Class Notes, Fall 2021

70s

Randy Harris JD ’77 has retired from Ports America and started Harris Mediation Service, primarily mediating longshore and DBA cases. 11/25/2020

Steven Katzman JD ’78 was appointed a county court judge for the El Paso County Court in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on May 7, 2021. 5/17/2021

80s

Fred Leeson JD ’82, a Portland author, historian, and journalist, gave a presentation at the Gresham History Museum on April 25, 2021, about Portland retailer Fred Meyer, the subject of Leeson’s book My-Te-Fine Merchant. 4/27/2021

Brad Chalfant JD ’86 is stepping down as founding director of the Deschutes Basin Land Trust (now the Deschutes Land Trust) after 25 years. 5/06/2021

90s

Gustavo “Tavo” Cruz Jr. JD ’93 has joined the firm Hathaway Larson Koback Connors Heth as a partner. His practice will continue to focus on corporate and commercial finance transactions. 6/21/2021

Scott Shapiro JD ’94 was honored by Sacramento Magazine as a 2021 “Top Lawyer in Energy and Natural Resources.” 6/29/2021

Meredith Mendelson JD ’95 was named to the Commonwealth Heroine Class of 2021 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. She was nominated for the honor by State Representative Ruth Balser. Mendelson is the executive director of the Needham-based organization Ellie Fund, which provides critical nonmedical support services and resources to patients who are in treatment for breast cancer. Since joining the organization, she has expanded its reach and created initiatives to ensure access for patients in underserved and minority communities. 6/24/2021

Peter Ohman JD ’95 was appointed Gallatin County (Montana) District Judge on October 9, 2020. 10/13/2020

KC Becker JD ’96 joined Wilkinson Barker Knauer’s Denver office in July 2021. A former Colorado speaker of the house—she was the fourth woman in state history to rise to that rank—Becker brings years of government experience. Her work in the legislature focused on modernizing the state broadband office and its funding streams, reforming Colorado’s oil and gas sector, and leading a groundbreaking effort to create a plan for the state to meet carbon reduction goals. She also helped create the state’s Office of Just Transition, which aims to help coal workers, employers, and others in communities as they prepare for coal plant closures. Prior to joining the house in 2013, Becker was a member of Boulder’s city council for four years. She began her career as an attorney for the U.S. Department of the Interior, where she focused on environmental and tribal matters. Becker holds a master’s degree in real estate development and construction from the University of Denver Sturm School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary. 7/13/2021

Scott Kerin JD ’96, an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon, was recently awarded the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his work as cocounsel in prosecuting an international fentanyl distribution ring that operated in China, Canada, and the United States. The case has been described as the widest-ranging fentanyl investigation in history and resulted in the identification, indictment, and conviction of more than 30 individuals. It also involved the first indictment of a Chinese national manufacturer and distributor of fentanyl. Kerin is currently serving a temporary detail at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, where he is teaching prosecutors and law enforcement agents in Eastern Europe how to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes and intellectual property crimes. 12/06/2020

Kyle Sciuchetti JD ’96 was sworn in as president of the Washington State Bar Association—becoming the first president from Vancouver since the state bar’s formation in 1888. Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens administered the oath of office toSciuchetti virtually during the association’s board of governors meeting September 18, 2020. Sciuchetti’s term runs through September 2021. 10/22/2020

Thomas R. Gibson JD ’97 has been appointed chief counsel at the California Department of Water Resources. Gibson has been assistant chief counsel at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife since 2020. He held multiple positions at the California Natural Resources Agency from 2014 to 2020, including deputy secretary and special counsel for water, undersecretary and deputy secretary, and general counsel. Gibson held multiple positions at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2007 to 2014, including general counsel and assistant chief counsel. He was a partner at Best, Best & Krieger from 2005 to 2008, where he was an associate from 2002 to 2005. Gibson was an associate at Hyman, Phelps & McNamara from 1999 to 2002 and at Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard from 1997 to 1999. 6/14/2021

Michael J. Levy LLM ’98 was appointed general counsel by Travis Credit Union in Vacaville, California, at the end of 2020. Levy is the credit union’s principal legal officer, working closely with the executive leadership team and providing leadership in all matters with legal implications, including supervision of all litigation, guidance on regulatory compliance, and bringing a legal perspective to TCU’s strategic vision. He has been a practicing attorney for nearly 30 years, amassing a diverse and successful portfolio of litigation experience in a variety of disciplines. Levy has worked in both the public and private sectors, and in some of the most complex legal fields, includingadministrative, business, environmental, and constitutional law. He has spent 15 years as deputy or general counsel for four state agencies, most recently at the California Department of Insurance. Levy is also an active volunteer in the legal and local community, having served two terms as a Supreme Court appointee on the State Bar Trustees Nominating Committee and as chair of the Amicus Committee of the California Access to Justice Commission, president of the Sacramento County Bar Association, and Appellate Mediator for the Third District Court of Appeal, among many other positions. He is also on the author team for the 2020 Rutter Group publication of California Practice Guide: Administrative Law. 1/13/2021

