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Rebecca L. Andrews Elected Principal
Becky is a member of the Labor and Employment practice group. Becky's practice includes counseling, training and litigation for employers, business clients and nonprofit organizations of all sizes on a wide range of matters, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, wage/hour compliance, disability accommodation, unfair competition, trade secrets, and many other labor and employment disputes. She also conducts training sessions for clients and handbook and employment policy reviews. Becky has recently been accepted into Leadership Tomorrow's class of 2012.
Hannah Ard Joins Litigation Group
Hannah Ard is Counsel in the firm's Litigation Group. She received her B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, a Master's Degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland, and her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Before joining the firm, Hannah was Counsel at WilmerHale in Washington, DC, where her practice included a range of complex commercial disputes, including contract disputes, fraud cases, alleged infringement of intellectual property rights, as well as a vigorous pro bono practice.
Leslie Meserole Joins the Health Care Group at Riddell Williams
Leslie is a principal in the health care practice team of Riddell Williams. She has experience working with hospitals, public hospital districts, air ambulance providers, physician groups, and physicians in business transactions and regulatory compliance matters. She received her B.S. in business administration from Vanderbilt University and her earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law. Prior to joining Riddell Williams, Leslie was a partner at Miller Nash and practiced in the Seattle office.
Scott Smith Appointed by the Washington Supreme Court to the Practice of Law Board
Scott A. Smith has been appointed by the Washington Supreme Court to the Practice of Law Board. Scott helped draft the court rule that created the Board in 2001. The Practice of Law Board investigates unauthorized practice of law complaints, issues advisory opinions, and recommends to the Supreme Court ways that qualified and competent non-lawyers can serve the public by providing legal and law-related services. Scott has a long record of serving the community and the legal profession. He is a past president of the King County Bar Association and a former chair of the Access to Justice Board.
Jones and Fagerberg: Recipients of the 2011 J. Vernon Williams Award
On October 16, 2008, the Firm announced the establishment of the J. Vernon Williams Award. The award is presented annually to one lawyer and one staff member who best emulate the firm's core values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect, Excellence, Teamwork, Fairness, Diversity, Generosity, Community Service, and Stewardship.
At the firm's holiday party, held December 9, the recipients of the 2011 J. Vernon Williams Award were announced. Congratulations to Karen Jones and Melanie Fagerberg.
Rebecca Andrews, Accepted Into Leadership Tomorrow Class of 2012
Each year, approximately 72 emerging and existing leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors of the community are selected to participate. The nine-month program is designed to raise awareness of the needs and challenges that affect the region, and enhance leadership skills for the benefit of the Puget Sound region.
Becky Andrews will join a long list of RW attorneys who have graduated from Leadership Tomorrow.
Congratulations Becky!
Greg Euteneier Joins the Litigation Group at Riddell Williams
Greg is an Associate in the firm's Litigation Group. He received his B.A. magna cum laude, in English from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and spent a year abroad at the University of Manchester in Manchester, England. Greg earned his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in law school, he served as Book Review and Articles Editor for the Tulane Law Review, and served as Vice President of the Human Rights Law Society. He also participated in the Civil Litigation Clinic during his third year of law school, where he served as co-counsel on civil rights litigation in federal district court. He was also awarded Honors in Trial Advocacy.
Helping Homeless Students Get the Services They Need
For the last year, Washington Appleseed, Riddell Williams and Columbia Legal Services, have been working through Public Record Ask requests to help connect homeless students and their families to services provided by local school districts.
Congratulations to the coalition team, for helping over 200 Washington children get the services and resources they need for happier, healthier lives!
Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Derivative Action
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's dismissal of a shareholder derivative action filed by a disgruntled shareholder against our client, Anvil Corporation. The company's shareholders overwhelmingly approved a reverse stock split that left the plaintiff without any shares in the company. Applying the continuous ownership rule in the Ninth Circuit and in Washington State, the court held that, when the plaintiff lost his shares, he also lost his standing to pursue a derivative lawsuit against the corporation. Congratulations to Frank Woodruff for successfully guiding the client through the corporate restructuring and to Scott Smith and Will Brewer for their victory in the trial court and on appeal.
Another Huge Victory for RW Product Liability Team and Client, Fisher Controls
Attorneys in our product liability group recently obtained dismissals of all claims asserted against Fisher Controls International, LLC, in a multiparty action in Mesa County, Colorado. The lawsuit arose out of a propane gas explosion at a snowmobiling lodge located in the mountains of southwestern Colorado. The explosion claimed the lives of three children and injured sixteen other persons.
Fourteen plaintiffs brought suit against 30 defendants, including Fisher, with claimed damages in excess of $10 million. Patrick McVey, Daniel Gunter, Blake Marks-Dias, and Charlie Fitzpatrick represented Fisher. The parties eventually took approximately 60 depositions. The action was vigorously prosecuted and defended. A number of defendants settled claims against them.
During three years of litigation, the Riddell Williams team developed significant testimony and other evidence demonstrating that the Fisher products at issue--two second-stage regulators--were not defective and, in fact, were not even part of the system that resulted in the leak. Working with experts from New York to San Diego, the team identified an alternate cause of the leak and explosion. Through deposition, they also exposed the absence of any evidence supporting the hypotheses offered by the plaintiffs' experts.
