell Helicopter-Textron,
Inc., 125 Wn.2d 305, 312, 884 P.2d 920 (1994)). The plain meaning of RCW
4.24.510 unambiguously includes organizations and individuals—regardless of
whether they are paid under a contract with the government—as among the
“persons” who are immune from suit. The legislature specifically insulated
individuals and organizations from civil liability when they communicate
information to the government. It then directed that the communication is protected
regardless of content or motive. The legislature’s intent is clear from the plain
meaning of the statute, so we need not consider outside sources to interpret this
unambiguous term. Jametsky, 179 Wn.2d at 762. Leishman’s complaint must be
dismissed under the immunity afforded to OMW and Pearce by RCW 4.24.510.
OMW and Pearce, an organization and an individual, are “persons” under the statute.
Although legislative history is not necessary to interpret this unambiguous
term, the history of Washington’s anti-SLAPP statute is instructive on this point.
The dissent correctly recognizes the legislature’s concern about lawsuits being used
to intimidate citizens from exercising their constitutional rights to free speech and to
petition the government. But it overlooks how the legislature grappled to strike the
right balance between protecting SLAPP targets from litigation intended to
11 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
intimidate and requiring them to litigate in order to prove that they deserve this
protection. The history of RCW 4.24.510 demonstrates the dilemma of crafting an
under- or overinclusive immunity and the legislature’s ultimate conclusion that the
immunity must be broad in order to be effectual.
Former RCW 4.24.510 (LAWS OF 1989, ch. 234, § 2) limited the immunity to
claims based on good faith communications to the government. As originally passed,
the statute did not provide an efficient remedy to those who were targets of SLAPP
suits because the good faith requirement had to be resolved before the suit could be
dismissed. The good faith requirement increased the need for factual inquiry and led
to costly and protracted litigation, defeating the protection and immunity that the
statute was meant to provide. Tom Wyrwich, A Cure for a “Public Concern”:
Washington’s New Anti-SLAPP Law, 86 WASH. L. REV. 663, 669-70 (2011); see,
e.g., Right-Price Recreation, 146 Wn.2d at 374 (resolving the good faith issue more
than three years after the suit was commenced); Gilman v. MacDonald, 74 Wn. App.
733, 875 P.2d 697 (1994) (same).
In 2002, the legislature eliminated the good faith requirement for the
immunity but added statutory damages of $10,000 for a person prevailing on this
defense, which may be denied if the court finds that the complaint or information
was communicated in bad faith. LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, §§ 1, 2. These changes
broadened the protections of the immunity in order to make RCW 4.24.510 a more
12 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
effective remedy for a SLAPP target. See Johnston, supra, at 285-86. This
amendment struck a delicate balance. The immunity applies to any person who
communicates a complaint or information to the government—not only those good
faith speakers genuinely exercising their right to free speech or to petition the
government but also those who make their communications in bad faith. Those who
make their communications in bad faith may not receive statutory damages, but they
will be immune from the suit based on the communication. Thus, RCW 4.24.510
tolerates some degree of overinclusiveness: in order for the immunity to protect
against the burden of litigation that would deter people from reporting information
to the government, any person who communicates information reasonably of
concern to the government must be immune to suit based on the communication.
We must refrain from adding words where the legislature has chosen not to
include them. Porter, 194 Wn.2d at 211-12 (quoting Rest. Dev., Inc., 150 Wn.2d at
682). The plain language of RCW 4.24.510 includes no limitation regarding the
purpose of the communication, the published intent of the statute states that
communications are protected “regardless of content or motive,” and the legislative
history demonstrates that the legislature deliberately removed the good faith
requirement. The legislature could hardly have made it any clearer that this is an
immunity with broad application. The dissent’s contention that the immunity should
not apply in this case because it does not resemble a “typical” SLAPP suit simply
13 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
does not square with the legislature’s actions to broaden the scope of this immunity.
