“This one goes to eleven.”  Nigel explains this to Rob Reiner’s character in Reiner’s classic Spinal Tap. RIP Mr. Reiner. I’ve been revisiting his impressive catalog of movies.  Meanwhile, this is the Eleventh Anniversary of our annual Lindquist New Year Newsletter, which covers movies, music, books, personal and professional highlights. Thanks for reading every year, or some years, or maybe for the first year. Again this year I tried to talk Chelsea and Sloane into watching Die Hard with me on Christmas Eve. Again I failed.  I did persuade them to watch the Paul Newman classic, Exodus, based on the Leon Uris novel. I had to explain to Sloane that Paul Newman was one of the biggest movie stars in the world for many years. Next up, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. RIP Robert Redford. We were reminded this year that life is short and uncertain. In Reiner’s movie The Bucket List, the Morgan Freeman character tells us the Gods will be asking these two questions at the gates to heaven, “Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others?”

Family Sloane, now 15, is going to drive this year. Please send prayers. In the summer of 2024, Sloane made her screen debut in Peter Farrelly’s new Mark Wahlberg movie, which was shooting in Australia on the Gold Coast.  Sloane shares a scene with Mark. He was gracious and let her know the paparazzi were posting pics of them together. Friends have been asking when it will be out and the answer is this spring. Sloane had an excellent season for the Bellarmine Prep tennis team as a freshman and looks forward to her sophomore year on the team.  We live a little closer to Bellarmine now because we moved from Tacoma to University Place. Our 1919 Craftsman in Tacoma is going on the market in a couple of weeks. Our new home is brand new construction, wide-open loft-like floor plan with a view of Puget Sound and the Narrows Bridge, so it’s a dramatic change from a classic Craftsman in the Wedge District. We love it and look forward to visitors.  Chelsea continues to work as Director of Communications, Marketing, and Advancement for Bates Technical College. This year she and her team organized the celebration of the 85th anniversary of Bates with a successful gala. I saw some of you there, thanks.  For our 18th wedding anniversary, Chelsea and I went to a Cameron Crowe reading where he was interviewed by Eddie Vedder about his new book, The Uncool, which is a cool read.

Safety I’m honored to report Mark Lindquist Law was voted “Best Personal Injury Firm” in Pierce County for 2025, the second year in a row. This public recognition validates my philosophy of taking on select cases and select clients. Our boutique approach allows us to deliver the best service and best results. This year we successfully resolved my last case from the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. We also posted high-profile wins in seven-figure cases against county and city governments.  I’ve long believed accountability leads to safer communities. It’s been a blessing in my life to be able to contribute as both a prosecutor and a civil litigator.  Our case against against Boeing and Alaska Airlines from the Max 9 door plug blowout at 16,000 feet is still pending. We represent 35 passengers. Accountability is coming.  I continue to do “expert legal commentary” for local and national media and speak at conferences. One of the highlights of the year for me was returning to Jakarta where I spoke at an aviation conference.  Mark Lindquist Law, by the way, remains at our same office in downtown Tacoma.

Travel In addition to Jakarta and Dubai, we made it to Fiji and Hawaii this year. Fiji has a unique vibe I highly recommend. Tony Robbins built a beautiful new resort there on Savusavu Island called Namale. Getting there is a long, Planes, Trains and Automobiles style adventure.  In Hawaii, we took The White Lotus Tour at the Four Seasons. The tour is cool if you’re a fan of the show, which was shot there during Covid. We also, of course, spent time at our new place at Seabrook. Our older condo at Seabrook, Urban Ocean, is in the rental pool. Please let us know if you’re looking for a family and friends discount.  If you are wondering what Seabrook is like, watch The Truman Show.

Music Though I admit I’m behind the curve on this, I have to share the utter joy I’m finding in Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet’s collection of covers, Under the Covers. Both the song choices and the performances are totally inspired. There is a heavy dose of tunes from the eighties.   Sloane had brunch with the ageless Ms. Hoffs this summer and is now one of her biggest fans. If anyone ever criticizes my parenting, I can point out I bought Sloane the Bangles first album when she was nine. Books Besides Cameron’s memoir mentioned above, I am a fan of Ryan Holiday’s new book: Wisdom Takes Work. This is the fourth and final book in Ryan’s Stoic Virtues series. If I didn’t send you a signed copy for Christmas, and you want one, please let me know. To repeat one of my philosophies yet again, Books are the best gifts. Sloane and I will be joining Ryan at a dinner party in Austin, Texas, this January, as I continue my never-ending endeavor to encourage Sloane to read, read, read, and support writers.  We wish you a peaceful, prosperous, and joyful 2026 that goes to eleven.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall is winning me over as a season. Gratitude and gravy, family and friends, a time to reflect on blessings and lollygag. 