With this information in hand, RW filed five separate motions for partial summary judgment, tackling each of plaintiffs' claims separately. Plaintiffs' attorneys reviewed Fisher's motions and then filed a response conceding that the motions were well taken and that judgment should be entered on behalf of Fisher. The court then entered judgment on behalf of Fisher--another successful defense with nothing paid to plaintiffs.
Complex Real Estate Case: Landslide Victory
A Riddell Williams litigation team recently won a 2 1/2 week long trial in a multi-party, complex real estate case. The case involved five sets of parties, each asserting numerous claims. We obtained summary judgment against one set of parties before trial, which protect our clients' down-side risks at trial.
On August 2, Judge Greg Canova issued 31 pages of Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, ruling in favor of our clients on every issue!
Congratulations to the litigation team led by Paul Kundtz with assistance from Attorneys, Wendy Lyon and Mindy DeYoung; Paralegal, Kathy Oswick, and Secretaries, Melodi Downs, Melinda Bergquam and Lisa Werner.
21 RW Lawyers Named Seattle Met 2010 Top Lawyers
We congratulate the following attorneys named 2010 Top Lawyers by Seattle Met magazine:
News Alert for Nonprofits
In these tough economic times, nonprofits need to make every dollar count. Here is a News Alert from our Nonprofit Group on some important changes in the law governing reallocation of restricted funds.
Successful Defense of Microsoft Against Consolidated Class Action Cases
The firm represented Microsoft Corp. in its successful defense of consolidated class action cases brought in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. In Johnson et al v. Microsoft Corp. plaintiffs asserted claims on behalf of an alleged nationwide class for breach of contract, unjust enrichment and violation of the Washington Consumer Protection Act relating to Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage program. After several rulings in Microsoft’s favor the Plaintiffs dropped their class allegations and ultimately dismissed all remaining claims with prejudice. The firm’s team on the case included Karl Quackenbush, Gavin Skok and Merkys Gómez.
9 RW Attorneys Listed as Washington Rising Stars®
We would like to congratulate the Riddell Williams attorneys who were designated Washington Rising Stars®, as announced in the Winter 2010 edition of Washington Law & Politics magazine:
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Josh Piper
On Thursday, October 29, the King County Bar Association will present Josh with a Volunteer of the Year award for the Legal Services for the Homeless Program, at the KCBA/KCBF Gratitude Celebration. Josh exemplifies the core values of Riddell Williams through his generosity and community service. For several years, Josh has provided advice on legal issues to the residents of the William Booth Center.
21 RW Attorneys Listed as Washington Super Lawyers®
We would like to congratulate the Riddell Williams attorneys who were designated Washington Super Lawyers® for 2010. Fewer than five percent of the more than 27,000 lawyers who practice in Washington state are chosen for this award.
The following Riddell Williams attorneys were selected:
- Bruce J. Borrus
- David M. Brenner
- David D. Buck
- Michael D. Carrico
- Loren R. Dunn
- Bruce T. Goto
- Harry Edward Grant
- Pamela A. Grinter
- Bryce L. Holland
- Robert M. Howie
- Paul J. Kundtz
- Patrick D. McVey
- James W. Minorchio
- W. Ward Morrison, Jr.
- Karl J. Quackenbush
- Douglass A. Raff
- Laurence A. Shapero
- Barbara Allan Shickich
- Joseph E. Shickich, Jr.
- Scott A. Smith
Barbara Shickich received Top 50 highest point totals for women in Washington. Karl Quackenbush received the Top 100 highest point totals for Washington. Congratulations!
Upcoming Presentations
2012 Breakfast Briefing Series:
Presentation information and handout materials for past breakfast briefings is available on the Publications page of our website.
Our 2011 Breakfast Briefing Series has concluded. Stay close to this site for information about our 2012 Breakfast Briefing Series.
Events and Presentations
Diversity News
Current News
- Rebecca L. Andrews Elected Principal
- Hannah Ard Joins Litigation Group
- Leslie Meserole Joins the Health Care Group at Riddell Williams
- Scott Smith Appointed by the Washington Supreme Court to the Practice of Law Board
- In Honor of Marion V. "Mick" Larson
- Rebecca Andrews, Accepted Into Leadership Tomorrow
- Greg Euteneier Joins Riddell Williams
- Helping Homeless Students Get the Services They Need
- Riddell Williams Announces the Election of W. Ward Morrison, Jr., as Managing Principal
- Raff and Roberson: Recipients of the 2010 J. Vernon Williams Award
- Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Derivative Action
- Another Huge Victory for RW Product Liability Team and Client, Fisher Controls
- Complex Real Estate Case: Landslide Victory
- Keith Seo Appointed to WSBA's Committee for Diversity
- 21 RW Attorneys Named Seattle Met 2010 Top Lawyers
- Nonprofits: Important Changes in the Law Governing Reallocation of Restricted Funds
- RW Team Obtains $30 Million Jury Verdict for Clients
- Successful Defense of Microsoft Against Consolidated Class Action Cases
- Continuing to Increase Strength Through Strategic Growth, Riddell Williams is Pleased to Announce the Hiring of Three New Associates
- 10 RW Attorneys Listed as Washington Rising Stars®
- Congratulations to Josh Piper
- 21 RW Attorneys Listed as Washington Super Lawyers®