For those of us who set goals (or resolutions) at the beginning of the year, here’s a great reminder to revisit those goals and determine if we’re on track or not. After all, we’re at the halfway mark on the calendar. Personally, I plan on reviewing my book list to see if I can play catch up over the summer.
Partner Pronouncements
Fox Rothschild has welcomed four partners to its Seattle office: Al Roundtree, Samuel E. Webb, Brooke L. Sargeant, Ph.D., and Eileen S. Sun, Ph.D. Webb, Sargeant, and Sun were formerly with Seed IP and are now part of the firm’s IP group.
Al Roundtree is now Partner in Fox Rothschild’s Litigation Department. Roundtree’s diverse commercial litigation practice includes high-stakes representation of some of the nation’s largest companies, as well as local businesses of all sizes. Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, Roundtree was an associate at a boutique New York City law firm serving clients in the entertainment, finance, and software and technology industries, with an emphasis on complex litigation, employment disputes, and transactional M&A and securities matters. Roundtree earned his B.A. from the University of California, Davis and his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Samuel E. Webb, who draws from experience as in-house and outside counsel, works with the leaders of businesses ranging from startups to publicly traded international companies to develop global patent portfolios for their critical technologies. He has prepared and prosecuted patents covering several marketed therapeutic products, provides strategic advice on the patent-related aspects of product lifecycle management, and has extensive experience leading clients through the intellectual property aspects of funding events, acquisitions, licensing transactions, and collaborations.
Brooke L. Sargeant advises U.S. and international pharma and biotech companies on patent strategy, and portfolio management. She handles patent procurement and licensing, counseling clients at all stages of the process, from product development through the clinical phase and approval. Sargeant also provides due diligence counseling to support financing or target acquisition, and conducts patentability, freedom-to-operate, and landscape analyses.
Eileen S. Sun advises clients in the biotech and pharma industries on patent prosecution, licensing, and portfolio management. Former in-house patent attorney at multiple pharmaceutical companies, she has a precise understanding of problems her clients face and leverages that knowledge in managing their patent portfolios. Sun counsels clients on infringement and validity issues and also performs freedom-to-operate and landscape analyses.
Of Counsel
Jill Peitersen has joined the firm of Stacey L. Romberg, Attorney at Law as an Of Counsel attorney. Peitersen will represent clients in the firm’s practice areas of estate planning, probate, and business law. Peitersen earned her B.A. from the University of Idaho and her J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law. She offers a depth of legal experience including serving as a Senior Attorney for the Northwest Justice Project and a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Walla Walla County Prosecutor’s Office.
Honors, Appointments, and Awards
Bob Homchick of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, has been named honorary chair of the 40th anniversary 2024 Providence O’Christmas Trees, an event that raises money for Providence Home and Community Care healthcare, housing, and hospice programs. Homchick has a longstanding relationship with Providence, serving as its counsel on regulatory matters, investigations, and transactions. He regularly advises hospitals, physicians, and ancillary services providers on physician self-referral and anti-kickback issues, conducts internal investigations, and works on a variety of transactional matters including mergers, acquisitions and affiliations, and the formation and operation of joint ventures.
Obituaries
Lee R. Voorhees, Jr. passed away on February 6, 2024. He was 86 years old. Voorhees graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1959, and from Yale Law School in 1962. Voorhees then joined the Navy’s Officer Candidate School where he started practicing law in the JAG and was stationed in Washington State. After being honorably discharged, Voorhees joined the law firm of Roberts, Shefelman, Lawrence, Gay & Moch in Seattle (presently Foster Garvey).
Stephen C. Ellis recently passed away at the age of 78 years. After attending the University of Washington, and graduating with a degree in economics in 1967, Ellis graduated from the University of Michigan law school in 1970. Ellis moved to Seattle where he joined the law firm of Reed, McClure, Moceri & Thonn. Later, he was a partner in the Seattle office of Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, a Portland law firm. After the Weiss Seattle office was closed, Ellis joined Davis, Wright, Tremaine, until his retirement. He was a Bar Examiner for several years, serving one term as Chief Bar Examiner. He gave generously of his time to several boards, including Seattle Children’s Home, the Village Theatre, King County Bar Foundation, and King County Public Law Library. For many years, he enjoyed mentoring young attorneys.
Pauline Victoria Smetka recently died at the age of 70. Smetka attended the University of Washington and received her B.A. in 1976 and her J.D. in 1980. She worked as an Associate Attorney at Helsell Fetterman LLP, focusing on insurance defense and construction law. Smetka was made partner in 1987 and became the firm’s first female senior partner in 2015. Smetka retired from law practice in 2018.
Sheila FitzGerald Umlauf passed away at 98 years of age. After retiring from a career in nursing, Umlauf attended Seattle University School of Law and obtained a J.D. She passed the Washington State Bar in 1988. Her entire legal career was pro bono: she volunteered weekly at the NW Women’s Law Center (now Legal Voice) where she served on the Board and helped develop materials for women who needed legal help. Umlauf also was active with the King County Bar Association where she was co-chair of the Volunteer Legal Clinics Committee, supervised a free weekly law clinic, and made visits to assist home-bound clients with estate planning. Umlauf was trained by the IRS to assist seniors with tax returns at Seattle Senior Centers.
Hugh R. McGough passed away at 92 years of age. McGough was Editor-in-Chief of the Washington Law Review at the University of Washington School of Law and a member of the Order of the Coif. He retired as General Counsel from PEMCO Insurance in 2012. He had previously retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves where he served in the JAG Corps.
John Thomas Raftis Jr passed away at the end of April 2024 at the age of 88 years old. Born in Colville, WA, he earned his undergraduate degree from Seattle University and earned his J.D. from Georgetown Law School. Raftis then joined Bogle and Gates as an associate attorney. He then joined the legal department Pacific Northwest Bell, which was led by John Rupp. After working as corporate counsel for AT&T in New Jersey, Raftis moved back to Seattle, where he worked as a legal writing instructor at UPS law school and was also involved in bar association reform. Upon retiring from legal practice, Raftis ran a wine shop and wine newsletter.
Ruth Apahidean Harper is a Trusts and Estates attorney at the Law Office of Neil R. Sarles. She is easily reached via email at ruth@sarles.com or by phone at 253.234.4676.
