OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that he is appointing Tanya Thorp to King County Superior Court.

 

Thorp has worked for 12 years for the Attorney General of Washington as an Assistant Attorney General. She worked for nearly a decade in the Social & Health Services Termination Unit, working on difficult family law and parental rights cases. As an AAG she has also handled several high-profile cases in the Labor & Industries Division, including defending the State’s citation against Tesoro Anacortes Refinery after the 2010 refinery explosion that killed seven workers.

 

Thorp is a member of the Loren Miller Bar Association and currently serves as an Executive Board Member-at-Large. During the judicial evaluation process she was rated “Exceptionally Well Qualified” by the Latina/o Bar Association and Loren Miller, “Well Qualified” by the King County Bar Association, QLaw, and the Joint Asian Judicial Evaluation Committee, and “Highly Qualified” by Washington Women Lawyers.

 

“Tanya’s experience both in the courtroom and working with families will be an excellent asset on the bench,” said Inslee. “She is highly regarded among her colleagues and her reputation as a competent and effective legal professional is well known. I look forward to her public service to the people of King County for years to come.”

 

“Tanya is a well-respected and highly regarded litigator,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “She will bring a wealth of experience and perspective to the King County bench. Our loss is certainly King County Superior Court’s gain.”

 

Thorp is replacing Judge Joan DuBuque who is retiring and has served with distinction as a Superior Court Judge for 30 years.

Mentoring and Paying it Forward

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When:

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where:

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 1201 Third Ave., Floor 22, Seattle, WA 98101

RSVP: through Big Tent (preferred if you are a MAMAS member) or by email to HeatherColdwell@dwt.com. Please identify if you will attend in person in Seattle or if you will participate by phone.

Mentoring and Paying it Forward – Join us for a lively discussion about how to be a good mentor or mentee and how to get the most out of mentoring relationships, including how to foster an informal mentoring relationship. You will not want to miss the valuable insights from the distinguished panel.

Speakers:

Jennifer Ivan - Jennifer Ivan is an Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington, where she supports the Microsoft Business Solutions group. In this role, she manages a team of 10 legal professionals that provides general counseling and transactional legal support in areas of product development, product marketing, distribution and compliance. The Microsoft Business Solutions group is responsible for the Microsoft Dynamics product line, which includes Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

Prior to joining Microsoft, Jennifer was Legal Director for Dell Computer Corporation in Austin, Texas, where she supported the Dell Services organization. Throughout her tenure at Dell, she provided legal support for Product, Service, and Sales and Marketing organizations, providing general counseling and negotiation of strategic partner and customer relationships. She also undertook an assignment in Singapore for Dell supporting sales and marketing activities for Asia Pacific.

Prior to joining Dell, Jennifer was a Staff Attorney for IBM in Austin, Texas, where she provided comprehensive legal support for IBM's Server Group, which included support for the IBM UNIX proprietary operating system, AIX. Throughout her tenure at IBM, she provided legal support for employment and litigation matters, marketing, export compliance, product development and strategic development partnerships.

Jennifer graduated Cum Laude with Honors in Liberal Arts with a B.A. in Political Science and English from the Ohio State University in 1990. Jennifer received her J.D. Cum Laude from the Ohio State University School of Law in 1994. Jennifer served on the board of directors for the Capital Area Planned Parenthood (Austin, Texas). She currently serves as President for the board of Youth Eastside Services, a non-profit that provides counseling and support programs for children and young adults who are dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, mental health issues, abuse and other difficult issues. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her nine year old daughter (Olivia), her 16 year old son (Parker) and her husband, Donnie.

Ron Knox – Ron is an Owner at Garvey Schubert Barer. Ron has had an active role in mentoring, both informal and as part of formal mentoring programs, for many years and currently serves as GSB’s Mentor and Sponsor Coordinator. Ron practices in the areas of labor and employment law. His clientele includes both public and private sector companies, with special emphasis on municipal corporations, regional service and manufacturing businesses, and public service corporations. He also represents clients in the computer software industry. Ron's experience encompasses personnel management, consultation and advocacy, labor and business negotiations, business contract negotiation, administrative and civil litigation. Ron serves clients and is licensed to practice in Washington and Oregon.

Tom Robertson -Tom Robertson is Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Microsoft. He manages the legal and corporate affairs support for the recently-formed Operating Systems Group, which creates the Microsoft operating system platforms for phones, tablets, personal computers, entertainment devices and large screen devices, known today as Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox, along with their associated online marketplaces and services. He is a member of the leadership teams for the Operating Systems Group and the cross-company Legal and Corporate Affairs Department.