As author, Holocaust survivor, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel said, “For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her face.”

I’m grateful for old friends and new friends, thank you. 

Book Recommendations 

Did you see the movie Searching for Bobbie Fisher? The child prodigy who was the subject, Joshua Waitzken, burned out on chess and turned to martial arts. He became a champion, again.  In a previous blog post I said I was going to read his book. I’m glad I did.

The Art of Learning, an Inner Journey to Optimal Performance is the story of how Waitzken succeeded spectacularly in two seemingly different endeavors. The lessons learned are universal.

Sloane, enjoying eighth grade, read To Kill a Mockingbird for school. I’m re-reading it. Harper Lee’s novel is even better than I remember, working on many levels. Both the far right and the far left have tried to ban it so you know it’s an awesome book. 

Our family will be watching the movie this Thanksgiving at Urban Ocean even though Sloane thinks there is something wrong with B/W movies.

ML Law 

I’m blessed to represent good people, albeit in challenging circumstances.  

Recently I was pleased to resolve a case against Seattle for nearly two million dollars. The family wanted justice and also wanted the city to change their policies regarding a “blacklist” used in 911 call responses. We accomplished both goals.  

Now I’m moving forward against Tacoma in a case where my client was paralyzed in a preventable shooting.  

You can read more about these cases and more on our website blog and media section.  

My case against Boeing for the crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 in Ethiopia may finally be headed for trial in 2024. I’ll keep you posted on our firm website or firm Facebook page.  

I’ve been commenting on legal issues for various media, including KIRO radio and KING 5 where I’m currently on a panel discussing the Manny Ellis trial. Oh, and ML Law has a Google business page. I’d appreciate your review, thanks.  

In my New Year Newsletter, I’ll be sharing some firm announcements. Let suspense build. 

Band Camp 

Martial artist Bruce Lee said, “Instead of buying your children all the things you never had, you should teach them all the things you never knew.”  

For example, I’ve taught Sloane about Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Cure, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Jane’s Addiction, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, The Replacements, X, U2, R.E.M. – Sloane has hung out with Peter Buck in his guitar room – and the band we will seeing in Seattle on November 26: Depeche Mode. See you there? 

In response, Sloane made me listen to Taylor Swift. Did you know Tay Tay did a cover of “American Girl?” Give it a listen. Seriously. 

China Syndrome 

Finally, Chelsea is back after two weeks in China where she traveled with Bates college students on a tour. Sloane and I did not burn down the house. We dined out.  

Thank you to everyone who wished Chelsea and me a happy 16th anniversary. We will hoist a toast to you and all of our friends and family this Thanksgiving.  

Thanks for reading.

“You can always begin again.”

Both Buddha and Bono said this so it must be true.

For the Lindquist family, it’s been a year of new beginnings, interesting firsts, and good stories. And, as I like to say, person who dies with the most stories wins.

New Puppy

Our first snow at Seabrook, our first trip to Disneyland, and our first puppy were among the firsts of 2022.

For more pictures from Seabrook, including the Great Snow, visit our Urban Ocean Instagram.

Many of you were aware of Sloane’s relentless puppy campaign. I suspect you’re not surprised she prevailed. His name is Biscuit Ferris Lindquist. I amuse myself by asking, “Where are Sloane and Ferris?” I rewatched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for the eleventh time this year.

As the Assistant Director of Communications at Bates Technical College, Chelsea had a crazy busy year. Among other things, First Lady Jill Biden visited Bates, which was a massive undertaking for the college. Still, Chelsea has found time to coach Sloane on puppy care. Biscuit is growing on Chelsea. And on me, too. 

I’ve been playing tennis with Sloane. She is on the verge of trouncing me. I’m continuing to educate her on the best bands, movies, and books before the bad influences of high school begin. She recently defended R.E.M. and Peter Buck when a schoolmate said the band was “lame.” I was proud. You have to stand up for what you believe in, especially when it comes to friends and favorite bands.

New Law Firm

Chelsea and I appreciate our many friends for the enthusiastic support of my new firm, thank you. We are also grateful to my clients for their continuing faith. After many years of incredible career experiences — writing and public service and an excellent firm — time came to form Mark Lindquist Law. 

