Oregon State Bar Bulletin FEBRUARY/MARCH 2002
| Among Ourselves |
Miller Nash announces that Laura L. Takasumi,
an associate of the firm's Vancouver and Portland offices, is one
of five young lawyers recently selected as an ABA Section of Business
law fellow for 2001-2003. The appointees work with the section's
fellowship committee to plan programming that will enhance the relationship
between the section and the Young Lawyers Division and increase
active participation by young lawyers in the work of the section.
Each fellow is assigned to a specific substantive committee and
mentor. Takasumi will work with the Corporate Governance Committee.
Judge Gayle Nachtigal of the Washington County Circuit Court was elected second vice president of the American Judges Association at that organization's recent annual meeting in Reno. Judge Nachtigal previously served on the board of governors of the association and as AJA secretary.
Foster Pepper & Shefelman managing partner Mike Silvey was recently appointed to the Gordon House Conservancy Board. The Gordon House is the only home in Oregon designed by Frank Lloyd Wright The home was recently moved to the Oregon Garden in Silverton, where it is being restored. Silvey was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Clackamas Community Land Trust as chair of the Oregon chapter of the Counselors of Real Estate.
Paul DeBast has been appointed acting chair of the Metropolitan Public Defender Services board of trustees. DeBast has served as a member of the board since 1980. The former chair, Barnes Ellis, has been appointed chair of the new Oregon Public Defense Services Commission. Chief Justice Wallace Carson Jr. has appointed Jonathan Ater to a three-year term to fill the board member position resulting from DeBast's chairmanship.
Ronald W. Atwood climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in August, all 19,341 feet of it. He also passed the Montana Bar Examination this summer and was admitted to practice in Montana effective Oct. 15, 2001.
The Association of Oregon Housing Authorities recently elected James Hackett as president of the organization for the upcoming year. Hackett is the executive director of the Linn-Benton Housing Authority located in Albany. He also serves as hearings officer for the Housing Authority for Clackamas County and is a member of the City of Corvallis Housing and Community Development Commission.
At its recent annual meeting, the Oregon Historical Society elected Miller Nash's John D. Burns as president of its board of directors. Burns was Miller Nash's managing partner from 1997-99. He is a former president of the Oregon State Senate, where he served for eight years. In 1999, Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed him district attorney for Gilliam County. In 2000, he was elected to a four-year term in that position. Burns' family members were early settlers in Gilliam County, where he owns and actively operates a cattle ranch on Eastern Oregon's Columbia Plateau. The society is planning extensive remodeling of its downtown Portland headquarters in preparation for the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark Expedition and will also step up its classroom educational program.
Andrew J. Morrow Jr., a partner at Foster Pepper & Shefelman, was awarded the James B. Castles Leadership Award for Leadership and Excellence in Law and Community Service. The OSB Business Law Section presents the award annually to a lawyer who has a history of leadership, professionalism and community service with excellence in the practice of business law in Oregon. Morrow focuses his practice in corporate law, financial institutions, securities law and health care law.
Magistrate Jeff Mattson of the Oregon Tax Court has been granted a professional certificate in judicial development from the National Judicial College. His award is in dispute resolution skills. The specialized certificate is the first earned by an Oregon judicial officer and only the 13th given by the college. Mattson specializes in the mediation of complex tax appeals.
Robert S. Banks Jr. of Portland has been appointed by the National Association of Securities Dealers-Dispute Resolution board of directors to fill one of seven public member seats on its National Arbitration and Mediation Committee. His three-year term began Jan. 1, 2002. The NAMC is comprised of 13 people, including seven public members. The NAMC's mission is to recommend improvements to the procedures for resolving disputes between customers and the securities industry through NASD-sponsored arbitration and mediation. Banks regularly represents investors in NASD arbitrations.
Bullivant Houser Bailey attorney Chrys Martin spoke on 2002 law trends during a panel discussion at this year's Professional Services Coordinating Council's 'Out of the Box' event in January. PSCC - dedicated to building the professional services industry in Oregon - represents six professional groups: law, engineering, management consulting, architecture, marketing/advertising/public relations and accounting/financial consulting.
In his 51st year of practice, Martin Schedler was recently profiled in the National Law Journal Sole Practitioner's section. The newspaper selects one solo practitioner from each of the 50 states to profile.
The Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany has presented the government of Germany's Friendship Award to Eugene attorney Bill Sharp. Sharp has been involved in bringing many German visitors, students and athletes to the Eugene area over the past 25 years. Upon graduating from the Oregon Law School in 1978, Sharp began practicing law in Eugene. Almost immediately he brought German interns into his firm. The first among them was Armin Stapel, who has a very successful legal practice in Berlin. Both of Armin's children later attended South Eugene High School for a year. The most recent intern, Magda Haase, recently returned to her legal studies at Marburg University. Sharp has contributed to mutual understanding and appreciation between practitioners of the legal systems of Germany and the United States over the years.
The Oregon Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates awarded retiring Judge Robert P. Jones the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award at its annual dinner at the RiverPlace Hotel last December. ABOTA is a national organization whose goal is to preserve and enhance the jury trial system and to promote professionalism. Contrary to its name, the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award is regarded as a lifetime achievement award. President Mike McClinton told the audience that it is presented to a person 'who makes us proud to be trial lawyers and whose career exemplifies ABOTA's purpose.' Speaking in tribute to Judge Jones were Bob Keating, Chuck Paulson, Scott O'Donnell, Judge Lyle Velure and Judge Anna Brown. Judge Jones' son, Steve, gave an acceptance speech on his father's behalf.
The Clackamas County Bar Association has elected West Linn attorney Michael D. Walsh as its president for 2002. Roderick A. Boutin of Oregon City is the vice president. Chief deputy district attorney Gregory D. Horner is the secretary and assistant county counsel Kimberly Ybarra will serve as treasurer. Membership applications are available from the officers.
Pamela J. Beery, partner in the firm Beery & Elsner in Portland, has been appointed to the Federal Communications Commission's Local and State Government Advisory Committee. Comprised of elected and appointed officials of municipal, county, state and tribal governments, the committee advises the FCC on key issues relevant to local and state government in the area of telecommunications law and policy.
George Riemer, deputy director and general counsel of the Oregon State Bar, has been invited to speak at the National Conference of Bar Examiners' 2002 seminar which will be held in Chicago in April. His presentation at the 'Bright Ideas in Bar Admissions' seminar will be on the subject of cross-jurisdictional practice.