Dissent at 7. If the legislature decides that this immunity should apply more narrowly
to exclude individuals and organizations who communicate to the government for
business purposes, the legislature has the power to amend the statute. It is not for
this court to narrowly construe an unambiguously broad statute in order to make it
comport with our vision of who anti-SLAPP statutes should protect.
The dissent analogizes government contractors to a government agency,
which we held is not immune under RCW 4.24.510 in Segaline, 169 Wn.2d 467. But
none of the rationales offered by the plurality or concurrence in Segaline apply here.
In that case, the lead opinion concluded that a government agency is not a “person”
under the statute because the “purpose of the statute is to protect the exercise of
individuals’ First Amendment rights under the United States Constitution and rights
under article I, section 5 of the Washington State Constitution,” and a “government
agency does not have free speech rights.” Id. at 473. The concurrence agreed that a
government agency is not a “person” under the statute but reasoned that the purpose
of “the immunity, as well as for the attorney fees, costs, and statutory damages, is to
remove the threat and burden of civil litigation that would otherwise deter the
speaker from communicating,” and the “intimidation factor does not . . . affect
government agencies in the way that it does private individuals and organizations.”
Id. at 482. The concurrence also compared RCW 4.24.510 to a Massachusetts anti-
14 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
SLAPP law, which the Massachusetts Supreme Court concluded was “limited to
‘those defendants who petition the government on their own behalf.’” Id. at 482-83
(quoting Kobrin v. Gastfriend, 443 Mass. 327, 332, 821 N.E.2d 60 (2005)).
However, a nongovernmental organization or corporation undisputedly has
free speech rights, as does an independent contractor working for the government.
Citizens United v. Fed. Election Comm’n, 558 U.S. 310, 339-41, 130 S. Ct. 876, 175
L. Ed. 2d 753 (2010); see also Bd. of County Comm’rs v. Umbehr, 518 U.S. 668,
678-81, 116 S. Ct. 2342, 135 L. Ed. 2d 843 (1996). Further, the “intimidation factor”
discussed by the concurrence could affect a nongovernmental organization paid to
complete an independent investigation: the threat of civil liability for its reports
could deter an outside organization from taking part in an investigation or from fully
reporting information it uncovers that is of reasonable concern to the agency. Finally,
Washington’s anti-SLAPP statute is not limited to protecting claims based on the
right to petition like the Massachusetts law at issue in Kobrin; RCW 4.24.510
protects both the right to petition and freedom of speech. Compare LAWS OF 2002,
ch. 232, § 1 (referencing “First Amendment rights and rights under Article I, section
5 of the Washington state Constitution”), with MASS. GEN. LAWS ch. 231, § 59H
(referencing the “right to petition under the constitution of the United States or of
the commonwealth”). The features of government agencies that the Segaline
plurality and concurrence found dispositive do not extend to nongovernmental
15 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
organizations or individuals who communicate with the government pursuant to
contracts. As we have stated, RCW 4.24.510 does not permit us to inquire whether
a person’s motive in communicating to the government is to conduct business or to
exercise their constitutional rights. Dissent at 7. The fact that individuals and
organizations have these constitutional rights distinguishes them from a government
agency for purposes of this broad immunity. 5 Finally, Leishman argues that his
claims are not “based upon” OMW or Pearce’s communication to the government
but, instead, address the manner in which they handled the investigation. However,
“based upon” refers to the starting point or foundation of the claim and includes
conduct of the investigation leading to the communication. Tham Thi Dang v.
