Class Notes
Includes news received from December 1, 2010 to June 1, 2011.
1950s
Honorable Roy Madsen ’53 shared his life story with high school students in Sitka, Alaska, at a program entitled The Color of Justice. This annual event is designed to increase the diversity of the legal profession by encouraging students to consider law as a career. Madsen of Alutiiq, Russian, and Danish heritage, grew up in Kodiak, and graduated from high school in 1941, one of seven students. After high school he received an appointment to West Point and the Naval Academy, but was disqualified when he was found to be colorblind. He attended Oregon State College (now University) and then enlisted in the Navy and served on a PT board for four years during World War II, receiving numerous service honors. His first job after law school was in the assistant district attorney’s office in Clackamas County. He returned to Alaska, passed the bar exam, and took over the practice of the only attorney in Kodiak, and was in private practice there for 22 years. He was active in the work leading to the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971. This work was prompted by the takeover of traditional native lands by homesteaders. Madsen served on the University of Alaska Board of Regents and helped establish a community college in Kodiak where he was the first president and taught business law. He was appointed Superior court judge in Kodiak in 1975 and served for 15 years. Madsen holds the distinction of being the first and only Alaska Native appointed to the Superior Court bench in Alaska. Madsen, now 83, is retired.
1970s
William Cobb ’74 was selected to fill an upcoming vacancy on the federal bench in Reno. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Roger Hunt has picked Cobb to replace U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert McQuaid Jr. upon McQuaid’s retirement in September 2011. Cobb will become one of two federal magistrates in Reno serving eight-year terms.
Arthur “Art” Curtis ’74 retired after serving as Clark County Prosecutor for thirty years. Curtis was lauded for his professionalism and the way he shaped the prosecutor’s office into a place where attorneys want to spend their careers, instead of an office that’s a revolving door for your attorneys. He leaves office as the third-longest serving county prosecutor in the state in modern times, and he is looking forward to traveling and spending time with his two granddaughters.
Yosef Yacob ’74 wrote an article entitled, US Immigration Rule(s) Affecting Hijab, which was published in Immigration Daily. The principle of dressing modestly is known as hijab [literally Arabic meaning “to cover”] and the concept has spawned a variety of headdresses and veils worn by Muslim women which has become a prominent symbol of religious faith. In several countries this devotion to faith has led to political controversies and proposals for a legal ban. The complete article can be found at: http://www.ilw.com/articles/2011,0419-Yacob.shtm
David Aamodt ’75 joined Markowitz Herbold Glade & Mehlhaf as Of Counsel after retiring from PGE as associate general counsel.
Emil. Berg ’75 authored an annotation on Law Governing Appointment of Receiver as Ancillary Equitable Remedy in Federal Diversity Action, 44A.L.R. Fed.2d241. Berg is a member of the Oregon and Idaho Bars and practices in both states from his office in Boise, Idaho.
Honorable Julie Frantz ’75 was elected as one of the new directors for the Multnomah Bar Foundation for a three year term. Frantz joined the Multnomah County Circuit Court in 1994 and is the Chief Criminal Judge. She became the first woman president of the OSB and received the MBA Award of Merit in 1992. She is the former president of the Oregon Law Foundation and the Oregon Circuit Court Judges Association and serves as the Vice President of the National Association of Women Judges.
Johnathan Haub ’76 completed his two-year assignment in Podgorica, Montenegro, as the US embassy’s resident legal adviser. He has returned to the US Attorney’s office to resume his duties in the criminal division in Portland. During his detail to Montenegro, he assisted in implementing a new criminal procedure criminal code that implements plea bargaining, asset forfeiture, use of civilian undercover agents and prosecutor-led investigations. He served as special adviser to the special prosecutor for organized crime, corruption, terrorism, and war crimes and assisted in forming Montenegro’s first multi-agency task force to fight organized crime and corruption.
James Richardson ’76 was named the new chair of the board of Trustees of Lewis & Clark College. Richardson is a longtime leader in both the business and nonprofits worlds and a double alumnus of Lewis & Clark.
R. Craig Hindley ’77 retired and closed his law office. He practiced for 32 years before Washington County courts, and maintained offices in Beaverton and near Washington Square in Tigard. A solo practitioner, he emphasized business, real estate and probate, but also practiced domestic relations, criminal defense, and juvenile law.
Charles “Chuck” Tauman ’77 joined the Multnomah Bar Foundation Board of Directors.. In his private practice, he focuses almost exclusively on tobacco litigation.
D. Lawrence “Larry” Wobbrock ’77 was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was inducted at a ceremony during the college’s recent annual meeting in Washington, DC. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experience 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. There are currently approximately 5,790 members in the United States and Canada.
Peter Glade ’78 was elected president of the Multnomah Bar Foundation. Glade is a shareholder with Markowitz Herbold Glade PC in Portland, OR.
John Bradach ’79 relocated the Bradach Law Offices to Portland Union Station, 800 NW Sixth Avenue, Suite 209, Portland, OR 97209; Phone: 503-238-7170.
Michael “Mickey” Morey ’79 announced his transition from the practice of law to working exclusively as a mediator, and the formation of Morey Mediation Services. As a litigator, he worked on both sides of the civil bar as an insurance defense lawyer and plaintiffs’ lawyer. He is a member of the Oregon Mediation Association and the ABA Dispute Resolution Section. He can be reached at 503-459-8869; Website: moreymediation.com; and Email: mickey@moreymediation.com.
