I am thrilled that it is officially going to be summer this month, as I have had enough of being cold and damp all the time, and of going to work in the dark. I realize that summer really rarely sets in until around August, but my ever-optimistic geraniums and lilacs are braving the wind and rain, giving a little hint of what is to come.
New Partners
If anybody in King County became a partner, shareholder or a member of a law firm in the last month, no one told me about it. Maybe it is a sign of the economy.
Of Counsel Joins Firm
Stacey Walters recently joined Vandeberg Johnson & Gandara, LLP as of counsel. Walters, who was formerly with Graham & Dunn, assists clients on a wide variety of media matters, including rights clearance, licensing, contract negotiations, pre-broadcast and publication review, corporate image, product placement, and employment issues, as well as servicing as outside general counsel.
Other Attorney Additions
Annette Messitt recently joined Breskin Johnson & Townsend, where her practice focuses on consumer, employment and business litigation. She previously spent more than three years prosecuting felony criminal cases for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Before that, she was an associate at Buck & Gordon, LLP.
Craig Simmons has joined Romero Park & Wiggins P.S. as its newest attorney. He most recently served as a law clerk to the Hon. Russell Bench of the Utah State Court of Appeals.
Outside of Private Practice
Former King County Superior Court Judge Michael Spearman has been named by Mayor Greg Nickels to replace Kate Pflaumer as Auditor of Office of Professional Accountability. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the City Council.
Appointments, Installations and Elections
Professor Anita Ramasastry has been installed as the D. Wayne & Anne E. Gittinger Professor of Law at the University of Washington School of Law. The installation included a lecture on “The Quest for Global Financial Integrity.”
Veronica Taylor was recently installed as the Dan Fenno Henderson Professor of Asian Law at the University of Washington School of Law. The installation ceremony included Professor Taylor’s lecture on lawyers, guns and money.
Alan Merkle has been named chair of Stoel Rives LLP. He succeeds Ron Lone, who is returning to full-time practice in Stoel Rives’ Seattle office. Merkle has been with Stoel Rives since 1983. His practice focuses on energy infrastructure and construction and design matters.
Jennifer Wyatt has been appointed vice chair of the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Ethics and Professionalism Committee for 2009-2010. Wyatt is a member of Lane Powell’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.
Honors and Awards
Ron Perey of the Perey Law Group, PLLC was awarded the 2009 Alvin Anderson Award by the Washington State Association for Justice/WSAJ (formerly known as WSTLA). The award was established in 1993 to recognize a person who exhibits extraordinary energy, effort and commitment in helping generate the economic resources necessary to enable WSAJ to promote and preserve the civil justice system.
The Washington State Association for Justice recently granted 20-year Judicial Service awards to King County Superior Court judges William Downing, Joan DuBuque and LeRoy McCullough.
Shan Mullin of Perkins Coie LLP was recently honored as the 2009 Not-For-Profit Director of the Year by the Seattle-Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Obituaries
Auburn attorney Robert Smythe recently died. He had served the Auburn legal community since 1959. He was City Attorney for the City of Auburn for 20 years and had just received an award for 50 years of outstanding service. He practiced in partnership with his daughter, Stacey Smythe, at Smythe & Smythe Law Offices.
Stimson Bullitt recently died at the age 89. He was probably best known (at least in my opinion) for serving as president of King Broadcasting Company and for founding Harbor Properties, Inc., the developer of Harbor Steps, which is a stone’s throw from my deck if I could aim better. Bullitt also served in the Navy in World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart. He received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law and was known for a wide variety of activities, including writing and a strong interest in the environment.
Brian Putra recently died at the age of 65. He received his undergraduate degree from Gonzaga University, his law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law, and his LL.M. from Boston University. He was a partner in Peterson Young & Putra.
Calvert Knudsen recently died of cancer at the age of 85. He received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1950 and practiced at Bogle and Gates. He also served as chairman and CEO of MacMillan Bloedel and was chairman of the Argyle Wine Company.
Karen Sutherland is the assistant managing member and chair of the Employment and Labor Law Practice Group at Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, and chair of the KCBA Bar Bulletin Committee. Her practice focuses on employment law and complex litigation. She can be reached at 1601 Fifth Ave., Suite 2100, Seattle 98101, by phone at 206-447-7000, by fax at 206-447-0215 or by email at ksutherland@omwlaw.com.
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