Ehredt, 95 Wn. App. 670, 682-84, 977 P.2d 29 (1999). Leishman’s claims regarding
OMW’s conduct during the investigation are the starting point or foundation of the
communication to the government agency, and his damages all stem from that final
5 The dissent argues that OMW was not speaking for itself; that by virtue of its contract with the AGO, OMW was not speaking to the government through a true independent investigation but, instead, was speaking for the government. Dissent at 6. However, Leishman concedes that OMW and Pearce are not agents of the government, and Leishman has released all claims against the State’s agents. Unless Leishman alleges that OMW or Pearce’s conduct changes their legal status, OMW and Pearce—as an organization and an individual—are “persons” under the statute. Without alleging a change in status, all we are asked to do is look at the motive behind the communication, which the statute does not permit. Whether an agency relationship would eliminate immunity is a question for another day. 16 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
communication. Thus, his complaint is “based upon” OMW and Pearce’s report, or
communication, to the agency
We hold that a government contractor is covered by the immunity provided in
RCW 4.24.510 because the plain language of the term “person” unambiguously
includes individuals and organizations, regardless of their contracts with
government. We reverse the Court of Appeals and reinstate the trial court’s grant of
judgment on the pleadings.
OMW and Pearce request reasonable attorney fees and costs, which they are
entitled to. RCW 4.24.510 (“A person prevailing upon the defense provided for in
this section is entitled to recover expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in
establishing the defense and in addition shall receive statutory damages of ten
thousand dollars.”); RAP 18.1(a).6
III. CONCLUSION
We hold that a government contractor hired to speak to a government agency
is a “person” under the statute. RCW 4.24.510’s immunity unambiguously applies
to organizations and individuals, and there is no language in the statute limiting its
application when an organization or individual communicates under a contract with
a government entity. We reverse the Court of Appeals and find that OMW and
6 OMW and Pearce do not request an award of statutory damages. Thus, we do not address that matter. 17 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC No. 97734-8
Pearce are entitled to a reinstatement of the trial court’s grant of reasonable attorney
fees and costs, as well as attorney fees and costs for their appeal. This case is
remanded to the trial court for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.
WE CONCUR:
18 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, No. 97734-8
GORDON McCLOUD, J. (concurring)—Roger Leishman filed a complaint
alleging that neither defendant was acting as an agent of the Attorney General’s
Office when they committed their allegedly tortious acts.
That allegation was soundly based on the facts: the defendants were the law
firm Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC and its lead lawyer on this case, Patrick
Pearce; the law firm and the lawyer were hired as outside counsel to conduct an
independent internal investigation; and they performed that job as attorneys should
by doing their own background investigation and interviews and coming to their
own independent conclusions.
When outside counsel perform such an internal investigation for the client,
they do not become the client. They remain outside counsel. Their conclusions
and advice rendered as a result of a thorough, ethical, internal investigation is a
report that speaks to the client, not for the client.
1 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, No. 97734-8 (Gordon McCloud, J., concurring)
For that reason, I agree with the majority that each of the government
contractors in this case was a “person” under the anti-SLAPP 1 statute, RCW
4.24.510. But I do not think that all government contractors are. Specifically, I do
not agree that all “organization[s] or individual[s] [who] communicate[] under a
contract with a government entity,” majority at 2, fit within the definition of a
person. It is only the ones who are not acting as agents of the government.
According to the facts alleged in the complaint, these defendant lawyers
were not acting as agents of the government. Instead, they were acting as outside
counsel, conducting their own independent outside investigation and providing
their own professional legal conclusions. Lawyers who are hired to do such legal
work and provide such advice to the client do not become agents of that client for
all purposes. Specifically, in this case, they did not become agents of the
government for purposes of the SLAPP statute.
I therefore respectfully concur.
________________________________
1 SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation.
2 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/.
Leishman v. Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC
MADSEN, J. (dissenting)—The majority is correct that the resolution of this case
turns on the meaning of the term “person” in RCW 4.24.510. Majority at 2, 7. I disagree
with the majority’s decision to give a broad meaning to the term “person” and extend
protection to a government contractor that is neither exercising its First Amendment
rights nor petitioning the government for redress of grievances.
Precedent has established that immunities are to be narrowly construed. This is
particularly significant because giving a broad meaning to the anti-SLAPP 1 statute at
issue has the potential to deprive citizens of their constitutional right to seek redress in
court for injuries.
In my view, the legislature plainly did not intend for government contractors
fulfilling their contractual obligations to be “persons” entitled to immunity for the
purposes of Washington anti-SLAPP statutes. I respectfully dissent.