In December, all four TV stations showed up to cover my first lawsuit filed under the new firm banner, a wrongful death case against Seattle involving a botched “blacklist” used in 911 call responses. Dan Beekman at the Seattle Times followed up with an article highlighting the need for Seattle to update and change their process. 

Part of what I love about my work is the opportunity to win justice for victims and their families and also accountability for corporations and governments engaged in bad conduct. This can lead to changes.

Speaking of corporate bad conduct, my case against Boeing for the crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 in Ethiopia may finally be headed for trial in 2023. I’ll keep you posted on my firm website or firm Facebook page. 

Meanwhile, we are adding a “testimonial” section to the website. I’d be honored if you would email me a testimonial from your perspective as a client, colleague, opposing counsel, community leader, or whomever you are. I’m grateful to all of you who have already sent one, thanks.

New Years Day

In the winter of 1983 I bought U2’s War on vinyl. 

As I walked out of the store, I removed the LP from the bag for some reason. A stranger saw me staring at the cover art. Best album ever, he said. Or something like that. He was right. 

To my mind. “New Years Day” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday” were the amazing songs promised by “I Will Follow” on their first album. 

A few years later I was lucky enough to hang out with the band and see behind the curtain when my friend Phil Joanou was directing the U2 movie Rattle and Hum. Some of you have heard those stories. Now I’m listening to Bono’s book Surrender on Audible. Charlie Harger at KIRO radio deserves credit for advising me to listen to it rather than read it. 

Here is Bono in a radio interview, “I have written that book that sits in front of you right there is because I wanted to explain, to myself and to my family and to my friends, what I’ve been doing…. And it wasn’t just, you know, being off – running away with the circus. It was other extracurricular activity – mission creep, you could call it. But … it was key values of U2 that were being worked out here.” 

If you are trying to work out the key values of your life or work, this is a guidebook of sorts from an ambitious musician who has not worked it all out, but is having a grand time trying.

Still, my nod for best non-fiction book of 2022 goes to Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday. “This means first, the discipline to step away and think: What am I doing? What are my priorities? What is the most important contribution I make — to my work, to my family, to the world?” 

Chelsea, Sloane and I hope you begin again and start some new stories this year.  We look forward to our paths and plot lines crossing.

Lately I’ve been writing more in my Mark Lindquist Law blog then in this author blog, so please connect with me there. Thanks for reading.

I’m grateful to be writing this from Bali. I’m taking a brief and beautiful break from one of my aviation cases in Indonesia. 

There is something Zen about the vibe here, which made me think it was a fitting time to post Chapter One of my Zen Lawyer column from the Tacoma Pierce County Bar News. 

I previously posted Chapter Ten on meditation.

Thanks for reading.

Zen Stories

“It’s not personal, it’s strictly business.”

Zen is a famously elusive concept. The word Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character chan, which derives from dhyana,a Sanskrit word for Buddhist meditation.

Buddha believed we suffer because of unsatisfied desires and resistance to the natural law of impermanence. Zen is an antidote of sorts. Because Zen defies precise description, Zen teachers use stories and riddles to illustrate the meaning.

One of my favorite Zen stories is known by different titles, including “Luck” and “Maybe.” My affection for the story may be due to the fact I’ve always felt lucky.

Luck Maybe

A farmer’s horse ran away. Upon hearing the news of the famer’s loss, his neighbors came to visit.

“Such bad luck,” the neighbors said.

“Maybe,” the farmer said.

The next day, the horse returned, bringing with it two wild horses.

“Such good luck,” the neighbors said.

“Maybe,” the farmer said.

The next day, the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, was thrown and broke his leg.

“Such bad luck,” the neighbors said.

“Maybe,” the farmer said.

The next day, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. They did not take the farmer’s son because his leg was broken.

“Such good luck,” the neighbors said.

“Maybe,” the farmer said.

And so on.

Courtroom Luck

Catholic Buddhist Jack Kerouac put it this way in his novel, On the Road, “Nobody knows what’s going to happen to anybody besides the forlorn rags of growing old.”

During a recent trial, I watched a lawyer lose a motion to exclude a witness and become angry. When the witness took the stand, the lawyer was still angry. As the sympathetic witness testified, the lawyer grew angrier. The lawyer was still fighting the motion he lost, he saw the witness as a bad break, he was lost in his anger. As a result, he missed an opportunity to perhaps gain something from the witness.

I watched this un-Zen example play out with a sort of awe because the angry lawyer managed to violate three precepts of Zen in one cross-examination: 1) it’s not personal, 2) things are not always what they seem, and 3) be present in the moment.

Nobody knows what’s going to happen to anybody.