Stephen G. Lowry JD ’98, a founding partner and trial lawyer at Harris Lowry Manton in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, has been named to the Georgia Super Lawyers’ Top 100 list for the fifth time. Lowry also received his 10th Super Lawyers designation in the Personal Injury General: Plaintiff category. He was named the 2021–2022 chapter president for the southeastern Georgia chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. 2/24/2021

Nick Richards JD ’98 is chair of the cannabis law practice group at Greenspoon Marder. Richards has been working at the firm as a partner since January 2020 and is a former Internal Revenue Service trial attorney. He provides legal representation to individuals and businesses in tax audits and trials, managing tax debt, and mergers and acquisitions. Richards also advises clients in the cannabis industries on matters related to tax and regulatory compliance. He serves as board member of the Bhang Corporation, a leading cannabis products company, and is also a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association. 07/16/2021

Joshua Husbands JD ’99, a Holland & Knight partner, has been elected to the board of regents of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel. He will serve an initial three-year term. Husbands also was appointed Oregon state chair and chair of the western region, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. 6/21/2021

Rachel Kondor JD ’99 joined the Environmental Defense Center as a staff attorney. 5/11/2021

Jennifer Yruegas JD ’99 became dean of the Pacific University College of Business July 1, 2021. Yruegas had served as associate dean of the college since 2020. She was instrumental in building relationships within the college and in obtaining the college’s recent accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Yruegas earned her bachelor of science in biology and bachelor of arts in English literature at Pacific University. An active member of the Oregon State Bar, she has served in legal positions in an international capacity with InFocus Corporation, Nike, Keen Footwear, and Viewpoint; and as an adjunct faculty member at Lewis & Clark Law School from 2012 to 2019. During her time at Pacific University, Yruegas has also served as associate vice president of human resources, general counsel, Title IX coordinator, and director of the student health center. Yruegas will retain her role as general counsel, except in any legal issues related to the College of Business. 5/28/2021

00s

Román Hernández JD ’00, managing partner of Troutman Pepper’s Portland office, was named a 2021 Oregon Building Diversity honoree by the Daily Journal of Commerce. The award celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Portland-area building industry and environment. 7/16/2021

Saira Sheikh LLM ’00 has been practicing as a barrister in the UK in the field of planning and environmental law since 2001. Sheikh was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2014. In both 2020 and 2021 Sheikh was recognized as a Woman of Influence by The Planner magazine, published by the Royal Town Planning Institute in the UK. 4/08/2021

Amanda Gamblin JD ’01 was elected to Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt’s board of directors. Gamblin is part of the firm’s real estate and construction and transportation, ports, and maritime industry groups and has been with Schwabe for nearly 20 years. She founded Schwabe’s Women in Business group, which highlights the products and successes of Portland business leaders who are women. With Gamblin’s appointment, Schwabe’s board is now 80 percent female. 10/08/2020

Andrew Hanson JD ’01 has been named a partner at Perkins Coie. 1/13/2021

Dainen Penta JD ’01 joined the Yakima office of Northwest Justice Project in August 2020 as a staff attorney. In this role, he advocates for low-income Washingtonians in housing, consumer, and reentry cases. He was previously the executive director of the Center for Justice, a nonprofit public interest law firm in Spokane, Washington. 2/08/2021

Amy Robinson JD ’02 has been promoted to partner at Miller Nash Graham & Dunn’s Vancouver, Washington, office. Licensed to practice in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, Robinson joined the firm in 2019 as senior counsel, bringing with her more than 18 years of experience in advising public and private Pacific Northwest employers on a broad range of employment-related issues. Her background in human resources provides her with a unique and keen awareness of the competing pressures, workplace dynamics, and practical challenges that her clients face every day. Robinson provides carefully tailored guidance on compliance challenges and disputes covering the entire employment life cycle, including protected leaves and workplace accommodations, wage and hour issues, and discrimination and harassment prevention. She also performs outside and third-party investigations, and is a frequent speaker on employment law topics to HR professionals, management, and a range of trade and industry groups. 2/05/2021