1 SLAPP refers to strategic lawsuits against public participation. For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
Discussion
This case arises from a lawsuit brought by Roger Leishman against Ogden
Murphy Wallace (OMW). Leishman had worked for the Attorney General’s Office
(AGO) as the chief legal advisor for Western Washington University. He was fired from
this position after OMW investigated a discrimination claim Leishman filed against his
supervisor for allegedly homophobic comments, as well as Leishman’s workplace
behavior. Leishman later sued OMW based on its investigation, claiming, among other
things, negligence, fraud, and discrimination. OMW successfully moved to dismiss the
suit, arguing it was immune under Washington’s anti-SLAPP statutes, chapter 4.24
RCW.
In bringing a civil action against OMW, Leishman was exercising his
constitutional and common law rights. U.S. CONST. amend. I (protecting the right to
petition the government by filing suit in a court of law). “The people have a right of
access to courts; indeed, it is ‘the bedrock foundation upon which rest all the people’s
rights and obligations.’” Putman v. Wenatchee Valley Med. Ctr., PS, 166 Wn.2d 974,
979, 216 P.3d 374 (2009) (quoting John Doe v. Puget Sound Blood Ctr., 117 Wn.2d 772,
780, 819 P.2d 370 (1991)); Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, 564 U.S. 379, 387, 131 S.
Ct. 2488, 180 L. Ed. 2d 408 (2011) (“‘[T]he right of access to courts for redress of
wrongs is an aspect of the First Amendment right to petition the government.’” (alteration
in original) (quoting Sure-Tan, Inc. v. Nat’l Labor Relations Bd., 467 U.S. 883, 896-97,
104 S. Ct. 2803, 81 L. Ed. 2d 732 (1984))).
2 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
Leishman’s negligence, fraud, and misrepresentation claims are rooted in common
law. E.g., Mathis v. Ammons, 84 Wn. App. 411, 415-16, 928 P.2d 431 (1996) (listing the
common law elements of negligence); Sigman v. Stevens-Norton, Inc., 70 Wn.2d 915,
920, 425 P.2d 891 (1967) (quoting Webster v. L. Romano Eng’r Corp., 178 Wash. 118,
120, 34 P.2d 428 (1934) (setting out the elements of common law fraud)); Guarino v.
Interactive Objects, Inc., 122 Wn. App. 95, 129-30, 86 P.3d 1175 (2004) (noting the
elements of negligent misrepresentation). Our state constitution fiercely protects the
rights of Washington citizens to bring claims such as these in state court. WASH. CONST.
art. I, § 4; Schroeder v. Weighall, 179 Wn.2d 566, 573, 316 P.3d 482 (2014) (“[A]t least
where a cause of action derives from the common law, the ability to pursue it is a
privilege of state citizenship” under article I, § 12.).
OMW contends that it constitutes a “person” under RCW 4.24.510 and is therefore
entitled to immunity from suit. We review questions of statutory interpretation de novo.
Dep’t of Ecology v. Campbell & Gwinn, LLC, 146 Wn.2d 1, 9, 43 P.3d 4 (2002). Our
fundamental objective is to ascertain and carry out the legislature’s intent, and if a
statute’s meaning is plain on its face, then we must give effect to that plain meaning. Id.
at 9-10. Plain meaning is derived “from all that the Legislature has said in the statute and
related statutes which disclose legislative intent about the provision in question.” Id. at
11 (emphasis added). Meaning is gleaned not just from the “words alone but from ‘all
the terms and provisions of the act in relation to the subject of the legislation, the nature
of the act, [and] the general object to be accomplished.’” Burns v. City of Seattle, 161
3 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
Wn.2d 129, 146, 164 P.3d 475 (2007) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting State v.
Krall, 125 Wn.2d 146, 148, 881 P.2d 1040 (1994)).
