Newal Squyres

A Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Newal has tried complex lawsuits to verdict in such matters as insurance bad faith; product liability; breach of fiduciary duty and professional negligence; breach of contract and shareholder/LLC agreements; lender liability; wrongful death; breach of government contracts; theft of trade secrets; and wrongful termination/whistleblower claims. He has handled countless other cases before judges and juries in Idaho state courts, and in federal courts in Idaho, Washington, California, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, including appeals before the Idaho Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In recent years, Newal has leveraged his experience to add the role of mediator into his practice, where he brings the same commitment to problem-solving and civility to his mediation efforts. He has become highly sought after by parties seeking to resolve a wide array of disputes through mediation, including all manner of commercial disputes in addition to professional negligence (legal, accounting, medical malpractice), construction, employment, personal injury (catastrophic injury and wrongful death), and trusts/estates.  He has conducted more than 450 mediations, including over 200 virtual mediations after becoming an early adopter of Zoom mediation during COVID. Newal is the only mediator in Idaho listed in the 2025 edition of Mountain States Super Lawyers®.

Newal’s approach to problem solving, persuasion, and working with diverse stakeholders to achieve his clients’ goals was shaped by his tenure in the Office of Legal Counsel on the personal staff of U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell from 1977-1979, where he focused on national security and counterintelligence issues, including passage and implementation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Newal was part of the small group of lawyers who met daily for breakfast with the Attorney General.

Newal has represented companies large and small—from Lockheed Martin, AT&T, UPS, Citigroup, and others—to local companies in virtually every industry and all segments of the economy.

Commercial Litigation

Newal’s experience spans the spectrum of commercial disputes and includes:

• Breach of contract disputes
• False Claims Act and government contracting
• Insurance coverage and bad faith claims
• Lender liability
• Misappropriation of trade secrets
• Product liability and breach of warranty
• Toxic torts
• Appeals

Employment Litigation 

Newal defends employers in a range of employment disputes, including:

• Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
• Employment Litigation and Class Actions
• FLSA
• Whistleblowing and Retaliation
• Investigations
• Wrongful Discharge
• Non-Compete and Trade Secrets

• Idaho State Bar, President, 2009; Commissioner, 2007-2010
• American Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Foundation, Fellow
• University of Idaho School of Law, Trial Advocacy Clinic, Faculty
• Idaho Bar Foundation, Citizens Law Academy
• Idaho Pro Bono Commission (on behalf of Idaho Bar), Founder; Member, Executive Committee, 2008-2014
• Executive Committee, Idaho Partners Against Domestic Violence, Member, 2008-2014
• John William Jackson Fund, Board Member, 2012-present
• Boise National Soccer Club, Board Member, 2006-2008
  Coach, 1986-2008

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• Idaho State Bar Richard C. Fields Civility Award, 2020
• Idaho State Bar Distinguished Lawyer, 2015
• Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial, Band 1, 2005-2022; Senior Statesperson, 2023-2025
• Chambers USA, Litigation: Mediators, 2025
  Over the years, clients have (anonymously) reported the following about Newal in Chambers USA:
  • “Highly qualified, a great strategic planner with great jury appeal.”
  • “A truly gifted litigator.”
  • “Handles judges and juries with aplomb, both at first instance and at appeals.”
  • “While so many lawyers are technically very good, Newal has the advantage of great experience, which really helps when developing a great trial strategy.”
  • Does a “tremendously impressive job; he is a great strategist and great team manager, able to look at things from every angle and get the best from everyone.”
  • “He’s not just a fantastic litigator, he has a broad range of talents that help him manage complex cases.”
• The Best Lawyers in America^® Lawyer of the Year, Litigation – Labor & Employment – Boise, 2012, 2016, 2018; Bet-the-Company Litigation – Boise, 2024
• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2005-2026; Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2022-2026
• Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star, 2009-2026
• Mountain States Super Lawyers^®, ADR, Business Litigation, 2007-2025
• Mountain States Super Lawyers^®, Top 100 Lawyers, 2014-2022
• Martindale-Hubbell^®, AV Preeminent® Rating
• ACLU of Idaho Liberty Award for “Statesmanlike Court Advocacy for Equity in Funding of Idaho Women’s Reproductive Health Needs,” 1996
• Department of Energy’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Waste Isolation Pilot Plant—1989-1992 (Idaho’s representative on 5-member panel, appointed by Gov. Cecil Andrus, represented Idaho in meetings with Secretary of Energy, testified before Congressional committees)
• Plaque of Appreciation from the Intelligence Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, October 1979 (presented on departure from the Department of Justice)