June 2004

Around the State reports are welcome from county and specialty bar associations. There are no rules for writing them, except to mention lots of your members. We leave it up to each organization to decide who does it, and to the correspondent to decide how often. Many counties are still available. Contact the editor at tradelaw@thompson-law.com for more information.

Clark County News

Jackson H. Welch has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years' trial experience before they can be considered for fellowship. Welch is a partner in the firm of Duggan Schlotfeldt & Welch PPLC and has been practicing in Vancouver for 30 years.

East King County News

Doug Cowan and William Kirk of the Cowan & Smith Law Firm served as guest lecturers at the National College for DUI Defense winter session held in San Diego January 30-31, 2004.

Kirk lectured on the effective use of an investigator in DUI cases, and Cowan participated in a two-hour colloquium, discussing a wide range of topics relative to DUI defense.

Island County Report
by Tom Pacher

Greetings, once again, from the shores of Penn Cove. As the weather warms and the flowers start to bloom, it's nice to see the sleepy little town of Coupeville coming to life once again. Speaking of which:

March 31, after our regular county bar meeting, Lt. Carilli, JAG Corps, USN, came over from Whidbey NAS to enlighten all of those present on military investigations and discipline. Since a number of us deal with members of the military and their dependents on a semi-regular basis in a number of different areas of practice, it's always helpful to get an understanding of how things run in the military. Thanks for the information, Lt. Carilli, and thanks for the helpful handouts.

Oak Harbor attorney Chris Lyons recently did his first stint as a judge pro tem on the superior court's juvenile calendar. While I did not attend that calendar, participants told me that Chris did a nice job. I'm told he even managed to keep his composure while his wife and law office partner, Deb Truitt, was snapping pictures in the back of the courtroom. Sorry, Chris, I just couldn't resist mentioning that.

Things always perk up a bit in Coupeville this time of year. Festivals, tourists, shoppers, and the like. Still, we weren't quite expecting the excitement we got during a recent court session. March 19, about the second or third case into the superior court criminal calendar, while yours truly was entering a plea and readying for sentencing on an in-custody client, one of the defendants on an already busy calendar apparently felt the criminal calendar was a little short for his tastes. Upon spying a person he did not like entering the courtroom, that defendant jumped the newly arrived defendant and a struggle ensued.

Not a particularly bright move, given that there must have been 35-40 witnesses, including a judge and a few attorneys. The corrections officers moved pretty quickly to squelch the affair, and enforcements arrived from upstairs (sheriff's office) and two blocks away (town marshal). No one present could ever remember such an event taking place in our sedate, bucolic neck of the woods.

Dave Walker, the attorney for the victim of the attack, was quick to point out to the judge that his client had done nothing to provoke the attack, and that his client was very surprised at the turn of events. Now that's heads-up defense work. Already defending a client on a case that just happened.

Judiciary Report
by Lindsay Thompson

Governor Gary Locke has appointed Craddock D. Verser to the Jefferson County Superior Court. He succeeds Judge Thomas Majhan, who died in January. A graduate of the University of Virginia and Gonzaga University School of Law, Verser practiced in Port Townsend and previously served as public defender in Jefferson and Stevens counties. He also served as a member of the WSBA Board of Bar Examiners and as a volunteer with the Jefferson County Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Program. He joined the WSBA in 1980. Verser is Governor Locke's 59th judicial appointment.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Sanders has been charged with violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct after he held meetings with inmates at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island in January 2003.

The Commission on Judicial Conduct found probable cause to believe Sanders violated Canons 1, 2, and 3(A)(4) by "engaging in ex parte conversations with people with cases pending or impending before the Washington Supreme Court," and "creating the appearance of impropriety." The commission alleged Sanders gave no notice to counsel for any of the inmates that he would conduct such discussions, and didn't provide counsel with documents two inmates gave him until asked to do so by an assistant attorney general. John Strait, one of counsel for Sanders, told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sanders had received only one letter, "a typical rant you get from a prisoner," complaining about conditions of incarceration. Former western district U.S. Attorney Kate Pflaumer is the commission's attorney.

Sanders was reprimanded by the commission in 1997 for addressing a pro-life rally on the steps of the state capitol shortly after being sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court. A panel of appeals court judges, sitting for the recused Supreme Court, reversed the reprimand in 1998. Sanders is seeking re-election this year.

King County Report
by Jim Varnell

Business and Basketball. Bill Resler (UW Law School, 1971) recently coached Seattle's Roosevelt High School to the 4A Girls basketball title. Resler, who also teaches in the business school at the UW, was known for rarely, if ever, attending class while in law school, concentrating instead upon the bridge games in the basement of old Condon Hall. Despite Bill's infrequent or nonexistent class attendance, his high marks in law school were a source of consternation for his fellow classmates.

