Press Releases
Wilson Elser Announces Seventeen Lateral Hire Attorneys in Seattle, Including Eight New Partners
October 9, 2025
Steven Wraith is a seasoned litigator with nearly four decades of experience representing individuals, businesses, and professionals in a broad range of civil litigation matters. Over the course of his career, Steve has successfully resolved hundreds of cases and tried more than 30 cases to jury verdict. His practice focuses on commercial and contract disputes, as well as the defense of claims related to serious personal injury and wrongful death actions. It also encompasses construction litigation related to building and design defects and jobsite accidents, as well as the defense of complex claims involving product liability, premises liability, professional liability, and transportation disputes. Additionally, Steve has significant experience handling toxic tort claims and brings considerable insight to insurance coverage issues. In addition to his trial work, Steve has successfully argued more than 40 cases before the Washington Supreme Court and the Washington State Court of Appeals.
Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Steve practiced for more than 37 years at a large established Seattle litigation firm, where he served as President for twelve years.
Areas of Focus
Commercial Litigation
Steve has extensive experience handling commercial and contract matters. For more than thirty years, he has represented corporations in breach of contract cases, as well as defended owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and materials suppliers in complex construction litigation and against claims related to construction defect, directors and officers liability, and breach of fiduciary duty.
Product Liability, Toxic Tort & Construction
In the product liability area, Steve has defended numerous companies in wrongful death actions and against personal injury claims involving construction products, heavy agricultural machinery, industrial equipment, toxic torts, and consumer products. Additionally, Steve has defended owners and contractors in litigation arising from worksite accidents resulting in catastrophic personal injury and death.
Transportation
Steve has experience with the full range of transportation matters, including bodily injury, employment, premises liability, contractual, product liability, and regulatory matters. He is well-versed in defending operators, owners, and carriers in the transportation industry in catastrophic highway accident litigation.
Premises Liability
Steve’s premises liability experience includes defending a wide range of commercial and retail businesses, state and local governmental entities, and homeowners in various premises liability cases brought before state and federal courts. These matters range from minor slip/trip and fall cases to complex and catastrophic injuries sustained while present on privately and commercially owned properties.
Design Professionals
Steve’s professional liability defense experience includes the effective management of design professional liability matters. He has successfully defended professionals in various cases brought against architects, engineers, and surveyors in standard of care lawsuits.
- Seattle University School of Law (J.D., 1987)
- Washington State University (B.A., 1982)
- Washington
- Oregon
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- Washington Defense Trial Lawyers
- Defense Research Institute