Eleven OSB members recently participated in a theater reading of ``The Constitution in a Time of War: The Trial of Minoru Yasui'' at the Lakewood Center for the Arts in Lake Oswego. The reading recreated the civil rights case U.S. v. Minoru Yasui, the 1942 trial between the U.S. government and Portlander Minoru Yasui, a U.S citizen. The cast included Tom Kranovich, Simon Whang, George Guyer, Leslie Johnson, John Kodachi, John Marandas, Peggy Nagae, Chanpone Sinlapasai-Okamura, Rick Okamura, Liani Reeves and Anastasia Yu Meisner. Oregon Minority Lawyers Association was one of the co-sponsors.

Leonard D. DuBoff of the DuBoff Law Group has been awarded the first Brooklyn Law School Art Law Alumni Award. The presentation took place March 25 at the Brooklyn Law School during a banquet attended by law school faculty, alumni and students.

The Multnomah Bar Foundation has elected new officers. The Hon. Adrienne Nelson of Multnomah County Circuit Court will serve as president; Thomas C. Sand of Miller Nash as vice president; and Natalie L. Hocken of PacifiCorp as secretary/treasurer. The board of directors also includes Ruth Beyer, immediate past president; Peter Glade of Markowitz, Herbold, Glade and Mehlhaf; Michael A. Greene of Rosenthal & Greene; Kelly T. Hagan of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt; and Katherine H. O'Neil of O'Neil Arbitration & Mediation. New members include Loree A. Devery of Tonkon Torp; Edwin A. Harnden of Barran Liebman; Cashauna Hill of Wiles Law Group; Margaret D. Kirkpatrick of NW Natural; and Christine Zemina of Bateman Seidel. The board liaison to the Multnomah Bar Association is Michelle Druce of Wilshire Credit Corp.

Joshua Husbands and Alan Jensen, partners in the Portland office of Holland & Knight, recently received the 2008 Excellence in Writing award for best overall trust and estate article in the American Bar Association's Probate & Property magazine, for their article, ``Split Dollar Life Insurance Funding: You Mean People Still Do That?'' in the May/June 2009 edition. Husbands and Jensen are one of six award recipients chosen nationally from various categories by the magazine's editorial board. Husbands is a member of the Holland & Knight's private wealth services section and represents clients in an array of business, tax, business succession and estate planning matters, including business reorganizations, acquisitions, and divestitures. Jensen focuses on tax planning for individuals and businesses, including corporate and estate planning for closely-held and family-owned businesses. He advises businesses and individuals with regard to the operation, expansion or transfer of their businesses.

Albert Menashe of Portland and Eden Rose Brown of Salem are the only Oregon attorneys included on the list of Top 100 lawyers in America, published recently in Worth magazine, the third consecutive year Brown has been named to the list. Menashe served as the president of the Oregon State Bar in 2007 and is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is a frequent speaker on family law issues nationally. Brown is a nationally recognized teacher, author and lecturer on innovative family legacy design strategies incorporating estate, tax and charitable planning. Brown served as an Air Force judge advocate during the Persian Gulf War, and recently left service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. She is co-author and editor of the book, Giving — Philanthropy for Everyone.

Jordan Schrader Ramis was again honored as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon, moving up four spots from its 2008 ranking to be named No. 4 in the medium companies' category, by Oregon Business Magazine. This is the firm's fifth appearance on the list and the fourth year in a row.

The U.S. Coast Guard, under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, recently appointed Newport attorney Michele Longo Eder as a member of the National Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Advisory Committee. It consists of 17 members from across the nation who have experience in the commercial fishing industry, marine safety training and marine insurance. The committee makes recommendations to the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security on matters relating to the safety of commercial fishing industry vessels.