1980s
Thomas Brown ’80 was honored by the Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce with the Leadership in Law Award. The award recognizes those individuals whose leadership, both in the legal profession and in the community, has made a positive impact on our state. Brown is a partner with Cosgrave Vergeer Kester in Portland, Oregon.
William Hupprich ’80 was promoted to Vice President & General Counsel of the Alaska Railroad Corporation. His new contact information is: P O Box 17500, Anchorage, Alaska 99510-7500.
Mary Treiber ’80 moved to Barrow, Alaska, where she is the magistrate, one of two judicial officers serving the North Slope Borough. Her new contact information is: Alaska Court System, PO Box 270, Barrow, AK 99723, Phone: 907 821-0678.
Gretchen Buehner ’81 was reelected to the Tigard City Council; and the council elected her council president in January.
Honorable Juan Lizama ’81 was appointed to serve on the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. He will represent Saipan on the board through November 13, 2013. Lizama, now retired, served as the associate judge of the CNMI Superior Court from 1998 through 2008, and was a special judge at the Superior and Supreme Courts from 1996 through 1998. He also served as assistant legal counsel of Marianas Public Land Corporation; as a consultant for the NMI First Commonwealth Legislature; director of Territorial Economic Opportunity Office; and administrator of the Office of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Island.
Chrys Martin ’81 joined Davis Wright Tremaine as a partner in their Portland office. Her practice focuses on counseling and litigation in employment, labor and benefits issues for employers. Martin spent the last 29 years at Bullivant Houser Bailey advising and defending employers of all sizes.
Kathleen McCann ’81 was a presenter for a CLE in Clark County: The Seventh Nuts and Bolts Lecture: Starting and Sustaining a Law Practice. McCann is a sole practitioner in Vancouver, Washington, emphasizing family law, adoption, and guardianship in her practice. She has been practicing law in Clark County, Washington since 1981and is a member of the Washington State Bar Family Law Executive Council. McCann worked as an associate for a sole practitioner during her first five years practicing law, for a small firm for the next three years, and has had her own practice since 1989
Kathryn Villa-Smith ’82 was appointed to the Multnomah County Circuit Court and will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Keith Meisenheimer. Villa-Smith previously was a shareholder at the firm of Gevurtz, Menashe, Larson & Howe in Portland, Oregon. She has practiced domestic relations law for more than 16 years and has prior experience as a Deputy District attorney in Multnomah County. She serves on the board of the St. Andrew Legal Clinic and the Multnomah Bar Foundation.
Gary Bashor ’83 was selected by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire to replace retiring Superior Court Judge James Warme. Bashor has been doing judicial duties part time since 1999, when judges appointed him court commissioner. Bashor will have to run for election this fall for the remaining year of Warme’s four-year term; and he will have to run again in the fall of 2012 to retain the seat. As judge he intends to continue the work he’s been doing to increase people’s access to justice. Part of that will involve adding legal forms to the Superior Court website, which he redesigned, and linking them to a free translation program.
Deborah Caldwell ’83, owner of Caldwell Human Resources, provides HR services for dental practices. She brings over 20 years of experience knowledge, and skills to help dental professionals solve HR problems. She has received advanced training in workplace mediation, facilitation and training, employment law and human resources. After a career that included school administration and teaching Educational Psychology and related courses at Pacific University, she combined her passion for law and organizational development to create Caldwell Human Resources. She is a well-regarded speaker, presenter, and trainer who has addressed groups and conferences in Oregon and elsewhere.
Kay Abramowitz ’84 was elected to the Portland Opera Board of Directors. She is a partner with Ater Wynne and chair of its Wealth Preservation and Family Owned Business Group. Abramowitz counsels individuals and business owners on asset protection and wealth preservation through estate planning, estate and trust administration, entity formation, and business planning.
Julianne Davis ’84 joined Lane Powell as Counsel to the Firm in the Intellectual Property and Technology Practice Group where she will focus her practice on intellectual property and litigation. Prior to joining Lane Powell, Davis worked as Assistant General Counsel at Nike, Inc. While at Nike, she handled cases involving utility patents, including utility models in Germany and China, design patent and registrations throughout the world, as well as trademarks and trade secrets. Davis was responsible for enforcing and defending Nike on a global basis in all major intellectual property disputes. Before Nike, she was an established trial lawyer in Portland, specializing in all forms of intellectual property litigation. She has also handled cases involving trade secrets, unfair competition, first chaired ITC proceedings and enforced European “tweener” cases for multi-national corporations. Her new contact information is as follows: 601 SW Second Avenue, Suite 2100, Portland, OR 97204; Phone: 503-778-2118; and Email: DavisJ@LanePowell.com.
