By Karen Sutherland
This is a banner month for those of you who like to see your names in the paper because it is the time of year that firms announce all those folks who got promoted effective January 1. I’m hoping that the number of announcements is reflective of a change in the economy, as opposed to mere unfettered optimism. But then again, with the days getting longer and the nights getting a little warmer, I’m feeling a bit optimistic myself.
New Firm Owners
Schwerin Campbell Barnard LLP recently announced that Terry Costello has become a partner in the firm. He will continue his practice representing labor unions and employees in employment litigation.
Kevin Lederman has joined the Law Offices of Cowan & Miller as a partner practicing exclusively in the area of immigration law. He received his bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1986 and his J.D. from the U-Dub Law School in 1989.
Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S. has named three new principals of the firm, Maureen Burke, John Knapp, Jr., and Whitney Leibow. Burke is a member of the firm’s litigation group and advises clients in all phases of dispute resolution. Knapp is a member of the firm’s creditor’s rights and bankruptcy group, advising businesses and individuals on bankruptcy and commercial law matters. Leibow is a member of the firm’s technology transactions and corporate finance and business groups, where his practice focuses on technology and commercial finance matters.
Andrea Holburn and Jody Reich have been elected shareholders at Betts, Patterson & Mines. They are both members of the firm’s complex litigation group and continue to focus their practices on commercial and insurance defense litigation.
Holland & Knight, LLP recently elevated Joanie Kim to partner status. She is a member of the business law section of the firm and practices in corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions and franchise law. She earned her B.A. from the U-Dub and her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law.
John MacDougall, formerly of Madden Poliak MacDougall & Williamson, has become a partner at Montgomery Scarp, which (not coincidentally) is now doing business as Montgomery Scarp MacDougall, PLLC.
Stoel Rives has promoted two attorneys to principal in its Seattle office, Melanie Curtice and John Pierce. Curtice practices in the firm’s employee benefits section and concentrates on health and welfare benefit plan matters and tax, ERISA, HIPAA and other compliance issues. She graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 1998 and California State Polytechnic University, cum laude, in 1990.
Pierce advises clients in business transactions relating to project finance, energy and related infrastructure, mergers and acquisitions, corporate matters and privatizations. Pierce received his B.S., magna cum laude, from San Francisco State University in 1990 and his J.D. with high honors from the U-Dub School of Law in 1993.
In January, I listed Peter Eglick of Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell as a new associate, when he is really a partner with the firm. Eglick represents property owners, homeowner’s associations, citizen groups and municipalities. Sorry about that.
Jennifer Divine has been promoted to partner at Helsell Fetterman. Divine has been with the firm since 1993 and has an extensive background as an employment attorney and civil litigator. Divine received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
Foster Pepper Shefelman, PLLC recently announced that associates Todd Hayes, James McNeill III, David Snyder and John “Jack” Zahner have been elected members of the firm. Hayes joined the firm in 2004 as an associate in the litigation practice group, where he focuses on representing policyholders in insurance coverage litigation, construction defect litigation, and appellate advocacy. Hayes was previously an associate with Stanislaw Ashbaugh. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings School of Law in 1996, and his B.A. from the U-Dub in 1990.
McNeill, formerly of counsel to the firm, works in the municipal and public finance practice group. He received his J.D. from Gonzaga University in 1985 and his B.A. from Wazzu in 1982.
Snyder joined FP&S in 2002 as an associate in the litigation practice group, where he focuses on complex litigation matters. He was previously an associate with a Washington D.C. firm. Snyder received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center with honors in 1998 and his B.A., with honors, from Willamette University in 1995.
Zahner joined FP&S’s litigation practice group in 2002, where his practice focuses on insurance issues. He was previously a litigation associate with Tousley Brain Stephens. Zahner received his J.D. from the U-Dub School of Law in 1994 and his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1989.
Michael Atkins and Kimberly Stephan have been elected shareholders in Graham & Dunn. Atkins is a member of the firm’s communications team where he represents media, telecommunications, and other clients. He received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1996.
Stephan is a member of G&D’s financial services team, where her practice focuses on corporate finance and securities, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate matters. She received her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1996.
Garvey Schubert Barer has promoted Christopher Brown and Kenneth Schubert III to become owners. Brown joined the firm as an associate in 1999 and is in the business, federal taxation, state and local taxation and mergers and acquisitions groups. He received his J.D. from the U-Dub School of Law in 1995 and was admitted to the Washington State Bar in 1999. Schubert focuses on business, commercial and product liability litigation, arbitration and mediation. He received his J.D. from the U-Dub Law School in 1997. He is also a member of the Oregon State Bar.