More Basketball. Larry Smith and John Hoerster recently completed a double-double by their team's winning the Golden Masters titles for both the season and the end-of-year tournament at the Washington Athletic Club. Finishing a solid, close second was the team of Pat McBride, a member of the UW Law School team that won the 1971 Graduate School Division championship featuring "Easy" Ed Skone, Don "Woody" Woodworth, Paul Roesch, and Gordon Wilder, a team noted for defeating the medical school, featuring ex-UW footballer Steve Bramwell.

Office Moves. Kari L. O'Neill, the self-styled "Queen of E-mail," has joined Hendricks & Lewis as an associate. Shaukat Karjeker, Hillery Nye, and Heather Utter have joined Steiner Norris. Guy Bowman has been elected to the board of directors of Betts Patterson Mines. Amanda E. Vedrich has joined Short Cressman & Burgess as an associate. Sarah Mack and Josh Brower are new attorneys at Mentor Law Group. Drew Falkenstein has joined Marler Clark as an associate. Badgley-Mullins has moved to the Bank of America Tower.

Honors. Carmen Gonzalez of Seattle University School of Law is one of only four people chosen nationwide for the U.S. Supreme Court Fellows Program. Jayanne A. Hino has been appointed to the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. Garvey Schubert Barer received the 2004 "Your Honor" award from the Legal Marketing Association.

Oregon News

Portland and Clark County attorney Brett Bender announces the opening of his own law office in downtown Portland. He will continue to emphasize family law, although he is expanding his practice to include small business and entertainment law.

Mary Chaffin has been named the legal counsel of Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian and relief organization with headquarters in Portland, Washington, D.C., and Scotland.

Chaffin has over nine years in private practice as well as 10 years as senior corporate counsel at U.S. Bancorp. Before joining Mercy Corps, she was the regional trust manager at U.S. Bancorp. She has been active in the efforts to further legal reform in the former Soviet and East European republics as a volunteer lecturer and commenter on draft statutes for the Central and East European Law Initiative of the ABA.

Our Far-flung Members

Perkins Coie LLP recently announced its conquest of west coast bar association business sections. Dori Brewer (Seattle) has been selected chair of the WSBA Business Law Section for 2004-05. Perkins Coie partners Brent Bullock (Portland) and Chuck Crouch (Los Angeles) chair the Oregon and California Bar Associations' Business Law Sections, respectively, for 2004.

Pierce County News

Thaddeus Martin IV received the Rising Star Award at Tacoma's Business Leadership Awards ceremony in January. Martin, a 1998 Seattle University law graduate, became the youngest partner at Tacoma's Gordon Thomas firm in 2003, after five years there, and after being the first associate to bring in over $1 million in business his first year. He is active in a number of civic and educational causes.

Spokane County News

Nancy Isserlis was the 2004 recipient of the Spokane County Bar Association's Smithmoore P. Myers Professionalism Award. The Association's annual gold tournament is set for June 25 at Downriver Golf Course.

Gonzaga University School of Law's Women's Law Caucus presented its 12th annual Myra Bradwell Award to Spokane County deputy prosecuting attorney Carlin Jude at a ceremony and reception April 13. Jude is a 1986 GU Law grad.

Paul M. Davis has become a principal with Lukins & Annis, and Robert R. Rowley has started his own firm in Spokane, www.rowleylegal.com.

Gregory Hesler and Craig Winder have joined Paine Hamblen in Spokane.

Public-Interest News

Daniel S. Gross has joined Seattle's Public Interest Law Group PLLC. He will concentrate in public-interest litigation in the areas of civil rights, disability law issues, and assisting nonprofits. The firm's mission is to create positive social change through public-interest litigation and lobbying, and to offer a full range of services to nonprofits. The firm also handles immigration law matters on a sliding-scale fee basis.

Litigation News

Paul Whelan of Seattle was named Trial Lawyer of the Year for 2003 by the Washington chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Judge Robert J. Bryan, U.S. District Court, Tacoma, is the chapter's Judge of the Year. The awards were presented in February.

Whatcom County News

Greg Greenan is a new shareholder at Bellingham's Zender Thurston, PS. Stephen R. Fallquist has joined Chmelik Sitkin & Davis PS, also in Bellingham. James B. Dolan is now with the Law Offices of Barry M. Meyers.


In Memoriam

Clarence Campbell

A graduate of Queen Anne High School, the UW, and the UW School of Law, Clarence Campbell lived in Seattle 96 of his 100 years. After joining the WSBA in 1930, he associated with Karr & Gregory and worked there until 1939. World War II looming, he left the firm to join the Navy and served as an intelligence officer on Whidbey Island, in the Philippines, and in San Diego. He served another 17 years in the reserves, retiring with the rank of commander.

Returning to his firm, which eventually became known as Karr Tuttle Campbell, he practiced until retirement in 1975. His principal field was insurance law. During his long retirement he enjoyed golf, gardening, investing, and philanthropy.

