January 2003

Changing Venues

Lou M. Baran, of the Vancouver firm Lou M. Baran PS, has achieved board certification as a family trial advocate through the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). NBTA is dedicated to the identification of attorneys with a history of enhanced skill in trial practice.

The Dayton Chamber of Commerce has named Terry Nealey Citizen of the Year. Mr. Nealey has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, coached school basketball, and advocated for the economic development of Dayton.

Steve Y. Koh has been named to the National Asian Pacific Bar Association's list of "Best Lawyers Under 40." Those selected have achieved distinction in the practice of law; business, civic and charitable affairs; or politics.

Seattle attorney C. William Bailey was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2003-2004 edition of the Best Lawyers in America.

The Seattle office of Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP has won the Seattle Law Firm Cup Challenge, raising more than $7,000 for the American Heart Association through its participation in the annual 3.2-mile American Heart Walk.

Washington Defense Trial Lawyers has awarded the Outstanding Plaintiff Trial Lawyer Award to Keith L. Kessler. This is the first award of its kind WDTL has given. The Outstanding Defense Trial Lawyer Award was awarded to Michael Runyan; the Outstanding Associate Award went to John Gagliardi.

Lora L. Brown has been elected a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

The Spokane firm Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP has hired Brian K. Gerst as an associate. His practice emphasizes insurance defense and civil litigation.

Edward G. Johnson has joined Safeco as a staff attorney in the Spokane office.

Patrick Kirby and Dianne K. Rudman have joined the Spokane firm Dunn & Black PS as associates. Mr. Kirby concentrates his practice on labor and employment law and litigation. Ms. Rudman focuses on employment, construction law and litigation.

Mark H. Kim has joined Maxey Law Office in Spokane.

Dianne Kullberg has joined the Spokane firm Huppin Ewing Anderson & Paul PS, where her practice includes criminal defense and prosecution, and civil and commercial litigation.

  The Markam Group, Inc., PS, of Spokane, has added Shane McFetridge as an associate. His practice emphasizes medical malpractice and product liability.

Timothy Blake has been elected to a four-term on the governing board of Arizona's Paradise Valley Unified School District, the third-largest district in the state.

Tacoma lawyer Ronald Leighton's nomination to the federal bench has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He will replace U.S. District Court Judge Robert Bryan at the federal courthouse in Tacoma. Mr. Leighton is president of the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Miller Nash LLP has welcomed Heather K. Cavanaugh as an associate in the Vancouver office, and Leslie M. Griffith as an associate in the Seattle office. Ms. Cavanaugh joined the litigation department, focusing on general business litigation and land use matters. Ms. Griffith joined the business department, focusing on health care and general business law.

Michael D. Daudt has become an owner of the Seattle firm Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC. Toby J. Marshall, Paul W. Moomaw, Thomas D. Newell Jr. and Mary B. Reiten (a member of the California and Oregon bars) have become associates of the firm. Mr. Daudt concentrates on complex commercial litigation; Mr. Marshall concentrates on commercial and class-action litigation; Mr. Newell focuses on business transactions and commercial litigation; Mr. Moomaw concentrates on commercial litigation; and Ms. Reiten focuses on civil litigation and class-action mass tort litigation.

Roy Umlauf has been elected to the board of directors of the Defense Research Institute, serving as regional director for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wyoming. Mr. Umlauf is a past president of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers.

Foster Pepper & Shefelman PLLC has hired Jeffery A. Richard as an associate in the municipal practice group. Mr. Richard's practice emphasizes public finance, municipal law, state constitutional law, and elections.

Mari Horita has joined the Seattle office of Preston Gates & Ellis PLLC as an associate in the real estate department. Ms. Horita's practice includes representing clients in retail and commercial leases, acquisitions and sales of commercial property, and eminent-domain proceedings.

Kenneth E. Hepworth, Karen A. Kalzer, Charles P.E. Leitch and Tammy L. Williams have become shareholders in the Seattle firm Lee Smart Cook Martin & Patterson PS. Frank A. Cornelius Jr., Toni Y. Davis, A. Janay Ferguson, Jason C. Hawes, William R. Kiendl and Ketia Berry Wick have joined the firm as associates.

John P. Ahlers has joined the firm Short Cressman & Burgess PLLC as partner. Mr. Ahlers, who has focused on construction-dispute resolution for the past 20 years, co-chairs the construction-industry practice group. Tatyana Gidirimski, Brent Nourse and Jennifer Sanscrainte have joined the firm as associates. Ms. Gidirimski concentrates on business and employment law and litigation; Mr. Nourse focuses on construction law and litigation; and Ms. Sanscrainte, who has joined the environmental, land use and natural resourses section, focuses on environmental, tribal, and land use law and litigation.

The Seattle firm Halverson Applegate has hired Sara Pirk (a member of the Oregon State Bar) as an associate. Her practice focuses on environmental law.

Brett N. Anderson has rejoined the Seattle office of Lane Spears Lubersky LLP as an associate in the employment and litigation groups. Brian J. Danzig has joined the firm as counsel to the real estate group, where he continues to handle real estate, finance and business matters. Robert J. Kayihura has joined as an associate in the complex litigation and commercial litigation practice groups. Mary K. Schug has joined the firm as an associate in the litigation group.

Seattle firm Cairncross & Hempelmann has hired Joong-Bin (J.B.) Im and John P. Payseno as associates. Mr. Im works in the technology and business practice groups; Mr. Payseno works in the land use and business practice groups.