Jen Wagner JD ’02, a managing shareholder at Stoll Berne, has been named a 2021 Portland Business Journal Women of Influence award honoree. 06/14/2021

Samantha Murray JD ’03 has been reappointed to the California Fish and Game Commission, where she has served since 2019. Murray has been faculty and executive director of the Master of Advanced Studies Program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego since 2017 and principal at Samantha Murray Consulting since 2015. 3/26/2021

Richard Brown JD ’04 announced that Natasha Clark is the first recipient of the Richard M. Brown and Sima J. Brown University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law Scholarship in Honor of Governor Kristi Noem. The full-tuition scholarship has an estimated value of $54,000. Brown, who also holds an MD, established the scholarship fund in 2020. Although he lives over 1,300 miles away, he says he was “impressed with Governor Kristi Noem’s advocacy of personal responsibility and individual liberty” and was compelled to honor both his late wife, Sima, and Noem. Administered by the Siouxland Community Foundation, the fund should support more full scholarships as it grows. 7/12/2021

Parna Mehrbani JD ’05, a Tonkon Torp partner, was honored with the 2021 Multnomah Bar Association Diversity Award in recognition of her commitment to fostering and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. She sits on Tonkon Torp’s DEI steering committee, is chair of the firm’s hiring committee, and serves as the current chair of the Partners in Diversity Leadership Council, a program of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute. Mehrbani is frequently invited to deliver talks and participate in panels focused on diversity topics for law students, legal professionals, and the business community. Her practice is focused on intellectual property, trademark registration and enforcement, and advising and litigating trademark portfolios for local, national, and international companies at all stages of growth. 5/27/2021

Jim Brunberg JD ’06, a musician, sound engineer, and producer, is probably best known to music fans around Portland as the founder and co-owner of two iconic venues: Mississippi Studios and Revolution Hall. But a podcast project, undertaken with his twin 8-year-old daughters, also gained attention a few years ago. Brunberg and the children hit the road to interview everyone from Oregon’s governor to gun shop owners to Bigfoot experts as they explored issues like death, the Second Amendment, fear, memory, and more. Their guiding principle? “Let’s go find out.” While each episode of Roam Schooled is centered on questions posed by Brunberg’s young daughters, the podcast is for adults. It was named one of the “10 Oregon-Made Podcasts You Have To Hear” on opb.org. 6/28/2021

Jessica Kampfe JD ’06 was named executive director of Multnomah Defenders Inc. (MDI), effective March 11, 2021. Kampfe is the first woman to lead a Multnomah County public defense organization that represents people in both juvenile and adult courts. MDI contracts with Oregon’s Public Defense Services Commission to represent indigent clients in Multnomah County Circuit Court and the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, including cases involving adult and juvenile misdemeanors and felonies, contempt matters, dependency and termination of parental rights, and civil commitment appeals. Previously, Kampfe was executive director with Public Defender of Marion County. She is a statewide leader in public defense, having worked closely with the judiciary and legislature on numerous committees, including Governor Brown’s screening panel for judicial vacancies, the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association legislative committee, the Criminal Justice Commission, and the Prison Forecast Advisory Committee. Kampfe is also known as an outstanding trial attorney, representing clients accused of murder and major felonies, including Ballot Measure 11 cases. She got her start in public defense with Metropolitan Public Defender, where she handled misdemeanor and minor felony cases in Washington and Multnomah counties, providing representation for diverse clients, including those who were not U.S. citizens. 3/18/2021

James Murphy JD ’06 was promoted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to legal division director and general counsel on October 1, 2020. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is the state agency with primary responsibility for managing Texas fish and wildlife resources, state parks, and wildlife management areas. 4/13/2021

Meghan Moran JD ’07 was recently promoted to partner at Davis Wright Tremaine. Moran advises clients on supply chain contracts and related strategy in the food, beverage, agribusiness, and outdoor/apparel industries. She focuses on providing practical advice and understanding the business objectives for the deal at hand. 1/21/2021

Matti Storie JD ’07 has been recognized by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in its list of Women of Influence 2021. 6/07/2021

Liz Crosson JD ’08 has joined the Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office. Crosson will serve as a resource for cities across the county as they pursue actions to implement the Our County Sustainability Plan. Most recently, she served as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s director of infrastructure. Previously the mayor’s deputy chief sustainability officer, she was the first appointed water policy advisor and served as executive director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper. 7/12/2021