In his 16 years at Microsoft, Tom has also been Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for the Office and Business Solutions Divisions, Associate General Counsel for the Office product group, General Manager for Microsoft’s Corporate Standards and Interoperability Group, head of Microsoft’s legal and corporate affairs team for China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the lead for Microsoft’s intellectual property policy and enforcement work in Asia. He spent his first eight years at Microsoft based in Asia, first in Hong Kong and then in Tokyo.

Before joining Microsoft, Tom was the Associate General Counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in the Executive Office of the President, responsible for both intellectual property issues around the world and general trade issues in the Asia-Pacific region. He practiced law at Covington & Burling in Washington D.C. and London, England, and clerked for the Hon. Albert V. Bryan, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Tom holds both engineering and law degrees from the University of Virginia.

Tom has represented Microsoft on the Duke University Fuqua School of Business’ Innovation Working Group, is a Fellow of the U.S.-Japan Leadership Program, and is on the Board of Directors of the National Bureau of Asian Research, Town Hall Seattle and the Seattle Trade Alliance. He lives in Seattle with his wife, Marcelle O’Connell, and their three daughters.

Kerry Robinson –Kerry is Foster Pepper’s Professional Development Counsel. In that position, Kerry works with the firm’s senior attorneys, practice group leaders, business development group, and the executive leadership team, to help guide the development, integration, and training of Foster Pepper’s newer attorneys. Kerry is also a member of the firm’s Employment and Labor Relations and Litigation practices and serves on the Pro Bono and Professional Development committees.

Jen Scully --Jen is a Senior Attorney at Microsoft responsible for advising Microsoft’s consumer cloud services business. Prior to her current role, Jen worked in the Trademark & Copyright Group as primary trademark counsel to the Xbox business, Microsoft Office and Microsoft’s enterprise cloud services, and prior to that, she was an IP attorney at the Seed IP Law Group in Seattle. Jen has two amazing kids, and has been their classroom art docent, soccer coach, and mostly recently, the mother who it’s now embarrassing to have come along as a chaperone and who was strongly encouraged not to sit next to them on the bus.

Erin Snodgrass – Erin is a Co-Founder and Principal of Snodgrass Annand PLLC. Erin’s experience as a mentor and mentee in a variety of settings has provided her with valuable insights on mentoring relationships. Erin’s practice focuses ontechnology and media transactions and intellectual property. Erin has significant experience in a variety of transactions involving software, media and technology, including development, licensing, production, transfer, consulting services and distribution transactions. Prior to co-founding Snodgrass Annand PLLC, Erin practiced in the technology transactions group at Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S. and the trademark and licensing groups at Foster Pepper & Shefelman PLLC.

We encourage you to attend our brown bag meeting in person to facilitate both networking and a lively discussion.

Please bring your lunch and join us for this presentation, and meet fellow MAMAS members! Cookies will be provided.

For those who cannot attend in person, we offer the option to participate by phone.

Call in #: 888-757-0729; Passcode: 1396142354#

When attending via telephone, please use your mute button to prevent background noise, but do not place the call on hold. Some firms have hold music, which is disruptive to the presentation. If you need to leave the call briefly, please hang up and call back in when you are able.

Brenthaven, a retailer of bags and cases for mobile technology headquartered in Seattle has recently opened a flagship retail store on Capitol Hill and are excited to host community events every month featuring a different prominent Seattle entrepreneur speaker.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, from 12:00-1:30pm, the WSBA Lawyer’s Assistance Program’s Bi-Monthly Career Management Series (formerly Bi-Monthly Job Seeker group) is proud to feature a unique panel presentation exploring the issue of racial diversity in the job-seeking context. Attorneys James Armstrong, Martha Sandoval, Omar Nur and Katrina Zafiro will be leading this discussion, the first in a series of panels focusing on dimensions of diversity for job seekers, whether at the beginning or mid-point of one’s legal career. Topics to be discussed in the upcoming panel presentation include examining barriers and how they may be overcome, as well as guidance for job seekers who are members of a racially diverse community. There is no cost for the presentation and registration is required; attendance is offered either in-person at the WSBA Conference Center or via webcast. To register, go to: https://www.mywsba.org/OnlineStore/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=6543519&page=sem&mt=

INVITATION TO UW LAW ACADEMY- Friday, March 14 (UW School of Law)- MENTORS WELCOME!

You are cordially invited to participate in our first UW Law Academy!

Updated 3/5/14:  If you would like to have your profile shared with our high school participants, please send a response with the following information (feel free to attach a photo).  The agenda for the day is noted below.

