January 2001

Changing Venues

The Honorable Gerry L. Alexander has been elected chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court. As the 52nd chief justice, he is the court's chief spokesman, presides over public hearings, and acts as the administrative head of the state's trial and appellate court system. He also co-chairs the 20-member Board for Judicial Administration. Justice Alexander was recently awarded the University of Washington School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, along with The Honorable William Fremming Nielsen, chief judge of the Eastern District of Washington U.S. District Court.

The Honorable Betty B. Fletcher, a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, has been honored with the Henry M. Jackson Public Service Award by the University of Washington School of Law Alumni Association.

Montesano lawyer Vini Samuel has received the state Democratic Party's annual Rising Star Award for her work with the Grays Harbor Democratic Central Committee, the Montesano City Council, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Ms. Samuel works for the Aberdeen firm of Micheau Reed and focuses on estate planning and probate work.

Nancy Nellor, a partner with the Vancouver firm of Morse & Bratt, has been elected president of Southwest Washington Independent Forward Thrust (SWIFT). Founded in 1975, SWIFT has given more than $2.9 million in grants to Southwest Washington community organizations and charities.

The Northwest Tribal Court Judges Association has elected the following board members for 2000-2002: president, Martin Bohl, chief judge, Upper Skagit Tribe of Indians; vice-president, Mary L. Pearson, chief judge, Spokane Tribe of Indians; secretary/treasurer, Michelle Demmert, associate judge, Northwest Intertribal Court System; director, Patricia Paul, pro tem tribal judge, Northwest Intertribal Court System; director, James Underwood, tribal judge, Goshute tribal court; delegate, Mary Wynne, justice, Puyallup and Spokane tribal courts; alternate delegate, Buford Johnson, justice, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Vancouver lawyer Juliet C. Laycoe received the George C. Marshall Leadership Award. The award is presented annually to a Clark County resident under age 35 who represents leadership, community service, vision and honor.

The Defense Research Institute (DRI), the nation's largest association of civil litigation defense lawyers, has elected Seattle lawyer Sheryl J. Willert as first vice-president. The first female and first African-American officer of the organization, she will become DRI president-elect in October 2001 and president in October 2002. Ms. Willert has been the managing director of Williams, Kastner & Gibbs PLLC since 1996.

Seattle lawyer Jeffrey I. Tilden has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Tilden is a partner in the firm of Gordon Murray Tilden.

Graham & Dunn has added four new attorneys to its Seattle office. James H. Simon is a shareholder and member of the labor and employment team. Randall H. Moeller has joined the intellectual property team as of counsel, and Michael A. Raskasky has joined the banking and financial institutions team as of counsel. Michael C. Williams is an associate on the technology ventures and e-commerce team.

Steven N. Ross has joined Wolfstone, Panchot & Bloch PS as of counsel. His practice emphasizes labor and employment law. Kevin D. Hull has joined the firm as an associate, focusing on litigation and family law.

Kim Stephens has become a named owner of the Seattle firm of Tousley Brain PLLC. The firm is now known as Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC. Mr. Stephens has been with the firm since 1981.

Rebecca McIntyre has joined the University of Washington Real Estate Office, handling real estate transactions for the university and off-campus university leasing, acquisition and development.

Daniel Huffman has been appointed an administrative law judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings in Everett. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Huffman was a claims officer for the Everett Division of Child Support Services.

The Seattle office of Miller Nash LLP has added Ashley M. Bale to its litigation department. She focuses on litigation, environmental and natural resources law, and telecommunications utilities and regulation.

Robert Tad Seder has joined the civil division of the Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office.

Theona Jundanian has joined the Casey Family Program (CFP) as senior program counsel. The CFP is a nationwide, nonprofit foundation headquartered in Seattle which helps foster children and families.

Eric A. DeJong has joined the Seattle office of Perkins Coie as a partner in the corporate finance group. He focuses on emerging companies, corporate finance, securities regulation, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as general corporate law. Clemens H. Barnes has joined the firm's labor and employment law group. He focuses on employment law advice and representation; union-management issues; special government contractor obligations; and employment contract, pay practices and wrongful discharge litigation.

Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell, Malanca, Peterson & Daheim PLLC has added Steven T. Reich to its Seattle office as an associate. Prior to joining the firm, he was the assistant city attorney in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Bremerton, Washington.

Timothy D. Benedict has joined the Seattle firm of Hillis Clark Martin Peterson PS as an associate, focusing on commercial litigation.

Richard G. Matson has been elected to the board of directors of Bullivant Houser Bailey PC, and David A. Ernst has been reelected to serve another board term. Mr. Matson focuses his practice on general litigation, trial practice and alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Ernst chairs the firm's food and beverage industry group, and focuses on litigation issues unique to that industry. John S. Cullen and Petrea Knudsen Reilly have joined the firm as associates. As a member of the business practice group, Mr. Cullen focuses on business transactions, taxation issues and intellectual property law. Ms. Reilly is part of the insurance practice group and has experience in insurance defense litigation.

Olympia lawyer Brent F. Dille has joined the firm of Owens Davies Mackie PS. His practice emphasizes business, real estate, municipal and land use law.

Al Van Kampen, Lee Burdette and David C. Burkett have merged their firms to become Burkett, Burdette & Van Kampen PLLC.

Brian McGinn has become a principal in the Spokane firm of Winston & Cashatt. His practice includes real estate, contracts and commercial litigation. Mike T. Howard and Courtney R. Tombari have joined the firm as associates. Mr. Howard focuses on personal injury and insurance law. Ms. Tombari's practice emphasizes commercial, transactional and general litigation.

Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP has added Kathleen A. Nelson to the Seattle office as an associate. Ms. Nelson focuses on civil litigation and insurance defense.

Matthew V. Honeywell has joined the Law Offices of Thomas A. Campbell in Auburn. His practice focuses on criminal defense and personal injury litigation.

Joseph Gaffney has joined the individual, estate and trust services group in the Seattle office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP. He also serves as firm-wide group co-chair. Ryan Rein and Craig Aird have joined the group as associates. All three previously practiced at Foster Pepper & Shefelman.

Jeffrey E. Harmes has joined the Seattle office of Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP as a partner. He chairs the firm's Northwest intellectual property group. (He is a member of the Oregon Bar.)

William Gleeson has joined the Seattle office of Preston Gates & Ellis as a partner in the business practice group. Mr. Gleeson is a former Securities Exchange Commission attorney and Loyola Law School professor. (He is a member of the Illinois and Maryland Bars.)

Kyung Sam Shinn has joined the Bellevue firm of Peterson Russell Cofano PLLC as an associate. Ms. Shinn concentrates her practice in real estate, immigration and corporate law.

Spokane lawyer John O. Cooney has joined the Law Offices of John Cooney and Associates PS as an associate in criminal law practice.

Carney Badley Smith & Spellman has added John Greene to its tax and transaction practice group.