Finding Zen

Zen can be found everywhere, in stories, in songs, in the courtroom, and in any moment you choose. As Robert Pirsig, the author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, said, “The only Zen you find on mountaintops is the Zen you bring there.”

You can even find Zen inThe Godfather, which I quoted at the beginning of this chapter.

It’s not personal.

Zen Lawyer

To be a Zen lawyer, next time you take something personally, or you imagine you know what something means in this short and uncertain life, or you cannot let go of something, take a deep breath.

Then count to Zen.

Indonesia continues to intrigue. On this trip, our band went up river all the way to Borneo. We represent 17 victim families from the crash of Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182 outside of Jakarta.

There are both similarities and differences with our successful lawsuit against Boeing in the crash of Lion Air JT 610 where we represented 46 victim families.  You can read more on my lawyer website.

Our clients are spread around the islands of Indonesia. In one of the cool highlights of my career, clients ceremoniously welcomed us into their families.

Once again I was reminded of how blessed I am to be able to assist people in need of justice. 

Urban Ocean Seabrook

Summer is coming. Urban Ocean is booking up fast.  We put our Market Street Loft at Seabrook into the rental pool this month. You can read about it and book it at “A Loft With a View.” 

Loft living, ocean views, easy downtown access, Urban Ocean is a vacation trifecta. Biased though I am, trust me on this.

And Seabrook is strangely enchanting, a cross between Martha’s Vineyard and “The Truman Show.”  You can see more at our Urban Ocean Instagram or my personal Instagram.

“We are tied to the ocean. When we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back whence we came.” J.F.K.

Movies and Books

On one of my long, long flights to Indonesia, I watched “Richard Jewell.” Directed by Clint Eastwood, it’s the true story of a hyper-vigilant security guard who saved lives when he noticed an abandoned backpack in a park. Inside the backpack was a bomb.  

Jewell is hailed as a hero for about 72 hours. Then the FBI and the media accuse him of being the bomber. He was not, of course. Still, he is subjected to three months of lies, gossip, speculation, and misleading headlines. Keep this cautionary tale in mind whenever you’re watching or reading “news” about a criminal case, or civil case, or just about anything else. 

Also on the flights, I finished James Michener’s memoir. While I’m not a big fan of his prose style, I am a big fan of his life philosophy. “I tried to always engage in tasks that had some significance and to associate with people who were trying to accomplish worthy ends.” 

He lived large, wrote it down, and succeeded in his goal. I admire him and recommend this memoir even more than his novels. 

Finally, one of his travel observations is consistent with what I often felt in the community as an elected prosecutor and feel again now in different worlds as an aviation attorney. “We are all brothers. We all face the same problems and find the same satisfactions. We are united in one great band.”

Thanks for reading. 

Today, January 31, is the last day I greet people with “Happy New Year!”

I am always enthused about starting a new year. I’m extra enthused this year. We sent out our New Year e-card with a Lindquist family update on New Year’s Day.

If you’re not already on our email list please join. Thank you.

Sad Movies

Meanwhile, in Spain, it’s the 30th Anniversary of the publication of my first novel, Sad Movies. Published in the U.S. by Atlantic Monthly Press, the book caught on and was published in seven languages. At the time, I thought this was pretty cool. I still do.

Outside of the U.S., it did best in Japan, Italy, Germany, and Spain.

Due to the anniversary, I was asked to do an interview for Vox Neuva. I think I said I look forward to visiting Spain again.

More Movies

As part of her ongoing pop culture education, my daughter Sloane and I watched Planet of the Apes. We started with the 2001 version. Next, we are turning to the 1968 original. The concept has aged well in our rancorous, divisive times.

Thanks to the pandemic, Sloane and I watched the entire Star Wars saga. We screened the movies in chronological rather than release order, which I recommend.

At some point, Sloane decided she needed a light saber. I bought her one. My wife Chelsea thinks I’m a sucker that way.

When the battery-powered light saber arrived, Sloane tested it out with joy. Still, after a while she wanted to know if she could have “a real one.” I asked Sloane’s friend and Congressman and fellow Star Wars fan Derek Kilmer if there were any real ones for sale. Apparently not.

New Books

I recommend Ryan Holiday‘s latest to begin your new year. The author of The Obstacle is the Way and Stillness is the Key explores stoicism further in Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius.

Organized into mini-biographies of various stoics, Holiday shares a highlight reel of life lessons.

“All things end. Philosophy is there to remind us of that fact and to prepare us for the blows of life.”

You can study in a few hours what it took some extraordinarily smart men decades of successes and failures to learn.