Jan Wilson has joined the Western Environmental Law Center. Wilson has been representing Oregon community advocates and neighborhood groups in land use litigation for nearly a decade, both in private practice and in non-profit public interest organizations. She was most recently staff attorney and associate director of Goal One Coalition, a sustainability advocacy organization. She will focus on strategic land use issues and current threats to Oregon communities, including destination resorts, liquefied natural gas (LNG), Measure 37 development proposals on farm and forest lands, and unjustified urban growth boundary expansions. She will work from center's main office in Eugene.

Todd J. Huegli has joined Smith,Freed & Eberhard as an associate. His practice focuses on first-party, product liability and construction defect. Huegli graduated with a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law and an M.B.A. from Atkinson Graduate School of Management, Willamette University.

Kasia Rutledge has joined Metropolitan Public Defender Services as a staff attorney. Rutledge will be working in the Multnomah County office. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Missouri, Kansas City and attended Lewis and Clark Law School, graduating in 2007. Rutledge was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in July 2008 and is involved with the National Lawyers Guild. She was a certified law student at Metropolitan Public Defender from March 2007 through December 2007.

Ingrid E. Slezak has returned from sabbatical and is reopening her family law mediation practice in Portland. Slezak graduated from Harvard University and Boston College School of Law and has practiced in Oregon since 1992. Before coming to Oregon, Slezak was a partner at the Denver firm of Pryor, Carney & Johnson, where she practiced civil litigation and managed the family law department. She is a member of the Association of Conflict Resolution and Oregon Mediation Association, and she serves on the executive committee of the Academy of Family Law Practitioners. She can be reached at (503) 241-3777 or islezak@ingridslezak.com. Her firm's website is www.ingridslezak.com.

Antonia De Meo has been appointed a program head by the United Nations Office for Project Services. Based in Amman, Jordan, De Meo is responsible for managing primarily governance sector programs for the UNOPS Iraq Operations Centre and the UNOPS Jordan Operations Centre. With an annual budget of $35 million, her portfolio includes projects to strengthen human rights and the rule of law, promote reconciliation, support elections and civil society, and create employment opportunities. In June 2008, De Meo earned a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, where she was the recipient of the prestigious Public Service Fellowship.

Regional law firm Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt announces the naming of Joshua S. DeCristo and Charmin B. Shiely as shareholders. Both are located in the firm's Portland office. DeCristo is a member of the firm's product liability group and focuses his practice on the representation of businesses in product liability and complex general litigation matters. He is a member of the Oregon, Washington, Multnomah and Federal Bar associations, and is also an active member of the Defense Research Institute. Shiely focuses her practice in the areas of business transactions and corporate finance, with significant experience assisting financial institutions. She is experienced in public and private mergers, asset sales, public offerings and private placements, and securities law advising. She also advises clients on executive and equity compensation.

Miller Nash has five new associates in the firm's Portland office. Alicia Bell, a member of the business group, focuses on intellectual property, securities and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining the firm in 2007 as a summer clerk, Bell was an advocate for abused and neglected children in the Texas court system. She is a member of Oregon Women Lawyers, the Oregon State Bar and the Multnomah Bar Association. Katie Haraguchi's practice encompasses business, commercial and securities litigation, as well as international law. She joined Miller Nash's litigation group as an associate in late 2008 and was a summer clerk in 2007. Haraguchi is a member of the Multnomah Bar Association, the American Bar Association and Oregon Women Lawyers. Kathryn Litchman first worked with Miller Nash in 2007 as a summer clerk; as an associate, she now focuses on business litigation as well as debtor and creditor rights. Admitted to practice law in the state of Oregon in 2008, Litchman is a member of the Oregon State Bar, the Multnomah Bar Association and Oregon Women Lawyers. Morgan Smith joined Miller Nash as an associate in the business practice group, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, affordable housing, real estate and energy. He is a member of the Multnomah Bar Association and the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association. In addition, he participates in the real estate and land use section and the business law section of the Oregon State Bar. Joelle Tavan is an associate in the firm's employment group, specializing in employee benefits. She began her career with the firm in 2007 as a summer associate. Admitted to practice law in Oregon, Tavan is a member of the Western Pension & Benefits Conference (Portland chapter) and the Asian American Business Alliance.

