After six months of training, Tom Nelson of Zigzag recently completed training in emergency medical response, firefighting (structural and wildland fires), hazardous materials identification and related skills and has graduated to the rank of firefighter (probationary) at the Hoodland Fire District. The 35-year bar member moved the area about eight years ago and has a practice in civil/human rights, primarily in matters related to national security post-9/11.
The Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation announces its officers and directors for 2013-2014: Yumi M. O’Neil, president; Lori Deveny, vice president/president-elect; Karen Nashiwa, treasurer; and Kim Sugawa-Fujinaga, secretary.
Business attorney Owen D. Blank has been elected to the board of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation. Blank, a partner with Tonkon Torp, represents family-held businesses, national and international corporations, nonprofit organizations and charitable foundations on a variety of matters including mergers and acquisitions, real estate and sports matters. Long active in the Portland community, Blank has served on the boards and advisory panels of many local organizations.
The OSB Sustainable Future Section is the recipient of the 2012 State or Local Bar Environment, Energy and Resources Program of the Year Award selected by the ABA Environment, Energy and Resources Section. The section has developed models used in state and local bar associations across the country and has served as a source of inspiration for lawyer groups in other states.
Alberto Moreno and John Haroldson have been elected chair and vice chair of the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Moreno is the executive director for the Oregon Latino Health Coalition, a statewide organization addressing health disparities for Latinos in Oregon. Haroldson, Benton County’s first Mexican-American district attorney, serves on the advisory board for the César Chávez Cultural Center at Oregon State University and is a presenter for the Oregon State University CAMP and 4H Programs.
Monique DeSpain of Shepard Law in Eugene was recently promoted to colonel in the Oregon Air National Guard. DeSpain serves as the staff judge advocate at the 142nd Fighter Wing, Portland (drill status guardsman) and practices family law and mediation in Eugene.
Bruce Howell, shareholder in the Portland Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, was recently appointed to serve on the board of All Classical 89.9 KQAC FM. Howell focuses his practice on various aspects of health law, including reimbursement, fraud and abuse, managed care issues and physician practice management issues.
Miller Nash partner Wayne D. Landsverk has been elected as a fellow into the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. A lawyer for 39 years, he helps clients in all areas of employment and traditional labor law. Landsverk was also recently elected secretary and chair-elect of the Labor Lawyers Advisory Committee for CUE Inc., where he will help lead the organization’s efforts to educate its 300-plus member companies on positive employee relations practices. In Spring 2015, he will assume the role as chair and join CUE’s board of directors.
Marion County Circuit Court Judge Vance D. Daywas among those joining Gov. Kitzhaber for the recent signing of House Concurrent Resolution 24. The resolution supports the development of veterans treatment courts throughout Oregon. Spearheaded by Judge Day and the treatment team from Marion County, HCR 24 received unanimous approval in both chambers of the Oregon legislature. Marion County Circuit Court launched its Veterans Treatment Docket in October 2012. The court’s aim is to assist veterans who enter the legal system due, in part, to combat stress and injuries.
Lane Powell attorney Jeremy Babener has been appointed as chair of the Legal Committee for the Society of Settlement Planners, a national nonprofit education and public policy association of settlement planners who assist injured claimants in the settlement process. Babener’s extensive knowledge in taxation law and former involvement with SSP will be helpful in his new position as legal committee chair. He has been actively involved with the for the past few years, speaking at each of its last three annual conferences.
Kevin Díaz, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, has been named a 2013-14 Wasserstein Fellow by Harvard Law School. The program recognizes exemplary lawyers who have distinguished themselves in public interest work and who can assist students who are considering similar career paths. Later this year, Díaz will travel to campus to give presentations and meet individually with students to advise them about public interest career options.
Paul Southwick, a 29-year-old litigation associate in the Portland office of Davis Wright Tremaine, has been named one of the 40 Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association. This year, Southwick took on pro bono representation of a Filipino nursing student whose admission to California Baptist University was revoked after administrators became aware she was transgender. Southwick maintains an active litigation practice.
