December 2001

Changing Venues

Honors and Awards

Gary P. Tober has been appointed secretary of the San Francisco Congress of the International Fiscal Association on Taxation of Income Derived from Electronic Commerce. Mr. Tober maintains an international business practice in the Seattle office of Lane Powell Spears Lubersky.

Gonzaga University law professor Rev. Robert J. Araujo, S.J. has received the 2001 Silver Medal of the Pontificate and a letter of commendation from Vatican Secretary of State H. EM. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, at the behest of Pope John Paul II. Since 1996, Rev. Araujo has served as Vatican legal adviser at the United Nations and elsewhere. He has also been involved with the establishment of the International Criminal Court, a tribunal that will try individuals for violations of international law such as genocide and crimes against humanity.

C. Henry Heckendorn has joined the Seattle office of Miller Nash LLP, where he handles wills, trusts, taxation and business matters.

Jason J. Cruz has joined the Seattle firm Burkett, Burdette & Van Kampen PLLP as an associate. He practices with the firm’s litigation and intellectual property groups.

Randy F. Bolong, Kathleen M. Lovejoy and Linda C. Petrie have been appointed administrative law judges for the Office of Administrative Hearings. They are based in the Yakima, Seattle and Spokane offices, respectively.

R. Corbin Houchins has joined the Seattle office of Graham & Dunn as of counsel in the firm’s hospitality, franchise and distribution industry team; he chairs the licensed beverage team.

David C. Reed has joined the Office of General Counsel for AFC Enterprises, the franchisor and operator of Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits, Church’s Chicken, Cinnabon, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia Coffee.

Reagan B. Dunn has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Justice by President George W. Bush, serving as counsel to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels. Mr. Dunn is leading the implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative to reduce gun violence.

Sherelle A. Willingham has joined Jay A. Goldstein Law Office in Olympia. Her practice emphasizes personal injury and insurance law.

Jeffrey J. King has joined Woodcock Washburn in Seattle as a partner. His practice includes biotechnology patent prosecution, due diligence counseling, and other matters pertaining to biotechnical and biomedical research, development and acquisitions.

Jack G. Johnson has been named chief of the state attorney general’s University of Washington division. The UW division provides legal representation to the university on a broad range of issues including employment law, labor relations, student affairs, intercollegiate athletics, intellectual property matters, health care and real estate.

James T. Derrig has been named shareholder in the Seattle firm Eklund Rockey Stratton PS. His practice focuses on first-party insurance issues, including coverage, bad faith and insurance fraud.

Federal prosecutor Thomas C. Wales was tragically killed at his home on October 12. He was 49. Mr. Wales practiced in the U.S. Attorney’s Seattle office for 18 years, primarily prosecuting banking and business crimes. Passionate about gun control and gun safety, he was board president of the Seattle-based gun-control group Washington Ceasefire. In 1997, he led a large effort to pass a law requiring trigger locks for guns, safety classes, and licenses for handgun owners.

Additionally, Mr. Wales served six years on the Seattle Planning Commission, and spent many years as a president and member of the Queen Anne Community Council. Memorials may be made to Ceasefire Foundation of Washington (PO Box 20216, Seattle, WA 98102) or the Thomas C. Wales Fund at Milton Academy (170 Centre St., Milton, MA 02186).

Tom Wales, June 15, 2001
Edmonds Community College Commencement Address

Longtime University of Washington law professor Harry M. Cross died October 10 at age 88 from complications following knee surgery. Widely regarded as an authority on community-property law, Mr. Cross was instrumental in the passage of laws protecting the community-property rights of nonworking spouses in divorce cases. He was a two-term president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and served as the UW representative to the NCAA for 21 years. Memorials may be made to the UW School of Law or the UW athletic department.

Payne Karr, founder of the Seattle firm Karr Tuttle Campbell, passed away on October 2 at age 92. Mr. Karr served as WSBA president from 1968 to 1969, and as president of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He was a member of the Seattle Transit Commission and the American College of Trial Lawyers.

In addition to his WSBA membership, Mr. Karr was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Memorials may be made to the Bainbridge branch of Kitsap Regional Library (1270 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, WA 98110).

Edward F. Schaller Jr. died May 21 at his home in Olympia. Mr. Schaller was a partner in the firm Foster, Foster and Schaller from 1980 until his death, practicing criminal defense and family law. Prior to entering private practice, he was a deputy prosecutor and chief deputy prosecutor in Thurston County.

Earlier this year, the WSBA Board of Governors honored him as a Local Hero for his service to the residents of Thurston County. He was also named 2001 Lawyer of the Year by the Thurston County Bar Association. Mr. Schaller served as a president and board member of the Saint Martin’s College Alumni Association, and received the school’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

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