Buckley LeChevallier welcomes Sally D. Robinson to the firm as part of the business and real estate transactional practice group. Her practice focuses on civil litigation, including general business litigation, contract disputes, landlord tenant disputes, tort law and appeals. Robinson has extensive experience in all facets of civil litigation. She practiced in California for nine years and has been practicing in Oregon since 2004. She is a member of the Yamhill Bar Association and the OSB Litigation Section. She previously worked at Gunn, Cain & Kinney.

Scott Lee Sharp announces the opening of his own office in Portland. His practice will focus on criminal defense and related immigration issues. Sharp is fluent in Russian and is a Gulf War veteran. Previously, Sharp spent several years working for Metropolitan Public Defender in both the Washington County and Multnomah County offices. His website is www.portlandadvocacy.com.

Joseph A. Rohner IV, a graduate from the University of Oregon School of Law, has joined Smith, Freed & Eberhard as an associate attorney. His practice focuses on construction and development.

Marlene Yesquen has joined Black, Chapman, Webber, Stevens, Petersen & Lundblade in Medford as an associate. Yesquen received her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2004 and her M.P.A. from New Mexico State University in 2001. She is a native Spanish speaker who will assist individuals in personal injury claims, workers' compensation, Social Security disability claims and other civil litigation matters. She previously practiced as an insurance defense attorney with the Frohnmayer Deatherage firm in Medford. She has been appointed to sit on the city of Medford's Housing and Community Development Commission and the city's budget committee.

Lee E. Harrell died Feb. 23, 2009 at his home in Phoenix, Ariz. He was 68.

Harrell was born and raised in Eugene. He attended Walla Walla College in Washington for two years and then transferred to the University of Oregon, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history. He graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1965. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate near Boblingen, Germany.

Upon completion of his military duty, Harrell returned to Eugene where he worked in the Lane County Legal Aid office for one year. In 1971, he joined Combs & Hutchinson, predecessor of what was later Hutchinson, Harrell, Cox and Teising and is now Hutchinson, Cox, Coons, DuPriest, Orr & Sherlock. Harrell relocated to California in 1983 and worked in the legal department of Nationwide Insurance. He later moved to the Phoenix area and worked for Scottsdale Insurance. He retired in 2005.

Harrell is survived by his wife, Mary, two children, two brothers, five grandchildren and three nieces.



Portland trial lawyer Burton H. Bennett died March 6, 2009. He was 79.

Bennett was born October 9, 1929 in Trinidad, Colo. His family moved to Washington state, where he graduated from Vancouver High School in 1947. In 1948 and 1949, he served in the U.S. Air Force. In 1952, he earned his undergraduate degree from Linfield College. He married Marillyn Fehr on June 8, 1957.

In 1958, Bennett received a law degree from Northwestern School of Law. After admission to the bar, he joined the firm of Anderson, Franklin, Jones and Olsen. He became a named partner in the firm in 1962. The firm was later known as Franklin, Bennett, Olfelt and Jolles. After leaving firm practice, Bennett enthusiastically continued his legal career as of counsel and as a sole practitioner for three decades until his retirement in 2008. Over the course of his 50-year career, he remained passionate about the service of his clients' interests.

At work or in leisure time, Bennett truly enjoyed people and story telling. He was a gifted vocalist and sang in the First Baptist Church choir for 50 years. He had a talent for wood and stone carving and spent many joyful hours on his artistic creations.

Bennett is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren. His sons, Phil and Jon, and brother, David, are members of the Oregon State Bar.



Gregory T. Hornecker died March 7, 2009. He was 75.

Hornecker was born Sept. 5, 1933 in Portland and was a Medford resident for 50 years. Hornecker received his undergraduate degree from Oregon State College in 1955 and his law degree from the University of Oregon in 1958. While he was fond of both schools, he always considered himself a Beaver.