M. Edward Taylor has been named a shareholder with Sebris Busto James. His practice focuses exclusively on labor and employment law representing businesses and government employers.
Valerie du Laney has been named a partner in the Seattle office of Miller Nash, LLP. du Laney joined the firm in 1999 and practices in the areas of intellectual property counseling, licensing, dispute resolution and prosecution in a variety of industries.
John Sherwood Jr. has been named a partner at Peterson Russell Kelley, PLLC. Sherwood’s practice focuses on real estate, business planning, tax law, estate planning, probate and trust law. He graduated from Arizona State University in 1994, earned his law degree from Gonzaga University of School of Law in 1997, and his masters in tax law from the U-Dub in 1998.
Bullivant Houser Bailey PC has named Gregory Clark as a shareholder. Clark joined the firm in 2001 and represents owners, contractors and design professionals in construction matters. A former general contractor, Clark, received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and his B.S. degree from California State University at Hayward.
Barry Kaplan and Douglas Greene have become partners in the Seattle office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Both were previously partners at Perkins Coie, and will be practicing litigation at their new firm. Wilson Sonsini represents technology companies.
Associate Additions
Foster Pepper & Shefelman PLLC recently announced that Catherine Drews, Thomas Hall and Mark Munro have joined the firm’s Seattle office as associates.
Drews is in the firm’s land use and environmental practice group where she focuses on environmental and land use law and litigation. Drews formerly was an attorney with Preston Gates Ellis LLP. She received her J.D. from the U-Dub School of Law and her B.A. from the U-Dub College of Forest Resources.
Hall, formerly an associate with a California firm, is an associate in FP&S’s business practice group. His practice is geared towards serving as a company’s general outside counsel. Hall received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, with honors, and his B.A. from the U-Dub.
Munro, who was formerly an associate with Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP, is in FP&S’s business practice group, where he focuses on Federal and Washington state tax law. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, with honors, and his B.A. from Willamette University.
Cairncross & Hempelmann recently announced three new associate attorneys. The new additions are Diankha Linear, Ryan McFarland and Roxanne Spiegel.
Linear, formerly of Perkins Coie, LLP, joins the firm’s litigation group. Her practice focuses on representing business on a range of litigation matters.
McFarland, formerly of Hanson Baker Ludlow Drumheller P.S., has joined the C&H’s (I must be hungry-- the abbreviation is reminding me of the sugar company) real estate group where his practice focuses on acquisition, development, operation and disposition of interest in real property.
Spiegel has joined the firm’s technology transactions group where she advises clients on structuring and negotiating software development, service, strategic alliance, and other technology-related subjects. Spiegel was formerly independent counsel to a number of local and regional technology-based companies.
Other Attorney Additions
Connie Sue Manos Martin recently joined the Nadler Law Group PLLC. Martin’s practice involves commercial litigation, environmental, land use and natural resources law and Indian Law. She earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from Seattle University in 1996, her B.S. in psychology from Ohio State University, and her M.A. in psychology from the University of Hawaii. She is admitted to practice in Washington and Oregon.
Steven Leppard has become associated with O’Brien, Barton, Wieck & Joe PLLP. Leppard’s practice focuses on estate planning, probate administration, guardianship and elder law. Leppard was previously in private practice in Maple Valley and most recently served for three years as the guardianship and probate facilitator for the King County Superior Court’s ex parte department.
W. Scott Wert has joined the Seattle office of Stoel Rives LLP. Wert practices in the firm’s real estate practice group, and his experience includes project financings and other real and personal property secured financings. Wert is a graduate of Rutgers School of Law-Camden, where he received a J.D. with honors in 1981, Rutgers University, where he received a B.S. with highest honors in 1978, and Covenant College, where he received his B.A., summa cum laude, in 1975. Wert was previously a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP.
Hank Balson, formerly with Columbia Legal Services’ Institutions Project, joined the Public Interest Law Group, PLLC. His practice concentrates on civil rights, predatory lending, wage and hour law, and public disclosure.
New Names, New Locations
Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP has become Lane Powell PC. I personally welcome the firm’s change of name, as it will make my column much faster to dictate in the future.
Stefanie Quane, a/k/a The Law Lady, recently purchased a Tudor building at 68th and Roosevelt where she is creating a holistic law/collaborative divorce center and is looking for lawyer tenants to share her vision.
Steven Jager is pleased to announce the opening of Jager Law Office PLLC, where he is joined by fellow Lee Smart alumni, David Betz, Marianna Valasek-Clark, as well as Marnie Bergman, formerly of Salmi and Gillaspy.