“Is it possible to be free from error? Not by any means, but it is possible to be a person stretching to avoid error. That’s what Stoicism is. It’s stretching. Training. To be better.”

For fiction, I recommend Jonathan Lethem’s new novel, The Arrest. It’s a dystopian, post-apocalyptic, Hollywood novel. The title refers to a day when technology stops working. Your iPhone, your car, your gun, your toaster, all of it stops.

This is difficult to imagine, but Lethem has a lively imagination.

As always, Lethem’s writing is smart, strange, sentence-driven and visual. “It was a season of burning leaves, burning light. Heaps of things burning.”

Personally, I’m a fan of his brief, cryptic chapters, though some might find a chapter consisting of a single sentence to be a tad too short.

This is Lethem’s 12th published book. About 15 years ago, I reviewed a collection of his essays, The Disappointment Artist. I’ve remained a fan.

Sriwijaya Air

Meanwhile, we’ve successfully resolved our cases against Boeing in the crash of Lion Air Flight 610. We were honored to represent 46 victim families. Assisting the families and getting to know the culture and country of Indonesia was a highlight of my legal career.

Sadly, another Boeing plane crashed in Indonesia recently, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182. While it’s too soon to say what exactly caused the crash, some theories and prime suspects have emerged. You can read more about it at my lawyer website.

Please let me know if I can help with anything.

Thank You

During this pandemic, I am especially grateful to everyone who has stayed in contact through this blog and my email list.

Thanks for reading.

What’s “the best live rock album ever” according to music critic Nik Cohn at The New York Times?

Hint: it features a 15-minute version of “My Generation.”

Yes, “Live at Leeds.” The Who. There are only six tracks on the original LP, while the CD has 14 songs. Both versions include the Eddie Cochran classic, “Summertime Blues.”

“Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do. But there ain’t no cure for the Summertime Blues….”

Ah, summer of 2020. I can hardly wait for the songs, movies, and books of this period in history.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Much of my time has been spent representing 50 victim families in the two crashes of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia. We’ve settled some of our cases. We are still working on others. Whether by settlement or trial, our goal is justice for the victims, accountability for Boeing, and safer skies for everyone. You can read more at my lawyer website or a Tacoma Weekly front page story.

For half of 2019 and early 2020 I was in Jakarta and on Bangka Island getting to know our clients and the culture. Also, truth be told, I took a few days off to visit Bali. For pictures see my Instagram.

Book Recommendations

This blog began more than ten years ago as a vehicle for spreading the word about books, movies, and music. I’m short on recommendations this month, but Sloane has a couple.

At 14 Maria Sharapova became a professional tennis player. At 17 she won Wimbledon. And at 18 she was the number one female tennis player in the world.

Her biography is titled, Unstoppable, My Life So Far. I’ve been reading it with Sloane. Five stars, Sloane says. Recommended for all ages.

Sharapova herself says, “This is a story about sacrifice, what you have to give up. But it’s also just the story of a girl and her father and their crazy adventure.”

It’s also a story about the importance of a positive attitude, hard work, resilience, and luck. Therefore, it’s an outstanding book to give to the children in your life. And to the adults.

Over the Christmas break, Sloane read Sisters and Champions, the True Story of Venus and Serena Williams, a children’s book. The Williams sisters are tennis stars who competed with Sharapova and share the same commitment and work ethic.

You can see more of my book recommendations in my updated Links page, which includes dozens of book reviews for The New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Times Book Review, The Oregonian, and The Seattle Times, among other publications.

Thanks for reading.

News reports allege 38% of Americans blame Corona beer for the coronavirus. Maybe it’s fake news, maybe it’s true. Either way, I’m back in the U.S. after working in Jakarta and visiting Tokyo and it’s weird here. 

As a comedian on Twitter observed, this is a time for us to all come together by being as far away from each other as possible.

How about some good news? Something to be grateful for?

Well, R.E.M.’s 1987 classic “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)” is back on the charts. With a bullet.

Work World

In Jakarta, I met with our clients from the Lion Air crash. We are making extraordinary progress for the 46 victim families we represent. This has been the most tragic and satisfying case of my career.

On my way home, I stopped In Tokyo. I visited shrines and Zen gardens. My hotel had a view that reminded me of Lost in Translation. 

Apocalyptic Fiction

My movie recommendations this month are from the post-apocalyptic genre. I suggest a Charlton Heston film festival. Specifically, The Omega Man, Planet of the Apes, and Soylent Green. This is a trifecta of semi-romanticized alienation. 