William Rooklidge ’84 joined Jones Day’s Intellectual Property Practice in Irvine, California. Rooklidge’s practice focuses on intellectual property disputes, including patent and trademark infringement litigation, mediation and arbitration. He represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including communications, diesel engines, software, electronics, sporting goods and financial services. A leader in the local and national bar, Rooklidge served as President of the Orange County Patent Law Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. He was recognized as one of the Top 75 IP Litigators in California by the Daily Journal in 2010 and was named as Best Lawyers’ 2011 Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year for Orange County, Calif. A former registered professional engineer, he earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Portland, and then he followed his JD from Lewis & Clark Law School and LLM in Patent and Trade Regulation Law from George Washington University Law School with a judicial clerkship for Circuit Judge Helen W. Nies of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Kathryn Smith Root ’84 is the anchor partner and partner-in-charge of the newly opened Portland, Oregon office of McKinley Irvin, a Seattle based family law firm. Root, formerly a shareholder of Johnston, Root & Leibenguth, will continue to handle a broad range of family law cases with specific emphasis on interstate and international family law disputes, including international child abduction cases. Her new contact information is: 1500 SW First Avenue, Suite 920, Portland, OR 97201; Phone: 503-226-7986; Fax: 503-223-0743; and E-mail: kroot@mckinleyirvin.com.
Nancy Smith ’84 changed the name of her firm to Nancy A. Smith & Associates (formerly Smith & Greaves). The firm continues to offer full service creditors collection assistance to its clients in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Her new website is: www.smithcreditlaw.com.
Pamela Barrow ’85 was one of the speakers at the 2011 Executive Business Summit held in May, 2011 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Barrow is the Energy Director for the Northwest Food Processors Association (NWFPAA).
Scott Horngren ’87 accepted a position with the American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) as in-house counsel. He previously was with the firm of Haglund Kelly Jones & Wilder. His new contact information is: American Forest Resource Council, 5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 350, Portland, OR 97239; Phone 503-222-9595.
Anthony Misseldine ’87 joined the firm of Jackson White in Mesa, Arizona as a shareholder and focuses his practice on eminent domain, inverse condemnation, commercial real estate valuation, land use litigation and complex commercial lawsuits. Misseldine has extensive experience providing litigation services at trial and his clients include property owners, private companies and national corporations. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, and former member of the State Bar of Arizona Professionalism Committee. He received the AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the leading lawyer rating and referral service. Misseldine is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of Arizona, U.S. District Court for the District of AZ and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
1990s
Rong-Wei “Ron” Cai ’90, partner-in-charge and chief representative of Davis Wright Tremaine’s Shanghai, China office, has been appointed to serve as arbitrator for China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC). One of the most active international business arbitration bodies in the world, CIETAC resolves cross-border economic and trade disputes through arbitration. Handling roughly 1,000 cases annually, CIETAC has gained a reputation in China and abroad as an independent, impartial, and extremely efficient arbitration institution. Cai, who has been working at Davis Wright Tremaine’s Shanghai Office for the past 10 years, concentrates his practice on foreign investment in China, handling general business and corporate matters for multinational companies doing business there. He brings more than 20 years of experience assisting clients in U.S.-China business projects. Cai also serves as a mediator for the U.S.-China Business Mediation Center, which consists of 24 dispute resolution experts – 12 from the United States, and the other 12 from China. Beyond his law practice, Cai served as chair of the Legal Committee for the American Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai between 2008 and 2010, and as a board member for the China Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. He also serves as the co-president of the Columbia University Alumni Association in Shanghai.
Todd Beaird ’91 relocated to Dallas, Texas with his wife, Jenny and daughter, Kayla, to take a Corporate Vice President position with New York Life Insurance
Michael D. Rap ’91 co-founded a start-up venture, Serious Integrated, Inc., based in Phoenix, Arizona. Serious Integrated, Inc. provides Original Equipment Manufacturers and Electronic Design Firms with a complete human interface platform that enables rapid and cost-effective replacement of existing text display and push-button technologies with graphics touch screen interfaces for a broad range of industrial, office, medical, and consumer devices. His new contact information is: 1747 E. Morten Avenue, Suite 209, Phoenix, AZ 85020; Email: michael.rap@seriousintegrated.com; and Website: http://www.seriousintegrated.com.
Teresa A. Statler ’91 was awarded the Gerald H. Robinson Excellence in Advocacy Award by the Oregon Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The award recognizes accomplishments of chapter members who demonstrate excellence in advocating for the rights of immigrants. Statler is also a co-editor of the bar’s recent publication, Rights of Foreign Nationals.
Sibylle Baer ’92 announced the formation of the law firm of Cartwright Whitman Baer, formerly Cartwright & Associates. The new firm will continue to provide legal services for individuals and professionals in the areas of estate, trust, and elder financial abuse litigation; estate and trust administration; protective proceedings and appeals.
Gilion Dumas ’92 was recently elected to the board of the Cascade Policy Institute. Dumas is a partner with O’Donnell Clark & Crew LLP with substantial experience in commercial, real estate and tort litigation.
Sim Gill ’92 was the keynote speaker for the 2011 Davis County Democratic Party Convention on May 7, 2011. Gill is the district attorney for Salt Lake County, Utah.
Heidi Olsen Strauch ’92 returned to private practice, advising small business owners and providing estate planning and general civil litigation services, after three years as a contract litigation attorney. She can be reached at: heidi@heidistrachclaw.com (add complete address)
Benjamin Bloom ’93 was appointed to the Jackson County Circuit Court for the 7th Judicial District in Medford, Oregon, and will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Mark Schiveley. Bloom was a partner at Hornecker, Cowling, Hassen & Heysell in Medford, where he has practiced civil litigation since 1993 with a focus on professional negligence defense. He has represented multiple municipalities in certain state and federal court cases. He has served two terms on the Oregon Council on Court Procedures, three terms on the Local Rules Committee of the US District Court, and as an executive committee member on the Litigation Section and Products Liability section of the Oregon State Bar. Bloom also served as judge pro tem for the past five years.