Outside of Private Practice
Judge Terry Lukens (retired) has joined JAMS as a mediator/arbitrator. Lukens was on the bench of the King County Superior Court from 1999 until January 2005. Before joining the bench, Lukens was a shareholder with Karr Tuttle Campbell from 1974 until 1999, where he specialized in commercial law. Lukens was mayor of the City of Bellevue and a member of the Bellevue City Council and Bellevue Planning Commission, among other things. Lukens has also been named an adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law beginning in the fall of 2005. Lukens earned his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, with honors, in 1973 and his A.B. from Brown University in 1965.
Seabold Group has announced that Susan Coskey has joined the firm as a principal. Coskey is a human resources and organizational development consultant who previously served as vice president of human resources at RealNetworks and, prior to that, a principal at Garvey Schubert & Barer.
“Your” Seattle Mariners recently hired Mat Olkin as a player/acquisition consultant. Olkin, who received his J.D. from Pace University, is a sabermetrician. He previously worked at STATS, Inc. and contributed to numerous baseball publications. For those of you who are wondering what a sabermetrician is, just ask your nearest hardcore baseball fan or pick up a copy of the book Moneyball.
Honors, Awards, and Accolades
Jeff James, a partner at Sebris Busto James, was elected to the executive board of the Washington State Bar Association-Labor and Employment Law Section.
Stoel Rives LLP recently announced that Beth Ugoretz has become the firm’s new managing partner. She rejoins the firm after ten years of executive-level business experience, most recently as senior vice president and general counsel for Northwest Natural Gas. Ugoretz joined Stoel Rives as an associate in 1983 and was named partner in 1990, and is returning after a ten year absence. She is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law, where she received her J.D., cum laude, in 1983, and Stanford University, where she received her A.B. in 1977.
Donald Black was recently named assistant managing member of my absolute favorite law firm, Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, replacing yours truly. Black, who joined the firm as an associate in 1997, has been a member of the firm since 2003. Black’s practice focuses on healthcare and hospital law. Karen Sutherland, the former AMM, continues as Chair of the firm’s Employment and Labor Law Practice Group and continues to do plenty of committee work.
Brad Furber has been named executive partner of Holland & Knight LLP’s Seattle office. Furber has also been appointed to serve as northwest regional coordinator for the firm’s business law section. Furber earned his B.A. from the U-Dub, his M.A. from Duke University Graduate School and his J.D. from Duke Law School.
Kathleen Hopkins of the Real Property Law Group, PLLC was recently appointed to the ABA section of Business Law Executive Council and reappointed as chair of the ABA General Practice Solo and Small Firms Real Estate Committee.
Reed Schifferman has become president of the Washington chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Schifferman is a personal injury plaintiff’s attorney at Stritmatter Kessler Whelan Withey Coluccio. He earned his J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley in 1980 and his BBA, cum laude, from Gonzaga University, where he played for the college’s basketball team.
The Foundation for Washington State Courts recently received a donation of almost $40,000 as a result of a class action settlement. The suggested donation was spearheaded by attorneys Mike Runyan and Rob Guile. The Foundation for the Washington State Courts provides grants to the courts of the State of Washington.
The Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington recently elected the following officers and trustees for 2005: President Valerie Hughes of Perkins Coie, Vice President Todd Tracy of Crocker Cuno, Secretary Paula Tuckfield Olson of Burgess Fitzer, Treasurer Spencer Hall of Hall Zanzig Zulauf, and Trustees Deborah Crabbe of Foster Pepper, Sally Gustafson Garratt of Yarmuth Wilsdon Calfo, Harry “Skip” Johnsen of his eponymous law office, Annette Hayes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Steve Koh of Perkins Coie.
The Northwest Indian Bar Association recently awarded several scholarships and is having a party in April to celebrate the inclusion of Indian law on the Washington Bar Exam. For details on the party or the scholarships, e-mail ggalanda@wkg.com.
Obituaries
Steven Lundgren recently died at the age of 63 of cancer. Lundgren, was a senior partner of Karr Tuttle Campbell, received his B.A. from Northern Michigan University in 1965 and his J.D., cum laude, from Wayne State University. He was admitted to the Washington Bar in 1968 and began his career at Karr Tuttle Campbell the same year. The memorial service was held at the Seattle Yacht Club and remembrances can be made to the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group or Evergreen Hospice. n
Karen Sutherland is the chair of the Employment and Labor Law Practice Group at Ogden Murphy Wallace, P.L.L.C., and chair of the King County Bar Bulletin Committee. Her practice focuses on employment and labor law and complex litigation. She can be reached at 1601 Ð 5th Avenue, Suite 2100, Seattle, WA 98101, by phone at (206) 447-7000, by fax at (206) 447-0215, or by e-mail at ksutherland@omwlaw. com.