If you’re still keen for end-of-the-world stories, I like Michael Crichton’s Andromeda Strain, the first Mad Max movie with Mel Gibson, and, a classic, On the Beach with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. I loved the Nevil Shute novel as a teenager.

If you’re willing to risk madness with your cabin fever, check out Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys and Akira, a Japanese movie that was arguably the predecessor to The Matrix. 

No plague is complete without a reading list that includes The Plague by Albert Camus. Next I’m turning to Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I’m a longtime Vonnegut aficinado. In my youth, after my first novel was published, I wrote him a letter. He wrote back.

I’ve never read The Hunger Games or The Road or The Stand, but maybe now is the time. Post-apocalyptic fiction is in fashion again. To everything there is a season. 

Public Service

Meanwhile, real life continues to be stranger than fiction. Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib announced he was not running for re-election. Instead, he is joining the Jesuits.

“I have felt a calling to dedicate my life in a more direct and personal way to serving the marginalized, empowering the vulnerable, and healing those who suffer from spiritual wounds,” he wrote in his announcement. 

At the same time, King County Executive Dow Constantine, a good guy with great musical taste, has been using his social media to ask citizens not to hoard toilet paper. Seriously. He’s rumored to be interested in the job of Lt. Gov. 

With Governor Jay Inslee a likely cabinet appointee if Joe Biden is elected President, Lt. Gov. becomes an interesting position. If Jay vacates, the Lt. Gov. fills the big chair until the next general election.

I know Cyrus. He is one of the smartest and most intriguing elected officials I’ve hung out with. As I wrote on my lawyer website, politics has become an increasingly hostile and unproductive environment for those of us who believe in public service. I agree with Cyrus when he says, “In this time of consumerism, distrust and polarization, many Americans are longing for an encounter with the transcendent, the joyful, the loving.”

I wish Cyrus all of that as he continues his service.

Stay safe. Thanks for reading.

Matt Nagle at the Tacoma Weekly wrote a smart cover story about the transition. It’s a good read, though I might have titled it, “Planes Trains and Automobiles.”

Life Quotes

One of my rules is to not read about myself. I broke the rule for this article. People suggested I post it and another one of my rules is to not post anything I have not read. So rules were in conflict. This happens. I improvise.

Pablo Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” You can justify a lot of liberties with that line.

Among the things I like in the article are the quotes, including one from playwright Tom Stoppard. “Every exit is an entrance someplace else.” Other favorite quotes include advice and observations from Marcus Aurelius and Steve Jobs.

The story is another example of why weekly papers are surviving as dailies are dying. There’s a market for stories without contrived drama, hysterical headlines, and fictionalized “news,” aka tabloid journalism. That said, we might as well accept the tabloid tone of our times and keep in mind it’s all just entertainment.

Lion Air Update

The article covers our lawsuits against Boeing in the crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302. Both crashes were due to defects in the new Boeing 737 Max 8 plane.

You can read more about it in the blog of my lawyer website, including a previous post, “Global Safety.“

I also discussed the Lion Air crash with 60 Minutes Australia, Q13 Fox News, Yahoo Finance, and other sources. There is international interest. The safety of everyone who flies on Boeing airplanes is at stake.

Jakarta to Chicago to Denver

As I told Matt, I’m blessed. In my career as a lawyer, I’ve had numerous opportunities to vigorusly advocate for people on cases of concern to the community. It’s cool to simultaneously help individuals and make everyone safer.

So far this year, I’ve spent more than three months in Indonesia. I’ve grown fond of the country and the people.

I have also been in Chicago for federal court hearings and to mediate with Boeing. I like Chicago, lots of energy. Also, my new gig took me to Denver. They preserved and restored some beautiful old brick buildings. Charles Herrmann and I played a rollicking game of shuffleboard in Union Station.

Book and Movie Recommendations

Back in the Northwest, two of my good friends had movie premieres in a one week period. Garth Stein’s bestselling novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, is in theaters now. So is Where’d You Go Bernadette, a movie starring Cate Blanchett, based on the bestselling novel by Maria Semple.

Some of you were smart and supportive enough to snag copies signed by Maria and Garth at my campaign fundraisers, thank you. The movies are not as good as the books, but see them anyway. Support local artists. This is a good policy even when they have already sold boatloads of books.

Sloane made her red carpet movie premiere debut wearing a gray and pink dress, purple eyeglasses, and black Beatle boots. She was also featured in Matt’s Tacoma Weekly article. She turned nine in August. You can see birthday pictures on my Instagram, which is my main social media these days.