Kimberly Zdenek ’94 was named the manager in the geosciences group at ENVIRON in Newark, New Jersey. She has over nine years of experience in the environmental science and engineering fields, including environmental compliance, due diligence, risk assessment, site assessment, investigation and remediation, environmental health and safety (EHS), permitting and compliance, solid and hazardous waste management, federal and state land use permitting and development of budgets and remediation cost estimates. Additionally, Zdenek has 10 years’ experience as an attorney in several areas of practice, including multi-state environmental litigation. She has significant experience in multi-media compliance audits, Phase I environmental site assessments, remediation data evaluation, sampling plan development, field coordination, project coordination, proposal preparation and budget review and analysis
Nancy Perry ’95 was named senior vice president of Government Relations for the ASPCA in Washington, DC. Perry will be responsible for the overall strategic and tactical direction of the ASPCA’s legislative efforts and public policy at the local, state and federal government levels; and she will serve as spokesperson and as a member of the senior management team. Perry joins the ASPCA from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) where she served as vice president of Government Affairs and oversaw HSUS’s state and federal legislative efforts, including ballot measure campaigns and nationwide grassroots activities. During her 16-year tenure at the HSUS, Perry led successful efforts to secure federal legislation preventing the distribution of notorious animal crush videos, prohibiting the practice of shark finning, requiring truthful labeling of fur garments, banning the import of puppies from foreign puppy mills, prohibiting the interstate commerce of birds for fighting, requiring disaster planning for pets, banning tigers and other big cats as pets, securing greater protections for pet food safety, and defunding government-supported horse slaughter. She co-founded Lewis & Clark’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, and also co-founded the Animal Law Journal and organized the country’s first animal law conference – an event that recently celebrated its 19th anniversary. Perry is an advisory board member of the Animal Law Review, teaches animal law at both George Washington University and Lewis & Clark Law Schools, and has published several articles on animal law.
Henry Darwin ’96 was named director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality by Governor Jan Brewer. Darwin, a longtime ADEQ staff member, had been serving as acting director of the agency since the departure of Benjamin Grumbles in December. Darwin said he was inspired to go into government work by his father’s example of public service as a physician. A licensed attorney in Arizona, he was the primary author of ADEQ’s Compliance and Enforcement Handbook and also developed the Arizona Environmental Performance Track program. In earlier positions with ADEQ, Darwin served as deputy director and chief of staff for the agency, overseeing its day-to-day operations. He also has served as acting director of the Water Quality Division and as administrative counsel of the agency. In 2001, Darwin received the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Bronze Medal, the highest award given to non-EPA staff. A year later, he was honored with the ADEQ Supernova Star Award, the highest award given to an ADEQ employee. In 2006, Darwin received the ADEQ Bronze Star Award for his promotion of innovative and efficient operations within the agency.
Kyle Sciuchetti ’96 was elected to shareholder at the Portland office of Bullivant Houser Bailey. Sciuchetti maintains an active construction and hospitality practice throughout Oregon and Washington. He regularly advises businesses and manages the legal needs of many companies ranging from construction contractors to hotel management companies.
Joseph O’Leary ’97 joined the executive team at the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) where he will lead the policy planning and legislative analysis division. O’Leary served as general counsel to Governor Kulongoski for the past two years. He also served the governor as a senior policy adviser in public safety and telecommunications issues and oversaw seven state-wide public safety agencies within the executive branch of state government. His new business address is: 11410 SW 68th Parkway, Tigard, OR 97223.
Erika Soublet ’97 was appointment chief deputy district attorney for Coos County. Previously she was a senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Clallam County, WA. She got her start as a prosecutor in the Multnomah County district attorney’s office and, after moving to Washington, worked for the Skagit and Yakima county prosecuting attorney offices. Her new contact information is: Coos County District Attorney’s Office, 250 North Baxter, Coquille, OR 97423; Phone: 541-396-3121
Captain David Western ’97 published another book entitled, Arabic Vocabulary Made Easy, Volume 2. In this book, Western introduces 300 new words with a focus on Business, Military, and Media.
Amrit Kulkarni ’98 was named one of the Top 20 Under 40 lawyers in California by the Daily Journal.. Kulkarni was also recently named to the inaugural list of California’s Top 25 Land Use Lawyers by the Daily Journal. Kulkarni is the head of the Land Use Litigation practice for Meyers Nave in Oakland, California. His practice focuses on all aspects of land use and environmental law. He transformed and broadened the firm’s land use practice and led the firm’s land use expansion into Southern California. He has represented public entities and private clients in numerous matters and cases involving the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Coastal Act, the Tidelands Trust, the Subdivision Map Act, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, the Mitigation Fee Act, the Clean Water Act and civil rights claims in the land use context. Several of these cases have resulted in published appellate decisions.
James Blair ’98 is opening a pub, called Creek Monkey, in Martinez, California; and his goal is to eventually open a full production brewery adopting the name, Excelsior, for his micro-beer. He is using the renowned Oregon McMenamin brothers as a model. The McMenamins are famous for turning disused historic buildings slated for the wrecking ball into hipster paradises. As for the name of the establishment – Creek Monkey – it stems from a local urban legend of simian sightings where the famous beavers now call home.