The Multnomah Bar Association has announced its new officers for the year beginning July 1. Richard J. Vangelisti, Vangelisti Law Firm, is president. Dana L. Sullivan, Buchanan, Angeli, Altschul & Sullivan, is secretary. Helen Hierschbiel, OSB general counsel, is treasurer. Gregory T. Moawad, director of public safety at Oregon Health & Science University, continues on the MBA Board as past president. New board directors for the three-year term are: Maya Crawford, Legal Aid Services of Oregon; Eric L. Dahlin, Davis Wright Tremaine; Akira Heshiki, Standard Insurance Co.; and Elizabeth C. Knight, Dunn Carney Allen. Traci R. Ray, Barran Liebman LLP, is the new Young Lawyers Section (YLS) president and serves as an MBA director. Directors continuing their terms on the board are Cedric R. Brown, attorney at law; Christopher J. Kayser, Larkins Vacura; Darcy M. Norville, Tonkon Torp; C. Robert Steringer, Harrang Long Gary Rudnick; and Elizabeth N. Wakefield, Metro Public Defender Inc.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has selected Rob Patridge as interim chair until a permanent chair is named by the governor. Patridge joined the OLCC in 2012 with a background in public service. He currently serves as the Klamath County district attorney. He has also served southern Oregon as a deputy district attorney, president of the Medford City Council and three terms as state representative from Medford. In the legislature, he served as majority whip and chaired the public safety subcommittee of Ways and Means.
Miller Nash, one of the Northwest’s largest law firms, recently celebrated its 140th anniversary by announcing the establishment of the Miller Nash Legacy Fund, a charitable fund established to enable the firm to pursue its philanthropic goals for many years to come. The fund, managed by the Oregon Community Foundation, will support nonprofit organizations throughout Oregon and Washington through annual grants. Funds will initially be funded by firm contributions of $140 for every attorney and staff member currently employed by the firm, thus seeding the fund with $35,000. Additionally, the firm has set up a program to match individual employee contributions of up to $140 per person, bringing the firm’s potential contribution to $70,000 this year. Each year thereafter, the firm will contribute additional money to the fund, as well as offering the attorneys and staff opportunities to contribute to it.
Laura Maffei and Jay Waldron, shareholders in the Portland office Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, recently received an Outstanding Legal Service Award from Northwest Pulp and Paper Association. The award recognizes them for providing more than 10 years of outstanding legal service to the association. This is the first time it has presented an award of this kind.
Nan Waller, presiding judge for the Multnomah County Circuit Court, is one of 48 state policymakers from across the country selected as a Council of State Governments’ Henry Toll Fellow for the Class of 2013. Judge Waller was nominated by state Sen. Jackie Winters (R-Salem), a previous Toll Fellow. The 48 Toll Fellows in the Class of 2013 represent 35 states and Puerto Rico, with 35 serving in the legislative branch, four serving in the judiciary and nine hailing from the executive branch.
Dunn Carney attorney Jack D. Hoffman has been appointed to the 2013 board of directors of the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, a nonprofit organization created promote the arts in Lake Oswego.
Jordan Ramis attorney and shareholder Amy Robinson recently earned certification as a senior professional in human resources. The certification, awarded by the H.R. Certification Institute, signifies that Robinson possesses the theoretical knowledge and practical experience in human resource management. She counsels clients in a full range of employment issues, including disability and accommodations, employee complaints and grievances, wage and hour issues, employee leaves, employee counseling and discipline, and discrimination and harassment.
Van M. White III, partner with Samuels Yoelin Kantor, has been elected to the board of directors for the Building Material Dealers Association. White has been an association member for nearly 20 years. The nonprofit organization serves the construction industry and assists material suppliers and contractors in Oregon and Washington to protect construction lien rights and claims.
Miller Nash partner Marie Eckert has been elected to the board of directors for Literary Arts, an organization that support writers, engages readers and inspires the next generation with literature. Eckert, a member of the firm’s litigation department, focuses her practice on financial institutions litigation and creditors’ rights matters.
Gregory A. Karpstein, founding member of Karpstein & Verhulst in Hillsboro, was honored June 19 by the Washington County Bar Association with the 2013 WCBA Professionalism Award, recognizing his contributions to the legal community and Washington County.
Emery Wang has established Emery Wang P.C. in Gresham. He will continue to focus on plaintiff’s personal injury cases, with an emphasis on serving East County and the Chinese speaking community. His office is located on the second floor of the Chase Bank building at 2053 N.E. Burnside Road, Suite 101, Gresham, OR 97030; phone: (503) 669-3426; email: emery@emerywang.com; website: emerywang.com.
Lauren Charles has joined the University of Oregon School of Law as assistant director of admissions. Charles is a 2011 U.O. law graduate and has experience interning with both the New York Landmarks Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. She also worked with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Matthew K. Rossman has joined the Portland office of Davis Wright Tremaine as senior client relations adviser. Rossman, a longtime practicing attorney from Lake Oswego, earned his J.D., from Willamette University College of Law. He can be reached at (503) 778-5440 or mattrossman@dwt.com.
Sarah E. Hunt has been promoted to manager (state issues) by Stateside Associates. She was previously regulatory counsel at the Arlington, Va.-based government affairs consulting firm.
