Goodness, it is July already. I guess I should have known - it's raining so hard I can't see West Seattle from my perch here above the beautiful and possibly doomed Alaskan Way Viaduct. I can tell it's summer, though, because the sky is bright gray instead of dark gray, and because I keep finding Kettle Korn left over from Mariners games stuck in my couch cushions.
Partner Promotions
There were no partner announcements this month. I guess this time of the year it's more popular to become of counsel or an associate, or to just go golfing in the rain instead.
Associate Additions
Mary Brighton and Brian Endter have become associates at Graham & Dunn. Brighton is on the firm's real estate team, where her practice focuses on closing documentation and representing clients in real estate transactions. Endter is part of the firm's emerging companies and entrepreneurs team. He counsels clients on corporate formation and governance, private equity and debt financings, and mergers and acquisitions, among other things.
Andrew May has joined Rogers & Fleck, PLLC as an associate. May was formerly with Corr Cronin Michelson Baumgardner & Preece, LLP.
Of Counsel News
My absolute favorite law firm, Ogden Murphy Wallace PLLC, recently added Doug Yoshida as of counsel. Yoshida has a litigation practice that includes asbestos defense, medical malpractice defense and product liability defense. Yoshida also is a licensed physician and has served on the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission for the past eight years.
Lane Powell recently made two of-counsel additions. Robert Battles has become counsel to the firm in the labor and employment group, where his practice focuses on regulatory and complex litigation matters involving WISHA and industrial insurance defense. Battles formerly was with the Goodstein Law Group PLLC.
Janis White has joined Lane Powell's construction litigation practice group as counsel to the firm. White, who formerly was with Graham and Dunn, focuses on complex commercial litigation.
Outside of Private Practice
A. Luis Lucero Jr. has become the director of the EEOC's Seattle Office. The EEOC enforces the federal laws regarding discrimination in employment.
New Digs
Peng & Weber has relocated to Mercer Island, where the firm provides immigration law services and free parking.
Entertaining Lawyers
Bill Resler, a tax professor at the University of Washington, is featured in "The Heart of the Game," a movie that was recently screened at the Seattle International Film Festival. No, they didn't make a movie about teaching tax law. Resler also coaches the Roosevelt High School girls' basketball team, which was the focus of the documentary.
The results from the fourth annual Lawyerpalooza are in, and the funk band "Mutha Knows Best" won the top honors. The band was sponsored by the Law Firm of Raymond V. Gessel, P.S. and featured attorney James Pautler, a new associate. The band received bragging rights and possession of the "Golden Palooza" for its performance.
Honors and Awards
Charles Routh, of Garvey Schubert Barer, was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholar Award to teach international business law and international trade in Slovakia. The Fulbright program was established in 1946 by the late Sen. J. William Fulbright and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Lane Powell recently won a Gold award at the bi-annual Internet Marketing Attorney Web site reviews and awards.
Stoel Rives LLP recently named Per Ramfjord as chair of the firm's litigation practice group for all seven offices, including the Seattle office.
Obituary
The Honorable Lee Creighton, who was born Christmas Eve in 1958, recently died. Creighton received both his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Washington and worked at Reed McClure before moving to Olympia, where he eventually became a municipal court judge. He and his family lived in Auburn. 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 Fifth Ave., 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.