Sam Panarella ’98, a practitioner with experience in wind energy, was hired as an assistant professor of contract law at the University of Montana School of Law. Panarella is CEO of Crux Consulting, a legal process and management consulting firm. After graduation from law school, he served as a judicial clerk for Judge Otto R. Skopil Jr. of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and then as a partner at Stoel Rives LLP. Since then he has worked as a senior operating executive for two leading consulting companies focused on commercial contracting, intellectual property portfolio management and electronic discovery.
Michele Stone ’98 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Stone, an associate with Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf, is a trial lawyer focusing on commercial litigation.
Matthew Whitman ’98 announced the formation of the law firm of Cartwright Whitman Baer, formerly Cartwright & Associates. The new firm will continue to provide legal services for individuals and professionals in the areas of estate, trust, and elder financial abuse litigation; estate and trust administration; protective proceedings and appeals.
Joshua Husbands ’99 was elected to the board of directors of the Estate Planning Council of Portland. The Estate Planning Council of Portland is an interdisciplinary organization of estate planning professionals dedicated to fostering an understanding of the proper relationship between the attorney, insurance professional, trust officer, accountant and other parties involved in estate planning and to encourage cooperation amongst the parties. Husbands is a member of Holland & Knight’s Private Wealth Services practice group. He represents clients in an array of business, tax, business succession and estate planning matters, including business reorganizations, acquisitions and divestitures. He often writes and speaks on a number of business, tax, life insurance and asset protection matters concerning business and high net-worth individuals. Husbands teaches estate planning as an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark Law School and has been named a ‘Rising Star’ by Super Lawyers magazine for the past two years.
2000s
Lisa Alan ’00 graduated from The Art of Leadership, a board training program presented by Business for Culture and the Arts. Alan is an associate with Stoel Rives in Portland, OR.
Jason Ayres ’00 was promoted to shareholder at Farleigh Wada Witt, a full-service business and financial services law firm in Portland and Central Oregon. Ayres will continue to represent equipment leasing companies and other commercial lenders in commercial collections and litigation, bankruptcy matters, and enforcement of creditors’ rights.
Brett Brownscombe ’00 was taken a new position in the Governor’s Office as Deputy Natural Resource Policy Advisor. He will be working on state, local, and federal issues including forest management, fish and widlife, water, and parks / recreation. His new contact information is: Office of the Governor, 900 Court Street, NE, State Capitol, Room 160, Salem, OR 97301-4947; Email:brett.brownscombe@state.or.us; and Phone: 503-373-1680.
William Bryson ’00 is working for the State of Montana as a Civil Rights/EEO Specialist for the Department of Public Health and Human Services. His new business contact information is as follows: P O Box 4210, Helena, MT 59602-4210; Phone: 406-444-1386; and Email: wbryson@mt.gov.
Nicholas Dazer ’00 and Orlando Medina ’00 founded a new law firm named Kinetic Law Group, LLP. The firm will handle a wide variety of commercial litigation and insurance coverage matters, along with business transactions and intellectual property matters. Dazer’s and Medina’s new contact information is: 121 SW Morrison Street, Suite 475, Portland, OR 97204; Phone: 503-953-1040.
David Fennell ’00 wrote a screenplay, COIN, based on the true story of a specialized Marine unit struggling to find a black and white purpose to a very grey war in Afghanistan from January to June 2010. COIN holds a double meaning; first, for the “counter-insurgency” type war that is being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and, second, for the adage that there are “two sides to every coin”. It is very raw and very real, meant to provide the audience with an ideal combination of explosive entertainment and historical-like account of a misunderstood war. Externally, it is a war epic focused more on working with the local people during stability operations than killing enemy forces. Internally, it is about the deep seeded need to know the fruit of one’s labor in a complex environment that offers no easy answers or concrete results. Fennell is a Major in the U.S. Marine Corps (Reserves)and has served two combat deployments, first, as a TAOC Detachment Commander in Iraq (OIF) and, second, as a Civil Affairs Team Leader in Afghanistan (OEF). Fennell is the founder of Law Q, a full spectrum recruiting, staffing and employment service company located in Denver, Colorado.
Karl Hausafus ’00 was hired as general counsel and chief compliance officer for Arnerich Massena & Associates, a Portland-based independent investment advisory firm. Hausafus previously served as general counsel and chief compliance officer of Compass Holdings and its affiliated companies. Prior to that he was a senior associate attorney with Preston Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates), where he advised both public and private companies on general securities and business issues.
Román Hernández ’00 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010; and received the Leaders Award for Outstanding Professional Organization Involvement. Hernández is a shareholder with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, and practices employment law, defending employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour violations. He also is president of the National Hispanic Bar Association.
Peter Parisot ’00 has taken a new position as Director of Economic Development for the City of Portland. Parisot will be focused on realizing the Mayor’s vision of a more equitable and just Portland through smart and compassionate economic development policy. He is returning to public service after nearly a decade working as an attorney in both San Francisco and Portland.
Carrie Richter ’00 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Richter’s passion for sustainable land-use planning and historic preservation extend well beyond her legal practice in real estate, land-use, environmental and natural resources law.
A partner at Garvey Schubert Barer, she has successfully argued cases before Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals. Richter acts as deputy city attorney for Oregon City and advises the city in many contentious planning issues.
