Caesar Kalinowski IV

Associate

Whether defending our country or a client, you can count on me to fight aggressively for your interests.

Caesar Kalinowski IV takes an expansive view of his clients' First Amendment and intellectual property rights, regularly defending lawsuits targeting expression, religious practice, and fair use of artistic material. Drawing on his background in global special operations and intelligence collection, Caesar loves working in small teams under demanding circumstances to push back on government overreach. Caesar also regularly litigates issues related to press freedoms and fair reporting on matters of public concern, in addition to championing First Amendment and Section 230 protections for social media platforms and technology providers.

Human Rights Defense Center v. Baxter County, Ark.

Following a successful bench trial in 2023 that enjoined an Arkansas jail's restrictive mail policy and book ban under the First Amendment, defended the district court's opinion against the County's appeal, resulting in an opinion affirming the permanent injunction and a six-figure fee award. (8th Cir. 2025)

Students Engaged in Advancing Texas v. Paxton

Won preliminary injunction facially enjoining key provisions of Texas SCOPE Act, which creates a system of overlapping content-based prior restraints that restrict Texans' access to social media content. (W.D. Tex. 2025)

Treez v. USCIS

Represented software provider Treez in an administrative challenge to USCIS's erroneous denial of an H-1B petition. Won judgment against the agency for arbitrarily denying Treez's H-1B immigration visa for its software director on the erroneous ground that Treez was aiding and abetting violations of federal drug laws. As a result of the agency's misconduct during litigation, also obtained an order of contempt based on the agency's repeated refusals to comply with court orders regarding the scope of the administrative record. (N.D. Cal. 2024)

Siddharth Jha v. Varisha Khan, et al.

Defended a complete award of all attorneys' fees under the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, which stemmed from dismissal of a meritless SLAPP suit on First Amendment grounds, resulting in a second award of appellate fees and monetary sanctions against the SLAPP plaintiff. (Wash. App. 2024)

National Public Radio v. Central Command

Successfully argued on behalf of NPR for reversal of trial court's earlier judgment for CENTCOM, a Department of Defense component, resulting in remand of the news organization's Freedom of Information Act suit and requirements for CENTCOM to conduct additional searches concerning the deadliest friendly fire incident in modern history. (9th Cir. 2024)

Admitted to Practice

Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

Education

J.D., University of Washington School of Law, with honors
- Dean's Medal
- President, Military Law Association
- Latina/o Law Students Association
- Moot Court Honor Board
B.A., Intelligence Studies, American Military University, magna cum laude
- President's List

Languages

Czech, Spanish

Memberships & Affiliations

- History Chair, Washington State Bar Licensure Task Force
- Washington Attorney General Advisory Board Member
- Ninth Circuit Appellate Lawyer Representative
- King County Bar Association Judicial Conferencing Committee
- Former Chair, Washington State Veterans Bar Association
- Latina/o Bar Association of Washington

Professional Recognition

- Selected to a list of "Ones to Watch" by Best Lawyers
- Named "One to Watch" by Best Lawyers in Appellate Practice, 2024-2025; Commercial Litigation, 2024-2025; Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2024-2025
- Chief Justice Mary E. Fairhurst Award of Merit, Washington State Bar Association, 2023
- Julie Orr Heart of Justice Award, Davis Wright Tremaine, 2019

Background

- Law Clerk, Hon. Richard C. Tallman, United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, Seattle
- Summer Associate, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Seattle
- Legal Extern, Washington State Supreme Court, Olympia, Wash.
- Law Clerk, United States Attorney's Office, Seattle
- United States Marine Corps, 2004-2014