I realized I should have seen this coming, but really — law offices sending electronic Christmas/holiday cards? I realize that it is ecologically beneficial and saves tons of time and money, but an email that says, “Season’s Greetings Best Wishes for the Holidays,” does not give me the same warm fuzzy feeling as a card.
I can’t display it with the rest of the cards, nor can I cut it up and make collages out of it when the season is over. Instead, it is just one more unwanted message cluttering my inbox. If you really want to show you care and don’t like cards, just send food. Someone here will eat it.
Okay, so much for the rant — on another note, Happy New Year!
New Firm Owners
Gregory Fox, William Lin and David Young have become shareholders in Lane Powell’s Seattle office. Fox focuses his practice in the commercial finance and financial institutions industries. Lin concentrates his practice in the areas of public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, state and federal securities regulation compliance, executive compensation and general corporate matters. In addition to being a lawyer, Young is a certified public accountant. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on securities litigation.
Todd Wyatt has become a member of Salter Joyce Ziker, PLLC. His practice focuses on commercial, environmental and employment litigation.
Douglas Davies has joined Foster Pepper as a member in its Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Financial Institutions practice groups. He was formerly a shareholder at Lane Powell.
Associate News
Clare Jarvis joined Phillips & Webster, PLLC as an associate. Jarvis’s practice is largely focused on personal injury claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents.
Katrin Andrews, Andrew Gabel and Renee Grant Bluechel have joined Lane Powell as associates in the Aviation, Construction Litigation and Taxation Law practice groups, respectively. Andrews previously worked as a German translation and correspondence specialist for Vintage Wings, Inc. and at Abbatare, Inc. as a German translator and assistant to the president. Gabel held three internships prior to joining Lane Powell. Bluechel most recently worked as a tax associate at a firm in Washington, D.C.
Olivia Pennella, Eileen Suh, Jeannie Simpson, Allison Schwartzman, Kellie Gronski, Emanuel (Manny) Jacobowitz and Colm Nelson have become associates at Foster Pepper PLLC. Pennella joined the firm’s Business Practice Group. She was previously with Barclays North, Inc. in Everett, where she served as corporate counsel. Her practice will focus on transactional business law. Suh also is in the Business Practice Group. She was previously with a firm in New York City. Simpson was previously an associate at firms in Palo Alto and Tokyo, and is in the Real Estate Practice Group. Schwartzman works in the Municipal Government and Public Finance practice groups. She was previously with a firm in Philadelphia. Gronski also is in the Real Estate Practice Group. She formerly practiced in Boulder, Colorado. Jacobowitz, who has joined the Litigation Practice Group, was previously an associate with a firm in Washington, D.C. Nelson, who has joined the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group, was formerly an associate at Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati recently announced that Sean Butler and Michael Nordtvedt have become associate attorneys for the Corporate Practice Group, and Chris Nelson has become an associate in the Litigation Practice Group.
Bryan King and Sushantha (Shan) Sivalingam have joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as fall associates in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group and Britton Davis has joined the firm as a fall associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group.
Brandon Carroll has joined Betts, Patterson & Mines, P.S. as an associate in the firm’s Complex Litigation Practice Group, concentrating on business law matters with an emphasis in real estate transactions.
Johanna Coolbaugh and Kathryn Porter have joined Karr Tuttle Campbell as associates. Coolbaugh joined the firm’s Litigation, Employment Relations and Tax, Trust & Estates departments after graduating summa cum laude from Seattle University School of Law. Porter is a member of the firm’s Business Department and Tax, Trust & Estates Department. She received her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law where she graduated with honors.
New Digs
Alisa Brodkowitz has opened an office at 1700 Seventh Avenue, where she will focus on plaintiffs’ personal injury law.
Outside Private Practice
Governor Christine Gregoire has appointed King County Superior Court Judge Linda Lau to Division I of the Court of Appeals. Judge Lau will fill the position being vacated by retiring Judge H. Joseph Coleman.
Gov. Gregoire appointed Judge Debra L. Stephens of Spokane to the Washington Supreme Court. Judge Stephens will fill the seat being vacated by retiring Justice Bobbe Bridge. Stephens was appointed by Gov. Gregoire to Division III of the Court of Appeals in April. Prior to her appointments, she was an attorney in Spokane, focusing since 1995 on appellate practice. She has appeared before the Washington Supreme Court more than 100 times.
Honor and Awards
Tracy Sarich, an associate attorney at Tousley Brain and Stephens, recently became president of the King County Washington Women Lawyers.
Washington Appleseed, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization made up of public interest law centers, recently presented Foster Pepper with its 2007 Innovator Award for Pro Bono Service.
Sands McKinley, managing partner of McKinley Irvin, recently was elected to the board of ArtsFund. ArtsFund makes grants to 70-plus King and Pierce County non-profit arts groups. McKinley will serve a three-year term as a trustee.
Benefits and Functions
The Mother Attorneys Mentor-ing Association of Seattle (MAMAS) recently celebrated its first anniversary by hosting a reception and a panel presentation of state and federal judges, who addressed the role of diversity in the bar. For more information on MAMAS, visit www.mamaseattle.org.
Obituaries
Marty Crowder, former managing partner of Karr Tuttle Campbell, died December 8. Crowder retired at the end of 2006 after 41 years with Karr Tuttle.
Kenneth Selander recently died at the age of 89. Selander was a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law. Selander served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and was an assistant U.S. attorney for western Washington before becoming a founding member of Selander Espedal Clark & Leavitt.
Michael Sterbick recently died. He was admitted to the Washington State Bar in 1949 and was a past president of WSTLA.
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Karen Sutherland is the chair of the Employment and Labor Law Practice Group at Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC, and chair of the King County Bar Association 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 fax at 206-447-0215 or by email at ksutherland@omlaw.com.