Rob Roy Smith ’00 was named as a shareholder in the Seattle office of Ater Wynne. Smith is a federal Indian law attorney who advises Indian tribal clients and others doing business in Indian country on all aspects of federal, state, and tribal law, including economic development, litigation, resource protection, taxation, tribal sovereignty, and gaming. He is an adjunct professor of Federal Indian Law at Seattle University School of Law.
Trung Tu ’00 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Trung, a partner at McEwen Gisvold, is a litigation and appellate attorney with experience in commercial, business, corporate and real estate law, legal malpractice defense and repair, employment law and simple estate planning. He represents a wide range of clients, including corporations, small businesses, banks, insurance companies, nonprofit organizations, individuals and other attorneys in all aspects of litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining McEwen Gisvold, Trung was a senior staff attorney with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Trung speaks Vietnamese.
Chelsea Armstrong ’01 was named partner with the Salem law firm of Sherman Sherman Johnnie & Hoyt. Her practice emphasizes effective representation for clients with domestic issues including divorces, modifications, spousal support issues, child custody, third party rights, and adoptions. Armstrong was recently appointed to the Oregon State Bar’s State Professional Responsibility Board and volunteers as a Pro tem Judge in Marion County.
Clark “Chip” Horner ’01 was named partner in the firm of Hoffman, Hart & Wagner in their Portland office.
David Koempel ’01 was elected to partnership at Holland & Knight in Portland, Oregon. Koempel, a member of the firm’s Tax Credit Transactions practice group, concentrates his practice in tax and business transactions with an emphasis on real estate syndication, partnership law and private equity financing of partnerships and limited liability companies
Michael McGrath ’01 was elected managing shareholder at Gearing, Rackner, Engel & MacGrath, a Portland family law firm. McGrath is licensed to practice in both Oregon and Washington. His practice is limited to representing clients in all aspects of domestic relations including dissolutions, legal separations, and contentious custody and support matters.
Tom Miller ’01 was named the Portland’s new Transportation Bureau Director. Miller wants to ensure that Portland in the coming decades builds a comprehensive transportation grid that gives residents true commuting choices. He’d like to see every resident have convenient access to mass transit and bike lanes. As director of the Transportation Bureau, Miller will replace Sue Keil, and oversee 750 employees and a $250 million annual budget. Miller was previously chief of staff for Mayor Sam Adams.
Ambyr O’Donnell ’01 was named general counsel and corporate secretary of Tripwire, Inc., a software company headquartered in Portland. She joined Tripwire in 2010 as director of legal affairs. O’Donnell serves on Lewis & Clark Law School’s Board of Visitors and the OSB Corporate Counsel, Intellectual Property and Business Law Sections’ executive committees.
Justin Sawyer ’01 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Sawyer is a partner in the litigation department at Miller Nash. Sawyer is a member of the firm’s business litigation practice group where he focuses on corporate governance and shareholder disputes, securities litigation, construction litigation, breach of contract and tort litigation, and disputes involving noncompetition agreements and intellectual property rights. Chair of the firm’s pro bono committee, he also handles a variety of pro bono matters.
Hanling Yang ’01 joined the US-China Partnership for Environmental Law as an associate director. She was a senior program manager at the International Sustainable Development Foundation for almost 10 years, training Chinese government officials in sustainable land use, urban planning, and governance issues. The US-China Partnership for Environmental Law is a collaborative program Vermont Law School developed to build capacity among individuals and academic, government, and private-sector institutions in China to solve its pollution and energy problems.
Melissa Chureau ’02 opened Chureau Law, LLC, in West Linn, Oregon. Chureau assists individuals and businesses in distress, and finds innovative and beneficial solutions for difficult legal situations, with integrity and with results. She concentrates her practice on employment advice and litigation, administrative hearings, and criminal defense. She previously worked for the firm of Kennedy Watts Arellano & Ricks and served as a prosecutor for both Clackamas and Multnomah County District Attorneys’ Offices, where she successfully tried well over 100 cases. Chureau remains actively involved in the community, is a Board Member for the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation, and an active member and volunteer in Oregon Lawyers for a Sustainable Future, as well as Lewis & Clark’s Mentor Program, the Classroom Law Project, and the Gus J. Solomon Inn of Court. Her new contact information is as follows: 1914 Willamette Falls Drive, Suite 120, West Linn, OR 97068; Phone: 503-512-5441; Email:
melissa@chureaulaw.com, and Website: http://www.chureaulaw.com.
Erin MacDonald ’02 joined Karnopp Petersen as a new partner in their Bend law firm. Macdonald’s legal practice includes estate planning, probate and trust administration, tax planning, charitable giving and assisting clients in the formation of nonprofit entities
Elizabeth Kelly Meyers ’02 joined Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith in their San Francisco office as an associate. Meyers specializes in general liability litigation, including products liability, premises liability, wrongful death claims, property damage, and complex torts. Meyers also has extensive experience in construction defect matters, concentrating primarily on the representation of subcontractors. Her expertise includes advising clients in all phases of dispute, including preventative counseling and alternative dispute resolution proceeding such as mediation and arbitration hearings. Meyers has litigation and jury trial experience in a variety of practice areas, including real estate, land-lord tenant, employment, and general tort litigation. She is admitted to practice law in California, Oregon and Nevada.