Holland & Knight’s Portland office is expanding with the addition of two associates. Brent Berselli will be an associate in the firm’s personal wealth services practice. Berselli received his J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland and his undergraduate degree from the University of San Diego. He also attended the Institute of American Universities in Aix-en-Provence, France. Michael Tabata is joining the affordable housing transactions group. Tabata’s J.D. is from the University of Washington School of Law. He also holds an LL.M. in taxation and served as a student attorney with the University of Washington Federal Income Taxation Clinic
Brenda L. Meltebeke, chair of Ater Wynne’s emerging business group, has been re-elected as chair of Ater Wynne, a west coast firm with offices in Portland, Seattle and Menlo Park, Calif. Meltebeke began serving as chair in 2011. Her practice focuses on entity formation, general corporate and securities law, including venture capital financings and mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. She was chair of the business group from 2001 to 2009, and has chaired the firm’s emerging business broup since 2009. Also, Douglas D. Morris has been newly elected as the firm’s managing partner. Morris succeeds Michael W. Shackelford, who has served as managing partner since 2001. Shackelford will return full-time to his business and estate planning practice and continue to serve on the firm’s management committee. Morris’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities and general corporate representation of private and publicly held high technology and high-growth companies. Morris chaired the business group from 2009 to 2013.
On July 1, Nancy Erfle joined Gordon & Rees in Portland as a partner in the firm’s tort and product liability practice group. She brings 23 years of wide-ranging state and federal product liability litigation experience to the firm. Erfle focuses her practice on defending pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, agricultural chemical manufacturers, aviation manufacturers and companies involved in business disputes. She has served on national litigation teams and as lead local and regional counsel in automotive and pharmaceutical mass tort cases.
Joshua D. Stadtler has joined Dunn Carney as a litigation associate. His practice will focus on employment, environmental and commercial litigation. He previously practiced in the Oakland, Calif., office of Katten Muchin Rosenman, where he concentrated on federal environmental litigation and regulatory matters, white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations, and general commercial litigation. Stadtler has represented Fortune 500 corporations in state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as clients in investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory enforcement agencies.
Joshua Nasbe has joined the Oregon Judicial Department as an assistant legal counsel with the Office of the State Court Administrator in Salem. Nasbe received a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a J.D. degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in Columbus, Ohio. He previously served as a deputy at the Office of Legislative Counsel, as an attorney with the Metropolitan Public Defender in Portland and as a law clerk in the 7th Judicial District. Nasbe will provide legal counsel to the state courts on a variety of court administration issues.
Samuels Yoelin Kantor has named two new partners: Gregory G. Lutje and Eric J. Wieland. Both attorneys work in the firm’s downtown Portland office. Lutje, who joined the firm in June, specializes in commercial real estate law, working with developers, landlords, retailers, office tenants and other clients. He previously served as associate general counsel for General Growth Properties in both Chicago and Portland. Wieland has been with the firm since 2006; his practice focuses primarily on estate planning and taxation for family-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. He is a frequent presenter for the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants and the firm’s seminar series on the topics of estate tax, trust administration, estate planning and fiduciary income tax.
Cable Huston has named Tommy Brooks and Casey Nokes as partners in the firm. Brooks will continue to focus his practice in the area of municipal law and specializes in land use, energy law, and other utility and regulatory matters. Brooks joined Cable Huston in 2007. Nokes has substantial experience in all aspects of state and federal litigation in cases involving corporate governance, complex contract disputes, securities fraud, commercial leases, government investigations, construction defects and consumer protection laws. Nokes joined Cable Huston in 2011.
Wendy J. Baker has joined Guard Publishing Co. in Eugene as its director of human resources and general counsel. Baker has extensive experience in management-side labor and employment law and most recently had a solo practice in Eugene. She also has a background in journalism and real estate law.
The law firm of Underwood Medina has relocated its office to 333 N.E. Lincoln St, Suite 200, Hillsboro, OR 97124. The firm’s owners,James Underwood and Eddie Medina, will continue to represent consumer and business clients in all matters, from litigation to transactional practice, including assisting those clients with unique legal needs related to wineries, vineyards and breweries.
Gevurtz Menashe welcomes home attorney Marshal Spector, who returns the firm as of counsel. He began his Oregon family law practice at the firm in 1990 and practiced there until 2007. Spector brings 23 years of experience in Oregon family law cases. He will continue his family law practice of divorce, custody, support and modification cases, as well as premarital agreements and other family law matters.