Hornecker was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in 1958. He clerked for Judge East of the U.S. District Court in Portland before moving to Medford in 1959 to take a job with Frank Farrell and Kent Blackhurst. He was the namesake and senior partner at Hornecker, Cowling, Hassen & Heysell, which was created in 1998. Hornecker truly enjoyed the law, his partners and his clients and continued working until his death. In over 50 years of practicing law, he traveled around the world representing many of Medford's most successful businesses and residents. He once argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hornecker served on many bar and community boards, including the Board of Bar Examiners and as board chair of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He was an enthusiastic outdoorsman and never missed an opening weekend of duck-hunting season at Klamath Lake or an opportunity to fish with his sons and grandsons.

Hornecker is survived by his wife, Heidi Martens, their children and grandchildren, and three brothers.



Retired Albany attorney Merle Aldridge Long, a respected municipal

lawyer and former president of the Oregon State Bar, died March 17, 2009. He was 88.

Born on May 2, 1920, Long attended Albany schools and graduated from Albany High School in 1938. He was an honor student and a member of football, basketball and track teams. He attended Oregon State University and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. After graduation in 1942 he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army. He was an anti-tank officer and then transferred to become headquarters regimental staff officer and participated in the Normandy invasion on Utah Beach, France.

After the war, he returned to Oregon and attended Willamette University College of Law, where he graduated with a J.D. in 1948. Long returned to Albany and opened a law practice in the Bank of Albany Building. (The law firm that bears his name is currently housed in the same location.) As a member of the Army Reserves, he had transferred to the Judge Advocate Generals after law school, and during the Korean conflict he was again called to active duty. For a short period, he was legal officer for all military installations in Utah, after which he spent time in both Korea and Japan. He was honorably discharged in 1952, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After his release from Army duty, he returned to Albany and resumed his private law practice. In 1956, he became Albany's city attorney, a position he served in until 1985. He represented several other municipalities and school districts and was recognized as one of the state's leading municipal lawyers. He was active in the local bar association and served on the Board of Governors of the Oregon State Bar. He was president of the Oregon State Bar in 1975-76.

Long was active in many local organizations and enjoyed sporting activities, including golf and fishing. He and his wife, Muriel, were avid track and field enthusiasts. Except for Moscow in 1980, they attended all of the Summer Olympic Games from 1966 through 1988. In addition to their avid interest in track and field, they enjoyed world travel, visiting countries in nearly all of the continents. As much as he enjoyed traveling, however, his favorite place on earth was the family-built cabin on the McKenzie River, aptly christened ``Tranquility,'' the location of many family gatherings and the source of countless memories.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Muriel, and their two sons, two daughters, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.



Rupert Edmund Park died Feb. 23, 2009 in Salem. He was 91.

Park was born Sept. 11, 1917 in Oregon City. He graduated from Salem High School, the University of Oregon, Willamette Law School and the Judge Adjutant General School. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army, having served in World War II in the European Theater, 5th Armored Division, under Gen. George Patton.

During his career, Park worked as a city attorney in Redmond, a judge pro tem in district court and as an administrative law judge on the Oregon State Employee Relations Board.

He married Marjorie Mae Whittington on March 23, 1943 in Asbury Park, N.J. He was active as a founding board member of Central Oregon Community College, a volunteer fireman in Redmond, a church volunteer and member of the Old Coots Club (Willamette Law School alumni).

Park was honored with Willamette University Law School Pro Bono Award. ``He was very special to Willamette University College of Law,'' said Catherine McCann Gaskin, alumni relations associate director at the law school. In honor of his long history participating in pro bono work, the Rupert E. ``Rudy'' Park Jr. Pro Bono Student of the Year Award is awarded to the third-year Willamette law student who has contributed the most hours of pro bono service throughout his or her law school career.

Park is survived by his wife, Marjorie, and their five children, 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

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