One final movie recommendation for this month: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino, the world’s most accomplished cinema geek, nails period details, bends and blends genres, and entertains you every second of the two-hour-and-forty-five-minute film.

I found the buddy story between Brat Pitt and Leonardo DeCaprio to be particularly engaging. Australian actress Margot Robbie makes the most of her supporting role as Sharon Tate. And, like other Tarantino movies, the script is chock-full of quotable lines.

“You know, you’re kind of pretty for a stuntman.”

Thanks for reading.

I hope you enjoyed Independence Day. For the first time in a decade, I skipped the bands and the salmon bakes and the parades and escaped to our family beach place. It was awesome. Sloane loved hanging out with her cousins, taking boat rides, and playing on the beach.

Seaside Reading

There is something meditative about the sea. As John F. Kennedy said, “We are tied to the ocean. When we return to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch, we are returning whence we came.”

The meditative aspect, however, was lessened slightly by the incessant fireworks, but no matter. It was cool.

The Lindquists ate fresh crab, drank cold beer, and generally relaxed. I caught up on my reading. Of late I’ve been focused on books about lawyers, trials, and our justice system.

Personal Injury Attorney

I’ve always loved being a trial lawyer, whether prosecuting a criminal case or a civil case. Justice, accountability, helping clients. The trifecta remains the same.

Please contact me if I can help with anything. Tell your friends, too, thanks.

Lion Air Update

Meanwhile, I’m continuing to work on the case of Lion Air JT 610, the first of the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes. I’ve spent much of 2019 in Indonesia. Recently I returned from Chicago where our federal lawsuit against Boeing is proceeding. You can read more about it in previous blog entries and on my attorney website. You can also learn more about it in a 60 Minutes Australia interview I did.

Life keeps growing more interesting. My memoir material keeps stacking up. Follow my Instagram for visual updates, including Independence Day photos and videos.

Book and Movie Recommendations

If you are looking for some smart summer reading, pick up Star Spangled Scandal: Sex, Murder, and the Trial that Changed America by Chris DeRose. I also recommend White by Bret Easton Ellis and, especially for Seattleites, Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple, which is just as funny on a second and third reading. Finally, Garth Stein‘s novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, is out as a movie this summer.

Zen Lawyer, the book version, is coming together whenever I have time. Chapter One from my Bar News column is posted on my Medium page.

Enjoy summer. Appreciate your independence. Thanks for reading.

Some news is fake, but it’s still cool to wake up in Jakarta and see your case on the front page of The New York Times next to a teaser about an old friend and fine writer, Bret Ellis.

After reading the interview, which was more profile than dialogue, I am not sure how Bret has calmed down. I suggest you buy his new book to find out. I did.

Lion Air Update

The New York Times got it right in their story about Boeing, “Days of Silence and Mistrust.” Their investigative reporting has been top drawer.

Local papers usually do not have the resources or talent for true investigative reporting, but Dominic Gates and colleagues at The Seattle Times have written a series of first-rate, fact-based stories. Gates covered the initial filing of our lawsuit against Boeing.

Meanwhile, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft is grounded worldwide. First, Lion Air Flight JT 610 crashed after takeoff in Jakarta on October 29, 2018. Second, Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 crashed after takeoff in Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019.

The circumstances surrounding the crashes are highly similar. I did an interview with 60 Minutes Australia discussing Boeing’s reaction to the unprecedented back-to-back crashes of a nearly new passenger aircraft.

The computer software that overpowered the pilots and drove both planes into fatal high-speed dives is called MCAS. At a press conference in Jakarta, I likened MCAS to HAL, the villainous computer in 2001: a Space Odyssey. Fortunately, there were some pop culture aficionados in the audience that understood and nodded.

““Liability will not truly be in dispute here. Boeing is at fault. Their equipment failed. Their planes crashed twice,” Mark Lindquist, an attorney who is representing the families of 26 victims of the Lion Air crash, told Yahoo Finance.

Public Safety and Personal Injury Law

I am honored to be representing victim families from both crashes. This has been a natural transition after a 23-year career as a prosecutor, from local safety to global safety.

In addition to aviation disasters, I represent victims and victim families in small plane crashes, wrongful shootings, government negligence, sexual assault, and other incidents causing death or serious injury. My focus is on cases against large corporations and the government.

For updates on these lawsuits, you can go to on my personal lawyer website, Facebook, Instagram, or my previous posts on this blog. Many of my cases impact public policy and corporate conduct.

Please contact me if I can help with anything. Tell your friends, too, thanks.

And thanks for reading.