His survivors include his wife of 58 years, Vivian; two children; one granddaughter; and two great-granddaughters. Clarence Hugh Campbell was born in Seattle December 23, 1903, and died in Seattle March 28, 2004, aged 100.

Richard Criswell

Longtime Montesano resident Richard Criswell graduated from St. Martins College and Seattle University School of Law before returning home to pursue a career in law. He taught English and auto mechanics at Grays Harbor Community College, was a published author, and won notice as a carpenter. He was a Little League umpire and member of the Montesano School Board.

Survivors include his mother, three siblings, and three children. Richard W. Criswell died of congestive heart failure January 26, 2004, in Aberdeen, aged 47.

James Davenport

Washington native James Davenport graduated from the UW with a degree in accounting in 1942, and then served through World War II in the Army Quartermaster Corps. After the war he came home, got his MA in accounting, then a 1953 law degree from the UW. He practiced law in Seattle and Edmonds for the next 20 years before becoming counsel to Tone Commander Systems, a telecommunications venture. He retired as executive vice president in 1990.

Davenport and his wife loved travel, and most recently visited the Galapagos Islands. Survivors include his wife, two siblings, three children, and seven grandchildren.

James W. Davenport was born March 1, 1920, in Seattle and died January 18, 2004, in Bremerton, aged 83.

Hon. Ray Munson

Sunnyside native Ray Munson spent three years in the Navy before earning his law degree from the UW in 1954. He served as an FBI agent, a prosecutor, and a private lawyer before moving to the Yakima County Superior Court bench in 1964.

Four years later, Governor Dan Evans appointed Munson to the first group of judges in the newly created Court of Appeals. He served 28 years before retiring, and wrote nearly a quarter of the opinions issued by Division III of the court. Until the appeals body acquired a court space, the three judges worked at home, writing opinions on their kitchen tables.

A 1997 newspaper profile said Munson "wore out three cars" riding the eastern Washington circuit, and seemed to be working all the time. Munson compared the job to being a monk, noting that no one came in except to give him papers, and fewer still had any idea what he did for a living. But he was gregarious to the end, and a vocal liaison from the appeals court to the WSBA Board of Governors in the 1990s.

Munson collapsed and died while attending a fraternity event in Seattle, February 22, 2004. He was 76.

Allen Schwenker

The Spokane County Bar Association has reported the death of longtime member Allen L. Schwenker II March 11, 2004, after a four-year struggle with complications from diabetes. He was 56. Schwenker joined the WSBA in 1975 and was a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Schwenker was an avid golfer who enjoyed spending time with his wife and three sons, recalls his friend Jonathan Lee.

Palmer Smith

Palmer Smith made a substantial name for himself during the desegregation of Seattle's schools in the 1960s and 1970s. A Maryland native who served in the Navy in World War II, Smith graduated from Harvard Law School and moved to Seattle.

One of his early cases, with Robert Winsor, tackled the denial of a house purchase in North Seattle by an African-American couple. Later, in the 1960s, he drafted an abortion rights bill to allow abortions within the first four months of pregnancy, with the husband's consent or parental consent for minors. Voters approved the measure in 1970, years before Roe v. Wade.

Smith's son Jared told The Seattle Times his dad liked "working behind the scenes, with not much fanfare, and to focus on results rather than on who gets the credit." His wife of 58 years, Dorothy, wrote Bar News simply, "He took pride in being a member of the WSBA through the years. The rule of law was his passion."

Palmer Smith is survived by his wife, three children, and six grandchildren. He died February 11, 2004, aged 81.

De'Wayne Taylor

Beset by cirrhosis in 1999, De'Wayne Taylor was head of the list for a liver transplant in Washington when he went to spend the Christmas 2003 holidays with family. He suddenly fell ill and died December 31 before a transplant could be effected. The Bremerton lawyer was 43. 

Charles Thomas

The Kentucky native was a 40-year-old Tacoma certified public accountant when he received his law degree from Willamette University School of Law in 1953. He joined the Gordon Thomas firm and quickly established himself as the sharpest tax lawyer in the area. From 1959 to 1961, Thomas served on the board that advised the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and had an influence on rewriting federal tax law before he retired in 1984. His law partner Joe Gordon Sr. told The News Tribune that Tacoma attorney Charles Thomas "never lost a client" in an IRS or estate case.

Charles L. Thomas was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and died March 5, 2004, in Issaquah, aged 90.

Robert A. Wright

A Kansas native who grew up in Washington, Robert Wright graduated from UPS School of Law in 1988. He loved Dungeons and Dragons-type games and was an accomplished musician. Survivors include his mother, brother, and three nephews.

Former WSBA member Robert Alan Wright was born in Wichita December 5, 1962, and died February 28, 2004, in Lynnwood, aged 41.

Bar News has also been advised of the death of the following member: Marijo T. Ikehara, Bellevue, admitted 1993, died January 9, 2004.