Name:

Title/Office and/or area of practice:

High School:

College/University:

Law School:

Please answer at least one (or as many as you wish!) of the following questions:

1)      What was the greatest obstacle you faced pursuing your educational or legal career?

2)      Who or what experience inspired you to pursue a legal career?

3)      What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were in high school that could have helped you in deciding your career path?

4)      What advice would you give our high school students as they consider a higher education and potential legal career?

5)      Any books or resources you would recommend for inspiration/motivation, career guidance, or setting goals?

 

Thanks for your support of the UW Law Academy!

With the help of the UW Office of Minority Affairs, Rise UP/GEAR UP! and DiscoverLaw.org, the UW School of Law is inviting diverse high school students from around the State to spend the day at the law school. We hope to inspire students to really consider pursuing a legal education and career by introducing them to judges, attorneys, and law students; participating in a mock trial/street law program; and giving them an action plan on how to get from high school to law school.

WA State Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez will be our keynote speaker during the morning session. We need attorney/judge/law student volunteers to help make this a great experience for our high school guests. Please RSVP at ecc93@uw.edu as soon as possible. Let me know if you would like to attend the morning or afternoon session, either session +the luncheon, or stay with us for the entire day. Please feel free to forward the invitation to your colleagues (Walk-ins Welcome!).

If you would like to sponsor the program by bringing volunteer attorneys/judges/law students or by donating any amount, please let me know. Donations will be used to help with costs of student attendance and/or to purchase gift items for the student giveaway contests (i.e. UW Law t-shirts, etc.). We hope you will join us!

Sponsor levels (titles subject to change):

“Most awesome!”: $500 or more and/or 6-10 volunteers

“Awesome like the ‘80s!”: $250 or more and/or 3-5 volunteers

“We Rock!”: $100 and/or 1-3 volunteers

“We Rock too!”: any $$ amount, any kind of gift swag, and/or any number volunteers!!

Lawyers with Disabilities Celebration

Please join us and our friends with the Washington Attorneys with Disabilities Association as we gather to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Perkins Coie signing the ABA’s Pledge for Change regarding disability diversity in the legal profession. We’ll be enjoying good food and great company as clients, community leaders, and friends of the firm recognize the accomplishments and contributions of attorneys with disabilities.

Speakers will include Stuart Pixley (LCA), a Senior Attorney with Microsoft Corporation, a member of the ABA’s Commission on Disability Rights, and a board member of the Washington Attorneys with Disabilities Association, and Representative Cyrus Habib, Perkins Coie Community Liaison for the Puget Sound Region and state representative for the 48th District.

Thursday, March 13, 2014
Perkins Coie LLP
1201 3rd Ave, 49th Floor
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
6:15 p.m. – Speakers’ Remarks

RSVP Here.

Please contact Judah Travis at jtravis@perkinscoie.com with questions

Bridging the Gap - Friday, March 7th: https://www.kcba.org/cle/pdf/203-Brochure.pdf

Agenda

8:00-8:30 Registration and Coffee Service

8:30-9:30am Immigration Program, Greg McLawsen, Puget Sound Legal 9:30-10:30am Trust & Estates Program, Candace M. Wilkerson, Attorney at Law

Break

10:45-11:45am Transactional Program, Jennifer D. Shepherd, Russell Investments

Lunch Provided -- Sponsored by Principal Financial Group 11:45-12:15pm King County Bar Foundation, Joel Feldman, Development Manager, KCBF 12:15-12:45pm Exciting Pro Bono Opportunities, Threesa Milligan, Director, Pro Bono Services

12:45-1:45pm Primer on Trademark Law, Ronald Stern, Rimon Law 1:45-2:45pm Litigation, Aric Bomsztyk, Barokas Martin & Tomlinson

Break

3:00-4:00pm Solo Start-Up Program, Madhu Singh, MK Singh Law; Shashi Vijay. VJ Law Firm PLLC 4:00-5:00pm Ethics: Ethical Pitfalls of Using Social Media for Legal Marketing, Mary Przekop, Dearmin Fogarty PLLC

5:00pm Evaluations and Adjournment; Free Happy Hour at Rock Bottom!


Add your comments online: http://www.bigtent.com/group/forum/message/83955898?md=NzU0ODg4ODQ=

Invites you to attend our next monthly brown bag lunch:

Protecting the educational rights of a child with disabilities: your own or your client’s

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When:

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where:

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 1201 Third Ave., Floor 22, Seattle, WA 98101

RSVP: through Big Tent (preferred if you are a MAMAS member) or by email to HeatherColdwell@dwt.com. Please identify if you will attend in person in Seattle or if you will participate by phone.

