Focus of Practice

Litigation with emphasis on employment law and civil rights. Mr. Practice also includes business litigation, personal injury cases and complex litigation. I have also handled many appeals.

Legal Experience

I have been practicing since 1983. My practice has included work as a private attorney, corporate associate general counsel, civil deputy prosecutor (labor and employment), and litigation attorney. I worked for a small law firm out of law school, then worked as Special Litigation Counsel for Marine Power and Equipment ("MPE") with the New York based firm of Wilke Farr & Gallagher. Then associate general counsel for WFI, the parent of MP&E. I worked at Pierce County as a Civil Deputy Prosecutor and joined my current firm as a partner in 1991.

Court Admissions

Washington Courts 1983, U.S. District Court WDWA 1983 & EDWA 1999; 9th Cir. Ct. of Appeals 1983. U.S. Supreme Ct. 1991

Education

Western Michigan University - BBA 1978 Seattle University Law School (FKA Univ. of Puget Sound Law School) J.D. 1983 Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution LLM expected to finish program December 2022.

Professional Associations

Washington State Bar Association, Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association, American Bar Association (member litigation and adr subsections); Robert J. Bryan Inn Of Court (barrister 1987, Master and now emeritus).

ADR Training

I have almost completed the LLM Program at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. I have my final residence in November 2022; and have two more classes to complete. My grades have been almost all A's and two B+, waiting on grades from last session. In addition I have attended the Center for Dialog & Resolution forty hour "Basic Mediation Training - Summer 2022. I have had various CLE's over the years on ADR and typically attended the Pacific Coast Labor Law Conference that typically dealt with arbitration and mediation.

ADR Experience

I have served as a Superior Court MAR Arbitrator in over fifty cases. To my knowledge, none of my awards has been appealed for trial de novo. I typically provide the attorneys with a reasoned decision by letter, in addition to the Arbitration Award that I file with the court.

ADR Practice Areas

Business Litigation, Civil Rights, Constitutional, Employment, Torts