Statutory grants of immunity in derogation of the common law are strictly
construed. Michaels v. CH2M Hill, Inc., 171 Wn.2d 587, 600, 257 P.3d 532 (2011)
(citing Plano v. City of Renton, 103 Wn. App. 910, 911-12, 14 P.3d 871 (2000)). RCW
4.24.510 provides immunity to a “person” who communicates a complaint or information
to a branch or agency of the federal, state, or local government from civil liability.
Lawmakers enacted chapter 4.24 RCW to address civil lawsuits that were being used to
intimidate citizens from exercising their First Amendment rights and rights under article
I, section 5 of the Washington State Constitution. LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, § 1; RCW
4.24.500, .510.
As originally enacted, the anti-SLAPP statutes did not mention constitutional
rights such as petitioning state and local governments for redress. WASH. CONST. art. I, §
4 (“The right of petition and of the people peaceably to assemble for the common good
shall never be abridged.”); U.S. CONST. amend. I (“Congress shall make no law . . .
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”); see also WASH.
CONST. art. I, § 12 (protecting the privilege of Washington citizens to bring claims in
state court).
In 2002, lawmakers amended RCW 4.24.510, stating
Although Washington state adopted the first modern anti-SLAPP law in 1989, that law has, in practice, failed to set forth clear rules for early 4 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
dismissal review. Since that time, the United States supreme court has made it clear that, as long as the petitioning is aimed at procuring favorable government action, result, product, or outcome, it is protected and the case should be dismissed. This bill amends Washington law to bring it in line with these court decisions which recognizes that the United States Constitution protects advocacy to government, regardless of content or motive, so long as it is designed to have some effect on government decision making.
LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, § 1. The legislature also added the award of statutory damages,
attorney fees and costs for defending against SLAPP suits. The reason for immunity as
well as fees, costs, and statutory damages is to remove the threat and burden of civil
litigation that would otherwise intimidate a speaker from communicating information.
Segaline v. Dep’t of Labor & Indus., 169 Wn.2d 467, 482, 238 P.3d 1107 (2010) (citing
RCW 4.24.500, .510; LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, § 1).
RCW 4.24.510 does not contemplate the type of conduct OMW engaged in here.
When the legislature amended the anti-SLAPP statutes in 2002, lawmakers expressly
noted the type of petitioning they intended to protect: procuring favorable government
action, result, product, or outcome. LAWS OF 2002, ch. 232, § 1. While this amendment
appears to preclude consideration of the content or motive of “advocacy to government,”
petitioning must be “designed to have some effect on government decision making.” Id.
The information OMW transmitted to the AGO may have had some effect on decision
making, but OMW’s communication was not “designed” to have an effect on
government. OMW had no interest in the outcome of its communication, whether it
vindicated or indicted Mr. Leishman. It did not engage in “advocacy,” rather it was
fulfilling a contractual obligation to investigate and report, regardless of the outcome. 5 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
Nor did OMW petition for redress of grievances—advocacy protected by the First
Amendment. U.S. CONST. amend. I (providing that Congress “shall make no law . . .
abridging . . . the right . . . to petition the government for a redress of grievances”).
Rather, the communication was sought and contracted by the government. Had the AGO
conducted the investigation itself instead of outsourcing to a private entity, the agency
would not have the benefit of immunity. In this instance, OMW was acting as the
government and not in a personal capacity. Simply put, OMW did not exercise the right
to petition sought to be protected by our anti-SLAPP statutes.
OMW’s manner of communication, under a contract with the government, is also
not what the legislature intended to protect. Where an interest group or individual
communicating information is doing so voluntarily, a government contractor is required
to communicate information or risk violating its contract. See Michael Eric Johnston, A
Better SLAPP Trap: Washington State’s Enhanced Statutory Protection for Targets of
“Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation,” 38 GONZ. L. REV. 263, 264 (2002)
(noting the usual SLAPP suit is a private business entity suing a public interest group or
individual making critical comments to the government about the entity).
