Bar Talk-- November 2024
Practicing gratitude can enhance relationships and reduce stress, and rather than emphasizing competition and individualism, gratitude can remind us of the interdependence we share in our personal and professional lives. Listing even one or two things that I am grateful for every day helps me focus on the important things in life and sets a better tone for that day. I might be grateful for a great interaction with a client, a kind act from a family member, or a client’s smile at pro bono clinic. Opportunities for cultivating gratitude abound everywhere.
Partner Pronouncements
Wendy Goffe is now a partner at Ogden Murphy Wallace, as of September 2024. Goffe counsels clients on estate planning issues, including representing and collaborating with private collectors, foundations, museums, and art advisors needing legal counsel related to the purchase, sale, gifting, and recovery of fine art and other creative works. Goffe was formerly with Stoel Rives LLP. Goffe earned her B.A. from the University of Washington and her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.
Allen Benson is now a member at Ogden Murphy Wallace. Benson is a construction litigator. He was formerly a construction litigation associate at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt. Benson obtained a B.A. from the University of North Dakota and a J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law.
Jaime Drozd is now Managing Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. Drozd was previously a partner at the firm and had also been a Member/Partner at Ogden Murphy Wallace. Drozd’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, advising and defending clients against a variety of consumer class actions, including putative class actions based on trademark, consumer protection statutes, employment issues, and privacy. Drozd earned a B.A. at UC San Diego and obtained her J.D. at the Boston University School of Law. Drozd is President of Mother Attorney Mentoring Association – Seattle and a board member for the Alliance for Education.
Associate Addition
Nicholas A. Clawson and Matthew J. Ruppel have joined Christensen O’Connor Johnson Kindness as associates. Clawson will focus his practice on the drafting of patent applications related to electrical engineering technologies. Clawson earned his J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law and his B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Prior to entering law school, Clawson served as a logistics officer in the United States Army.
Matt Ruppel will focus his practice on drafting patent applications for chemistry related innovations. Ruppel earned his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, his Master of Science degree from the University of California, San Diego, and his B.S. from the University of Washington. Prior to going into law school, Ruppel was a high school teacher at Redmond High School in Washington, teaching chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and English.
Pacifica Law Group is pleased to announce that Luther Reed-Caulkins has joined the firm as an associate in its Litigation Practice Group. Experienced in advising and representing public, private, and nonprofit clients at all stages of litigation, Reed-Caulkins’ work has included high-stakes disputes involving real estate, contract performance, and employment law. He has also advised federal and state agencies on administrative law and enforcement matters. Reed-Caulkins has also demonstrated a commitment to public service. His pro bono work includes representing clients in immigration proceedings and appealing a client’s prison sentence under New York’s Domestic Violence Survivor’s Justice Act. Prior to joining Pacifica, Reed-Caulkins served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward R. Korman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He also previously worked in the New York office of an international law firm, and served as a summer law clerk in the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Born and raised in Washington State, Reed-Caulkins earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he earned several academic honors and served as senior executive editor of the Columbia Journal of International Law. Prior to pursuing his law degree, Reed-Caulkins earned his B.A. in Politics from Willamette University.
Other Attorney Announcements
Ryan Swanson has re-elected Bryan C. Graff as Managing Director. Now serving his second term, Graff is the twelfth Managing Director in the firm’s 127-year history.
As of September 16, 2024, Don Black has transitioned from Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC to begin serving as General Counsel for Overlake Medical Center & Clinics. Black was with Ogden Murphy Wallace, PLLC for 27 years. He graduated from Whitman College in 1989 and Seattle University School of Law in 1995.
Juliana Whelan is a senior attorney at Ogden Murphy Wallace. Whelan focuses on gift, estate, and tax planning; family business succession planning; pre-nuptial, post-nuptial, and cohabitation agreements; planning for charitable giving; preparation of federal and state estate tax returns and federal gift tax returns; and the administration of trusts and decedents’ estates. Whelan earned her B.A. from the University of the Pacific and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Drew Pearsall is a senior attorney at Ogden Murphy Wallace. Pearsall returns to the firm’s litigation department after teaching at Kennedy Catholic High School. He was formerly a member at the firm. Prior to that, Pearsall worked at Williams Kastner. His practice focuses on general civil litigation matters, including insurance, environmental, and construction law matters. Pearsall earned his B.A. from Whitman College and his J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.
Ian Schlanger has started a new position as Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon. Schlanger was previously Corporate Counsel for the company, Senior Counsel at Peckar & Abramson, P.C., and a Senior Associate at Weber Law Group LLP. Licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Washington State, Schlanger has over fifteen years’ experience in commercial real estate and corporate transactions. He graduated with a B.A. from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a J.D. from Albany Law School.
Honors, Appointments, and Awards
Madeleine DuBois of DuBois Levias Law Group, PLLC was named one of the “Next Gen in Law” in the Puget Sound Business Journal. DuBois practices family law, helping parents and their children adapt and evolve to their new family dynamics. She graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. and earned her J.D. at Seattle University School of Law.
Obituaries
Joel H. Paget passed away on September 27, 2024. Paget was a member at Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC, where he spent his entire 53-year legal career and established the firm’s corporate immigration practice. Among Paget’s many community and civic activities, he frequently volunteered with the KCBA neighborhood clinic, was a long-time member of the Seattle Rotary, and was very active with the American Immigration Lawyers Association at both the local and national levels.
Ruth Apahidean 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.
