March 2000

Changing Venues

Honors and Awards

Newly elected trustees on the East King County Bar Association include Jason H. Grover, Loretta S. Story and David M. Tall.

Washington State Supreme Court Justice Faith Ireland recently won a powerlifting contest. She has been lifting weights for several years as physical therapy following a car accident. She describes it as a centering experience that leaves her energized.

University of Washington law professor Louis Wolcher received a $15,800 prize, taking second place overall in the International Essay Prize Contest. Wolcher's philosophical treatise on Eastern and Western concepts of time is entitled "Time's Language."

New officers and trustees for the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington include Merrilee A. MacLean, President; Michele A. Gammer, Vice-president; Thomas C. Wales, Secretary; Kevin D. Swan, Treasurer; Sheryl Gordon McCloud, Trustee; Laura J. Buckland, Trustee; James M. Shaker, Trustee; Philip E. Cutler, Trustee; and John C. Guadnola, Trustee.

Robert C. Mussehl has been elected Vice-chair of the ABA Dispute Resolution Section.

The Okanogan County Bar Association recently elected new officers for 2000. Dale L. Lehrman was elected President, and Gretchen H. Wallace is the new Secretary/treasurer. Mr. Lehrman is an Okanogan County deputy prosecuting attorney, and Ms. Wallace has a law practice in Tonasket.

The Honorable Gregory J. Tripp (District Court of Spokane) was recently elected President of the Legal Foundation of Washington. The Honorable Cynthia Imbrogno (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington), David K.Y. Tang (Preston, Gates & Ellis), and Jeanne Dawes (Gore & Grewe) were elected Vice-president, Treasurer and Secretary respectively. New Board members are John W. Phillips (Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe), Ragan L. Powers (Davis Wright Tremaine), and John R. Kephart (The Commerce Bank of Washington). The Foundation was established in 1985 at the direction of the Washington State Supreme Court to support legal services and law-related education. In 2000, the Foundation will distribute $6.2 million in grants to 32 programs that provide civil legal services and education to low-income Washingtonians.

Lawyers Helping Hungry Children, for recently sending checks totaling $33,000 to three local childhood hunger organizations, increasing its annual giving by 60 percent over last year. Recently elected officers of the group include Chair Steve Parkinson, Treasurer Barbara Brady, Vice-chair Kathy Casey, Secretary Maureen Mannix and new Board member Hong Nguyen.

After an extended hiatus, the "Around the State" feature of this column is making a comeback. Mark T. Patterson II brings us this report on the doings in Snohomish County over the past year.

It has not been a quiet year in Everett, my hometown. There were lots of comings and goings.

Judge Kathryn Trumbull left the bench to retire, and from all accounts, she will be sorely missed. She cannot be replaced, only succeeded.

The Honorable Kenneth Cowsert of the Snohomish County Superior Court Commissioner's Department was given the nod for Judge Trumbull's chair amid much fanfare and the presence of Governor Locke.

The Honorable Tracy Waggoner, formerly practicing as a guardian ad litem, was appointed to replace Ken Cowsert.

Little noticed here, except by readers of the alumni and religious publications, was the "Distinquished Judicial Service Award Citation" presented by Gonzaga University to our own Judge Joseph Thibodeau. He was honored during a Red Mass held at St. Aloysis in Spokane. (The Red Mass is an ancient tradition held for lawyers.) I was not there, but I am sure there was much rejoicing.

Fred Gillings chaired our local bar auction to benefit legal services. Among the dignitaries were Justice Sanders and our own Judge Charles French. Judge French was given the honor, "Judge of the Year," for his unfailing memory as a trial attorney and for his gentle (if not subtle) hints to us about what lawyers really look like in practice. The event was held at the most popular venue in Everett these days: the Commons at the U.S. Naval Base. We raised over $20,000.

Phyllis Selinker, the tireless Chairperson of Snohomish County Legal Services, retired after many years of service. Modest to a fault, she seemed to be better known at the state Access to Justice meeting held in Wenatchee in June, where she was feted. There was much rejoicing.

We swore in 39 new lawyers this year in two separate ceremonies. Again, there was much rejoicing.

The Seattle firm of Graham & James/Riddell Williams has begun operating under the name "Riddell Williams P.S." and is no longer affiliated with the California-based firm of Graham & James. Riddell Williams has roots in the Seattle community reaching back to 1906, and operated as Riddell Williams Bullitt & Walkinshaw until its affiliation with Graham & James in 1996. New litigation associates at the firm include Jim Breitenbucher and Aryeh Brown. Also joining the firm as associates are Maria Staiger (in the Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights and Corporate Finance and Transactions practice groups) and Kimberly Watson (in the firm's corporate practice).