Elizabeth Teague ’02 returned to The Downs Law Offices as an associate. She and the firm concentrate practice in family law, including Divorce/Dissolution of Marriage, Child Custody, Spousal Support/Alimony Maintenance, Child Support, Visitation, Paternity, Premarital/Prenuptial Agreements, and Post-Marital Agreements. Her new contact information is as follows: 150 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1870, Chicago, IL 60606; Phone: 312-781-1963; and Email: liz@downslaw.com.
Lawrence Wagner ’02 was named partner at Stewart Sokol & Gray LLC. Wagner’s practice emphasizes construction law, business law, real estate law, commercial litigation, insurance law, and surety law. He represents business owners, property owners, developers, contractors, design professionals, appraisers, material suppliers, insurers and sureties.
Monica Campbell ’03 started her own practice, the Campbell Law Firm, PC. She will be doing plaintiff’s BI work and possibly wills, estates, and immigration. Her new contact information is as follows: 4900 SW Griffith Drive, #125, Beaverton, OR 97005; Email:mgc@campbell-lawfirm.net; and Phone: 503-906-2631.
Kevin Clonts ’03 joined the firm of Rizzo Mattingly Bosworth in Portland, Oregon. The firm specializes in civil litigation and trial practice. His new contact information is: 411 SW Second Avenue, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97204; Phone: 503-229-1819; Website: www.rizzopc.com; and Home: 2336 SW Osage Street, #708, Portland, OR 97205.
Paige Davis ’03 joined Garvey Schubert Barer in the firm’s Tax and Benefits Group in Seattle, Washington. Her practice focuses on international tax and business law. She counsels clients in business planning and transactions, including formation, operation, exit strategies, mergers and acquisitions, financing and other business operations. Davis also advises on the tax aspects of aircraft ownership, transactions and financing. Davis is the President-Elect of the Washington State Bar Association Taxation Section and chair of the Taxation Section’s International Tax Committee. She is an adjunct professor of Canada-U.S. Tax for the Graduate Program in Taxation at the University of Washington School of Law and a pro bono attorney at the University of Washington Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. She is a board member of On the Boards and a member of the Canada-America Society and the Canada Tax Foundation. Davis earned her LLM in taxation from the University of Washington (2004), her JD from Lewis & Clark Law School (2003) and her BA in political science from University of Victoria (1999).
Christy Doornink ’03 was named a shareholder at Reinisch Mackenzie. Doornink is licensed to practice in Oregon and Washington.
Justin Leonard ’03 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Leonard is an associate at Ball Janik and specializes in bankruptcy and debtor-creditor rights. Leonard is admitted to practice in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Districts of Oregon, Western Washington, Eastern Washington, and Idaho, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Chris Lombard ’03 joined Lewis & Clark Law School’s Career Services Office as Associate Director. Lombard has been working at Syracuse University College of Law as an Associate Director in their Career Services Office for the past two years. His prior experience includes private practice, staff attorney at PSU, and work as a legal editor for a publisher.
Erin McDonough ’03 was named senior counsel at Hanson Bridgett in Sacramento, California. McDonough’s practice focuses on providing construction related services to private and public clients including owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. She counsels clients and litigates disputes in all areas of construction law including bid protests, private and public contracts, mechanics’ liens, and shop notices.
Josh Ross ’03 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Ross, an associate at Stoll Berne, is a litigator who concentrates on complex business matters, consumer and securities issues, class actions, and contract disputes. Licensed in both Oregon and Washington, he represents clients in state and federal courts, as well as in court-mandated and private arbitration. Ross has represented both individuals and businesses in a variety of civil actions, including actions for fraud, breach of contract, unlawful trade practices, breach of contract, professional malpractice, and securities fraud.
Brian Scott Wayson ’03 formed the law firm of Brown + Wayson, which will focus on the representation of disabled clients before the Social Security Administration and in federal court. Wayson has worked in business management and for a state agency, as well as in private practice for a firm representing clients seeking disability benefits. His new contact information is as follows: 825 NE 20th Avenue, Suite 320, Portland, OR; Phone: 503-891-8376; Email: brian@brown-wayson.com; and Website: http://brown-wayson.com.
Tim Eblen ’04 and Michelle Freed ’04 opened the new firm of Elben Freed, LLP. Both Eblen and Freed were previously with the firm of Smith & Greaves, they have combined experience of over a decade, and are licensed in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. They offer legal services to families and small businesses and will continue to offer individualized counsel on debtor or creditor issues, including litigation/dispute resolution and bankruptcy. Their general practice includes collaborative family law, basic estate planning, and business transactions. Eblen is married to Thu Pham, and has two children. Tommy, now 10, is an accomplished chess player and loves math. Lily, almost 8, is a bookworm and natural born leader of the household. Freed is married to Andy Freed, and has two children, Ella (4) and Madeline (2). Their new contact information is as follows: 310 SW Fourth Avenue, Suite 810, Portland, OR 97204, Phone: 503-548-6330; Email: tim@eblenfreed.com; michelle@eblenfreed.com; and website: www.eblenfreed.com.
Dan Eller ’04 became a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oregon and Southwest Washington, Idaho, and Montana Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Eller is an attorney at Schwabe Williamson Wyatt in Portland, Oregon. He focuses his practice in the areas of tax and business law and advises clients with both transactional and controversy matters. His transactional practice has its emphases on real property development transaction structuring (including affordable housing and low-income housing tax credits); renewable-energy tax credits and grants utilization; and tax-exempt entity formation, qualification, and operation (including analysis of unrelated business taxable income issues).