As recognized in Segaline, the term “person” is ambiguous and its meaning varies
within the RCW. 169 Wn.2d at 473. The definition may include government agencies,
corporations, or only human beings. Id. Though Segaline was a plurality decision, both
the lead opinion and my concurrence agreed in result that a government agency is not a
person. Id. at 479 (Madsen J., concurring). Similarly, both opinions looked to the
6 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
purpose of RCW 4.24.510 when construing the term “person.” Id. at 473 (“The purpose
of [RCW 4.24.510] is to protect the exercise of individuals’ First Amendment rights
under the United States Constitution and rights under article I, section 5 of the
Washington State Constitution.”); id. at 482 (“The reason for [anti-SLAPP] immunity, as
well as for the attorney fees, costs, and statutory damages, is to remove the threat and
burden of civil litigation that would otherwise deter the speaker from communicating.”).
As in Segaline, we must also consider the purpose of Washington’s anti-SLAPP statutes
to determine whether an organization such as OMW, which is being paid under contract
to the government to provide information, constitutes a person. Here, the contractor,
OMW, was engaged in business, not in an exercise of its constitutional rights. Given its
financial interest in its communication, a government contractor is highly motivated to
communicate to the government and does not require that the threat of civil litigation be
removed to do so. Indeed, the very fact of offering services for hire makes civil litigation
a likely risk.
Similar to Segaline, the intimidation factor of retaliatory litigation does not affect
government contractors as it does private individuals and organizations. See id. An
organization hired by the government to conduct an investigation and report findings is
operating pursuant to a contract. Some risk of litigation to contractors may exist, but the
intimidation factor of that litigation is significantly less than in typical SLAPP suits and
an unlikely deterrence. Moreover, as occurred here, the risk of litigation can be
7 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
addressed through the transactional contract and insurance. See Br. of Amicus Curiae
Am. Civil Liberties Union of Wash. at 14.
The majority incorrectly construes the plain language of RCW 4.24.510 in holding
that government contractors are persons. Majority at 7-13. Its interpretation improperly
relies on the rights of other entities—organizations and individuals. Id. at 9. We have
previously held that an organization is a person under the statute, see Right-Price
Recreation, LLC v. Connells Prairie Cmty. Council, 146 Wn.2d 370, 384, 46 P.3d 789
(2002), and an individual is plainly a person. But a government contractor is not
analogous to the organizations involved in Right-Price. In that case, two nonprofit
citizen groups opposed Right-Price’s proposed residential subdivisions and after
members spoke against the development before the county council, Right-Price sued the
groups, the named officers, and their spouses, among others. Id. at 374-75. Here, OMW
was contracted by the AGO to collect and report information, unlike the nonprofit citizen
groups independently advocating against residential development in Right-Price.
The majority’s reading also overlooks the language and purpose of RCW
4.24.510. As discussed above, OMW did not engage in the type of advocacy
contemplated by the anti-SLAPP statutes. As the nonprofits in Right-Price demonstrate,
advocacy to the government for redress of grievances is entitled to immunity.
Information contracted by and for the government, however, is not an exercise of rights
under the First Amendment and article I, section 5 of the Washington Constitution.
OMW was not engaged in advocacy nor did it seek redress of grievances.
8 For the current opinion, go to https://www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports/. No. 97734-8 Madsen, J., dissenting
Ultimately, OMW seeks immunity from tort liability. It is long settled that
statutory grants of immunity in derogation of the common law are strictly construed.
Michaels, 171 Wn.2d at 600. Neither OMW nor the majority offers a reason for
departing from this established precedent under which OMW plainly fails to satisfy RCW
4.24.510. Instead, the majority misapplies our rules of statutory interpretation and
erroneously broadens the definition of person. I disagree.
Instead, I would adhere to the strict rule of construction for grants of immunity in
derogation of the common law and hold that a government contractor communicating the
results of an investigation to a government agency does not constitute a person under
RCW 4.24.510. Accordingly, OMW is not entitled to immunity. I respectfully dissent.
___________________________________ Madsen, J.
___________________________________
_____________________________________