MAMAS member Amy Klosterman of the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education will present on “Section 504, Title II and Public Schools.” Come learn your rights and your resources, the timelines and tough spots.

(CLE credit for this session is being requested.)

We encourage you to attend our brown bag meeting in person to facilitate both networking and a lively discussion.

Please bring your lunch and join us for this presentation, and meet fellow MAMAS members! Cookies will be provided.

For those who cannot attend in person, we offer the option to participate by phone.

Call in #: 888-757-0729; Passcode: 1396142354#

When attending via telephone, please use your mute button to prevent background noise, but do not place the call on hold. Some firms have hold music, which is disruptive to the presentation. If you need to leave the call briefly, please hang up and call back in when you are able.

MAMAS would also like to thank our

Platinum sponsors:

Garvey Schubert Barer

Navigant Consulting, Inc.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

and Gold sponsors:

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

K&L Gates LLP

Microsoft Corporation

Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt

Susman Godfrey L.L.P.

www.MAMASeattle.org

 

There are five (5) diversity scholarships available to attorneys who would like to attend the ABA Section of Family Law Spring Conference in Bermuda but may not have the financial resources to afford the cost. The Conference is May 7-10, 2014.

If awarded a scholarship through this program, the awardees will receive a complimentary conference registration, participation in the Newcomers’ Teambuilding Event,the Friday social event, and up to $500 in travel reimbursement (in compliance with ABA and Section financial policies). Send your completed application to Cynthia Swan by email:Cynthia.Swan@americanbar.org no later than April 2, 2014. For your convenience, I have attached the application and conference brochure. For more information on the conference, you can visitwww.ambar.org/famlawspring

Volunteer Opportunity for community representatives – DEADLINE March 21, 2014

Community Representatives Sought for Law-Related Boards and Council

The Washington State Bar Association seeks members of the public to serve on boards and one council for terms beginning October 1, 2014. Serving on a WSBA board or council is an excellent opportunity to get an insider’s view on how the practice of law is regulated in Washington State.

·         The Character and Fitness Board deals with matters of character and fitness bearing on qualifications of applicants for admission to practice law in Washington. The Board conducts hearings on the admission of any applicant referred to it for hearing, considers petitions for reinstatement after disbarment, and makes recommendations to the Board of Governors and Supreme Court regarding admission and reinstatement.  Hearings generally are held every month.  Three of the 14-16 members of the Board are not lawyers.  Appointment is for a three-year term.

·         The Council on Public Defense addresses concerns about the quality of indigent defense services in Washington State.  Appointment is for a one-year term.

·         The Disciplinary Board reviews lawyer discipline decisions. It is made up of four review committees; each committee has two lawyer members and one non-lawyer member. One committee meets each month to review requests for public hearing, admonitions, interim suspensions and other matters. The board meets six times a year as a full board.  Two positions are available; appointment is for a three-year term.

·         The Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection Board compensates clients who have suffered a direct financial loss caused by the dishonest conduct of a lawyer in connection with the practice of law. The Fund is funded by an annual assessment of members of the WSBA by order of the Washington State Supreme Court.  Appointment is for a three-year term.

·         Limited License Legal Technician Board authorizes non-attorneys who meet certain educational requirements to advise and assist clients on specific areas of law. Licensing of LLLTs will begin in early 2015.  Appointment is for a three-year term.

The Limited Practice Board oversees administration of, and compliance with, the Limited Practice Rule (APR 12) authorizing certain lay persons to select, prepare, and complete legal documents pertaining to the closing of real-estate and personal property transactions. The Board is responsible for the certification and regulation of limited practice officers (LPOs).  Term begins January 1, 2015.  Appointment is for a four-year term.

·         Practice of Law Board investigates complaints about the unauthorized practice of law including nonlawyers advertising legal services, nonlawyers pretending to be lawyers, unsupervised paralegals offering legal services, and out-of-state lawyers representing Washington residents when not authorized.  Appointment is for a three-year term.

Applications are also being accepted for other boards which may have openings during the coming year.

Applications must be received at the WSBA offices by Friday, March 21, 2014. To apply, complete the application posted at: http://bit.ly/rnvXKY and return it with your resume as directed on the form. Previous applicants should re-apply as applications expire after one year. Appointment letters for current openings will be sent in late summer. If you have questions, please email barleaders@wsba.org.

 

http://www.wsba.org/Legal-Community/Volunteer-Opportunities/Non-Lawyer-Volunteer-Opportunities