Trisha Hole ’04 was named a shareholder at Reinisch Mackenzie. Hole is licensed to practice in Oregon and Washington.
Ronald Opsahl ’04 recently opened the Opsahl Law Office, LLC. His new contact information is as follows:1740 S. Estes Street, Lakewood, CO 80232; Phone: 303-888-3287; Fax: 720-836-3172; Email: ron@opsahllawoffice.com.
Marlene Rocio Yesquen ’04 was appointed to serve on the Medford School Board. Yesquen is an attorney with Black Chapman Webber & Stevens in Medford. She is involved in numerous activities that benefit our community. These include membership in the district’s Latino Advisory Committee, the board of the Community Health Center and the Hispanic Interagency Committee. She also is a member of the city of Medford Budget Committee and its Housing and Community Development Commission. In addition, she is a member of the Medford Chamber Latino Network and a past member of the city of Medford Multicultural Commission.
Ashlee Albies ’05 was honored by the National Lawyers Guild and received the organization’s Law for the People Award. Albies and six other attorneys were recognized for their team’s victory in the lawsuit, Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Obama. As a result, Chief Judge Vaughn Walker of the US District Court for the Northern District of California declared that the warrantless wiretapping program initiated by the Bush administration was not legal.
Matthew Goldberg ’05 joined the firm of Assayag Mauss in their new Lake Oswego office as an associate. Goldberg’s practice focuses on bankruptcy, debtor-creditor law and civil litigation with an emphasis on real estate and business matters. Goldberg is a former extern to the Honorable Elizabeth J. Perris of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon. He has significant experience representing trustees and creditors in a broad spectrum of bankruptcy matters, including complex litigation in bankruptcy court. Outside of bankruptcy, he has successfully handled litigation for clients ranging from Fortune 500 and other large companies to smaller businesses and individuals in state and federal courts in Oregon and Washington. Prior to joining Assayag Mauss, Mr. Goldberg was associated with the firms of K&L Gates and Kell Alterman & Runstein.
Michelle Johansson ’05 joined the law firm of Cartwright Whitman Baer as an associate. The new firm will continue to provide legal services for individuals and professionals in the areas of estate, trust, and elder financial abuse litigation; estate and trust administration; protective proceedings and appeals.
Christopher Parnell ’05 joined the firm of Dunn Carney as Of Counsel. Parnell’s practice focuses on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. He has extensive experience representing creditors, trustees and business debtors on a wide range of bankruptcy and insolvency issues.
Dara Polk ’05 graduated from the University of Portland with a BSN. She is currently working as a registered nurse in Washington, DC. She married Kyle Abraham, a JAG for the USAF, on 10/01/10 in Maui, Hawaii.
Ian Boisvert ’06 was the recipient of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowship in Public Policy and has arrived in New Zealand to take up his seven month placement. He will publish policy reports at the end of his fellowship in August, and launch his reports at a series of public seminars in Wellington. Boisvert, a renewable energy attorney from San Francisco, California, will be based at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), researching the existing laws and marine energy policies in New Zealand, the United States, Scotland and Germany to assist EECA with developing a New Zealand-specific regime for deployment of wave, tidal and offshore wind energy devices.
Chad Colton ’06 joined Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf in Portland as an associate. Colton is a commercial liltigator who represents businesses and individuals in complex disputes. Source:
Jennifer Coughlin ’06 was named partner with the firm of Brothers, Hawn & Coughlin, formerly Bruce Brothers & Associates. Her practice areas are personal injury, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents and injuries, and sexual assault. Couglin can be reached at jlc@brotherslaw.com.
Elisa Dozono ’06 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010; and received the Leaders Award for Outstanding Professional Organization Involvement. Dozono is an attorney with Miller Nash in Portland, Oregon.
Mariyetta Meyers-Lopez ’06 joined the Archer Norris law firm in Newport Beach, California as an associate. She is working with the insurance group, focusing on bad faith insurance claims, coverage issues, as well as real estate issues, errors and omissions claims and partnership disputes. Also, Meyers-Lopez recently gave birth to a daughter, Rachel.
Thomas Chow ’07 was honored with the 2011 Michael E. Haglund Volunteer Lawyers Project Award. This award is given to a new lawyer who has displayed a special commitment to pro bono services. Chow has volunteered more than 475 hours to Legal Aid Services of Oregon.
Monique Hawthorne ’07 was named by the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce as one of the Up & Coming Lawyers of 2010. Hawthorne is an attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine in Portland, Oregon and is passionate about sustainable design and construction. Driven by that passion, she became certified in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green-building rating program and helped to build the first Passive House in Portland with her husband.
Connie C. Kong ’07 is clerking for the Honorable Marco Hernandez in the US District Court. Her new contact information is as follows: 1427 United States Courthouse, 1000 SW Third Avenue, Portland, OR 97204; Phone: 503-326-8211; and Email: connie_kong@ord.uscourts.gov.
Margot Lutzenhiser ’07 joined Farleigh Wada Witt, a full-service business and financial services law firm with offices in Portland and Central Oregon, as an associate attorney in the Portland office.