Anthony J. W. Gewald has been selected to serve as Managing Principal of Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson, PLLC. Gewald practices civil litigation in the areas of commercial law, real estate, employment law, torts and creditors' rights. Tara K. Manley has joined the firm as an associate practicing family law and commercial litigation.

Stephen Sepinuck was recently promoted from associate professor to full professor at Gonzaga University.

Seattle University has selected a new law school dean, Rudolph Hasl, a prominent figure in legal education and already a two-time law school dean. Hasl will begin his tenure at Seattle University on August 1, 2000.

Gregory L. Bertram has joined JAMS, where he will handle both mediations and arbitrations. Bertram has practiced law in the Puget Sound area for more than 20 years, focusing on complex commercial litigation.

Jane A. Shapira has joined Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC as a staff attorney. Shapira concentrates her practice in the areas of civil litigation, insurance coverage and employment law. New associates include Duff Bryant (focusing on real estate law, including acquisitions and sales, leasing, financing and resolution of title issues) and Paul E. Ambrosio, whose practice will emphasize taxation, business formation and international transactions.

New associates at Miller Nash, Wiener, Hager & Carlsen LLP include Christine A. Marty, Shawna M. Sweeney and Lance A. Termes. Marty focuses her practice on general litigation matters. Sweeney practices in the areas of real estate, creditors' rights, and insolvency and reorganization. Termes concentrates his practice in intellectual property.

The Washington State Attorney General's office has announced the appointments of Assistant Attorneys General Richard Becker, Deborah Blair, Jacqueline Brown Miller, Steven Camilleri, Jarold Cartwright, Bonnie Chen, Stephanie Dolan, Michael Dunning, Catherine Ford, Kathleen Haggard, Anne Hall, Sheila Huber, Lucy Isaki, Colin Jackson, Alex Krostin, Matthew Lund, Sheila Lynch, Amy MacKenzie, Katherine Mason, G. Ward McAuliffe, David Mears, Steven Meeks, Steven Nash, Emily Neighbor, Lawrence Paulsen, Christopher Roy, Marnie Sheeran, Diana Sheythe and Pamela Whipple.

Jason S. Newcombe has joined Groff & Murphy PLLC as an associate. His practice will focus on litigation, construction and employment law.

Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP has welcomed Cindy A. Tramountanas as a new associate. She concentrates her practice in insurance defense, litigation and maritime law.

Bridget G. Rodden has joined Perkins Coie LLP in Seattle, where she advises clients on establishing, maintaining and terminating retirement plans, health and welfare plans, cafeteria plans, nonqualified plans and various other benefits programs.

Michael J. Gainer recently joined the law firm of Leveque & Kirkpatrick as an associate attorney. His primary focus is in civil litigation, with an emphasis on personal injury, insurance defense, products liability and commercial disputes.

New associates at Foster Pepper & Shefelman PLLC include James J. Fredman III (focusing on representing hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers) and Roxanne L. Siegel (concentrating her practice in the commercial litigation area).

The Seattle office of Cozen & O'Connor has added six new attorneys to represent the interests of the firm's London market clients. Richard F. Allen concentrates his practice in admiralty, aviation, general insurance and professional liability. W. L. Rivers Black III has a practice in general maritime, insurance litigation, international transportation and marine oil spill litigation. J. C. Ditzler practices in the areas of marine and aviation insurance coverage, environmental claims litigation, torts and entertainment insurance. Jodi A. McDougall's practice emphasizes general, maritime and environmental insurance law. Christopher W. Nicoll's practice focuses on all aspects of insurance law with an emphasis on admiralty. William A. Pelandini concentrates his practice on general trial law, insurance law and litigation, and legislative and regulatory issues.

Thomas B. Foster, senior named partner at Foster, Pepper & Shefelman PLLC in Seattle, passed away December 25, 1999 at the age of 84. Foster had a hand in the deals that brought the Space Needle and Monorail to Seattle, and was honored by his firm with the development of the Thomas B. Foster House for homeless families.

Former Waitsburg city attorney and state legislator Vaughn Hubbard passed away December 3, 1999 at the age of 77. His many accomplishments include a Snake River bridge named in his honor.

Bruce Hurst, a partner for over 30 years at Betts Patterson & Mines in Seattle, passed away December 8, 1999 at the age of 55. A real estate attorney, Hurst prodded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the rehabilitation of more than 60 homes in Seattle's Mount Baker neighborhood.

Preston Leon Niemi, a legendary Seattle litigator, passed away December 9, 1999 at the age of 71. One of Niemi's most significant legal victories came in 1972, when he alleged the University of Washington was engaging in age and sex discrimination by not admitting a 30-year-old mother to medical school. Niemi, described by local librarians as having perhaps checked out and read more books than any other patron in the Seattle Public Library's history, requested that the following 1889 quote from Tennyson be included with this announcement of his death:

"Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning at the bar,
When I put out to sea."

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