Leslie R. Weatherhead has joined the litigation practice group at Lee & Hayes. Weatherhead has practiced litigation for more 30 years and has extensive experience with complex commercial, securities and environmental cases in federal, state and appellate courts. He previously was a partner with Witherspoon Kelley, where he worked on several high-profile cases.
Justin Rosas has formed The Law Office of Justin Rosas to continue his defense of his clients from criminal accusations in Southern Oregon, ranging from DUII to Measure 11 cases. He will also take on family law cases as well as business consultations for the formation and transfer of businesses in the Rogue Valley community. Rosas started the practice after more than five and a half years with Southern Oregon Public Defender in Medford, where he was a major felony attorney with a extensive trial and motions experience. He was recently admitted to the federal bar in Medford in anticipation of handling federal panel cases in the area. Reach him at The Law Office of Justin Rosas, 10 Crater Lake Ave., Medford, OR 97504; phone: (541) 245-9781; website: www.justinrosas.com.
Kevin E. Regan recently joined Lee & Hayes and will be working in the firm’s wine and alcohol beverage practice group, where he will assist wineries, wine grape growers, breweries, distilleries and associated businesses with formation, corporate, securities and financing, trademark and brand development, regulatory and governmental affairs, real estate and mergers and acquisitions and litigation. Previously, he was a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division in Washington, D.C. He also worked as an associate attorney with Earthjustice, where he represented nonprofit organizations before federal and state courts and administrative agencies.
After 15 years of civil litigation practice with Portland-area firms, Andrew Grade has opened Grade Legal, Contract Attorney Services. Grade assists attorneys with research; preparation of motions, briefing and other documents; document reviews; insurance coverage issues; trial preparation and support; witness interviews and investigation; and related tasks. He can be reached by phone: (503) 502-8946; email: ag@gradelegal.com; website: www.gradelegal.com.
Mark Amberg has joined the Portland City Attorney’s Office in the labor and employment section. Amberg has practiced law for over 25 years. He formerly served as deputy county counsel for Deschutes County and was a shareholder with Harrang Long Gary Rudnick before coming to the city. He has many years of litigation and labor and employment law experience.
Lisa Gramp has joined the Portland City Attorney’s Office, where her practice will focus on public contracting and construction matters. She previously served as assistant general counsel for the Portland Development Commission, where she had advised on urban renewal, real estate and construction matters since 2006.
Heidi Brown has joined the Portland City Attorney’s Office in the city’s labor and employment section. She is a former partner with Bennett, Hartman, Morris & Kaplan. With more than 20 years practicing as an attorney, she has many years of trial and labor law experience.
Ryan Lawrence of Portland died Feb. 26, 2013 from a brain tumor. He was 69.
Born in Seattle on April 10, 1943, he grew up in Hungry Horse, Mont., and Seattle. He graduated from West Seattle High School in 1961 and later from the University of Washington. He graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in 1970 and started practicing law with Frank Susak.
His innate ability to deal without rancor, to view every situation from both sides, and to make decisions that were fair to all concerned, earned him the respect of many. In addition to law, he became involved in real estate. He and his wife, Eloise, grew a small property management firm.
His favorite times were playing golf and cards with his pals at Portland Golf Club. He was an avid Duck supporter and had a continuing concern for the environment.
Lawrence enjoyed 27 years of marriage to Eloise Carson. They enjoyed golfing, skiing, camping and hiking, and garden tours, always with schnauzer in tow.
He is survived by his wife, a daughter, son, a brother and many others.
Henry (Hank) Clay Miggins, a public member on the OSB Board of Governors from 1990 to 1993, died July 18, 2013 in Portland at the age of 78.
Miggins was born in Canton, Miss.. His first career spanned 22 years in the U.S. Air Force as an accountant and auditor. After a few years in Spokane as vice president of financial affairs at Fort Wright College, he moved to Portland. There he worked for Multnomah County, the Portland Exposition Center and as an assistant to state Rep. Michael Fahey Sr.
Miggins returned to Spokane in 2000 as the city manager and interim city administrator, later returning to Portland to work as a mortgage broker before finally retiring.
In retirement, he turned his energy to the community. He served on the board of directors of the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs, and volunteered with the Center for Airway Science, Project Pooch, Multco Credit Union, Rosemont School, Mainstream Youth Program Inc., Garlington Center, Multnomah County Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, American Civil Liberties Union, the Independent Police Review Board and Oregon Youth Authority, among others.
He was known to play just as hard as worked, enjoying fishing, camping, boating, bowling, golf traveling and much more. His friends remember how he reached out to help others with a kind word and an electric smile.
Miggins is survived by six children, two brothers, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many close longtime friends