Thanks to German novelist Alice Winter for this cool spring shot of the German edition of Carnival Desires. The English version is available on Kindle. Vanity Fair called it a “witty, minimalist epic.” Details magazine said it was “great postmodern literature.”

Published in 1990, it chronicles the adventures of a group of twentysomething friends in eighties Hollywood. I thought my life was pretty adventurous back then. And it was. It is more so now.

I’ve been in Indonesia and Chicago working on a case against Boeing. “Liability will not truly be in dispute here. Boeing is at fault. Their equipment failed. Their planes crashed twice,” I told Yahoo Finance.

Thanks for reading.

I recently returned from another trip to Indonesia. We now represent 26 of the victim families in the Lion Air crash. Our case continues to gain strength.

On the other side of the globe, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crashed on a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. There were numerous similarities with the Lion Air Crash: same Boeing plane, same problems with the new MCAS computer system, same fatal dive. You can read more about the cases at my lawyer website.

I am pleased to connect with these grieving families who need legal support. I am grateful to be doing this work.

In my travels, I’ve been reading. I downloaded the new Bret Easton Ellis book “White.” I’ll post a short review soon. P.S. Photo is from my Instagram.

Thanks for reading.

On behalf of the families of 17 victims of the Lion Air crash in Indonesia, we filed a lawsuit against Boeing. You can read about it on my lawyer website or watch Q13 coverage. These families are heartbroken and need vigorous representation.

In short, our lawsuit alleges two main points. One, Boeing equipment failed. Two, Boeing neglected to properly inform and train pilots about a new, automated system installed on the plane. Pilots were not even aware of the existence of the new system.

Pilots are fired up. Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the airline pilot who was played by Tom Hanks in the movie “Sully,” said to the LA Times, “Pilots are not being told or taught everything they need to know about their airplanes.”

Thanks for reading.

“This is a brief life, but in its brevity it offers us some splendid moments, memorable adventures,” Rudyard Kipling observed.

I’ve written a few words about our lawsuit against Lion Air on my Medium page. And I’m continuing to add photos to my Instagram, which is now my primary social media.

Anticipating a return to Indonesia, I’ve  been reading James Michener’s memoir, The World Is My Home. I think I’m going to break out Melville’s Typee next.

I have to add how much I appreciate all the plaintiff attorneys who have welcomed me into private practice, thank you.

In fact, thanks to everyone who has welcomed me everywhere.

And thanks for reading.

Back in the U.S. after more than a month working in Indonesia. I documented the adventure on my Instagram.

In January I joined a personal injury firm where I’ve been representing a large number of family members who lost loved ones in the crash of Lion Air 610 out of Jakarta. My commitment to justice, accountability, and the public good continues.

Happy new year! “Tomorrow is the first page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” Brad Paisley, a country music star, wrote this. My musical taste generally runs a different direction, but I like this line.

I wrapped up my “Zen Lawyer” column for Pierce County Lawyer this year. After a long career of published novels, articles, essays, and book reviews, I received the most face-to-face feedback from this column, which I appreciated. I’ve sent the stories to my agent for a possible book. Meanwhile, here is a seasonal riff on friendship, Chapter 12.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Facebook and Facebook. I hope to connect with you somewhere this year, maybe even in person.

My Instagram account just went public.

Zen Lawyer, chapter 10, features a crash course on one-minute meditation. Try it.

I continue to write book reviews for the Seattle Times, including, most recently, “Breem Gives Me Hiccups & Other Stories” by Jesse Eisenberg, star of “The Social Network.”

In the never ending endeavor of making our community safer, I finished a murder trial this month, convicting a defendant who had a wife, a finance, and a girlfriend. He divorced the wife and shot the fiancee so he could be with his girlfriend. You can read about it on my Facebook page.

June 30, 1996

“The Runaway Jury” by John Grisham

Reviewed by Mark Lindquist
New York Times Book Review

In his latest novel, John Grisham returns to his favorite theme: cleverness prospers. He’s also still hooked on the idea of the underdog who cons the evil cabal and scores big.

“The Runaway Jury” follows several vaguely developed characters as they attempt to manipulate the jurors in a high-stakes lawsuit against a tobacco company. Little of this plot is legal or realistic — but it is, of course, clever. Mr. Grisham has an unfortunate habit of concealing information and then revealing it for a quick plot jolt. This was less irritating in earlier novels like “The Firm,” in which there was also a point of view, a distinctive voice and some character development.

On the other hand, what do such quibbles matter, with a first printing of 2.8 million copies? Mr. Grisham, it seems, is living proof of his favorite theme.