Damien R. Hall JD ’08, a partner at Ball Janik, has been named chair of the board of directors for CareOregon, a nonprofit organization that offers health services and community benefit programs to more than 450,000 members of the Oregon Health Plan. Hall joined the CareOregon board in 2014 and serves on its executive and community impact committees. He also serves on the board of directors of Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives; the Urban Land Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce; the Home Forward board of commissioners; and the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission. 6/14/2021

Sara Sayles JD ’08 joins Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt’s Portland office and real estate and construction group. Sayles is an accomplished real estate transactional attorney with a diverse set of skills and experience working in multiple jurisdictions. She advises developers, landowners, and landlords on land use matters, commercial leases, property sales, and community association matters. Her industry knowledge extends to preparing, reviewing, and negotiating real estate documents and contracts. 7/13/2021

Colleen Scott JD ’08 joined the Portland office of Keating Jones Hughes as of counsel. 6/14/2021

Bill Thrush JD ’08 was named a partner at Thompson Hine, effective January 1, 2021. Thrush is a member of the construction practice group in Cleveland. His litigation experience includes representing clients at trial and in arbitrations, mediations, and appeals involving a wide range of complex multimillion-dollar construction and real estate matters. His transactional practice includes preparing and negotiating construction contracts, design agreements, leases, and other contract documents for construction and real estate clients. Thrush is an engineer (licensed in Oregon) and was a LEED-accredited professional in building design and construction. He was listed in The Legal 500 as a “Rising Star” and “Recommended Attorney” for construction in 2019 and 2020. 1/29/2021

Crystal Chase JD ’09 has been promoted to partner at Stoel Rives in Portland. Chase focuses on environmental and natural resources litigation, condemnation and real property litigation, and appellate matters for clients in the manufacturing, natural resources, agribusiness, and energy industries. She also has significant experience litigating matters under Oregon’s Administrative Procedures Act. She helps clients navigate all phases of litigation, from motions practice through trial, and if necessary, appeal. Chase also serves on the boards of the Classroom Law Project and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. 1/14/2021

Eric DeWeese JD ’09 has published his third book, Bushwood Murder Augusta Mystery, a family drama set on a golf course on the eve of the Masters. The title is available through Amazon.com. 4/7/2021

10s

Bradley Krupicka JD ’10 has joined the Portland office of Lewis Brisbois as a partner in the firm’s labor and employment practice. An experienced litigator, Krupicka is well versed in handling cases involving discrimination and harassment allegations, wage and hour disputes, and other employment issues. He also advises employers about hiring, performance management, operational, compliance, and termination issues. Krupicka is active in several bar and community organizations, has served on various pro bono committees, and was recently named to The Best Lawyers in America’s 2021 “Ones to Watch” list. A fourth-generation firefighter, Krupicka also serves as the current president of the L&C Law Alumni Board. 3/30/2021

Dylan K. Lange JD ’12 is the general counsel for the Office of the Secretary of State of New Mexico. 10/13/2020

Ben Pirie JD ’12 has joined Miller Nash’s leading cannabis industry team in the firm’s Portland office. Pirie advises on mergers and acquisitions, negotiating complex contracts and corporate governance, as well as regulatory compliance in the emerging cannabis and hemp industries. He has helped cannabis clients from labs to retailers to obtain and keep every type of recreational marijuana license and is experienced in structuring complex transactions that provide cannabis brands with access to interstate markets without violating state laws or federal enforcement priorities. Pirie has been recognized nationally for his work in the cannabis industry as a “Leader in Their Field” by Chambers USA, and currently serves on the executive committee of the Oregon State Bar Cannabis Law Section. 6/08/2021

Rachel Atchison JD ’13 was elected to partnership at Tonkon Torp. Atchison also appeared on 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. 1/15/2021

Shanelle Honda JD ’13, a commercial litigator with Miller Nash, has been elected to serve as secretary on the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association board of directors. Honda’s practice focuses on business litigation, including insurance coverage, contract disputes, and fiduciary liability, trade secret, and employment disputes. Before joining Miller Nash, she served as a judicial law clerk for Jerome E. LaBarre of the Multnomah County Circuit Court. Honda is active in the Oregon legal community, currently serving on the Lawyers for Literacy Steering Committee for Start Making a Reader Today and as treasurer of the Owen Panner Inn of Court. 7/09/2021

Andrew Henning JD ’14 recently joined the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney in Washington, D.C. Henning wishes to thank his Sidney Lezak Fellowship mentors Kris Olson and Frank Noonan, both formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland, for their unwavering advice and support. 11/17/2020

Chelsea Stone JD ’14 has accepted a position as the head of service sales, North America, for wind turbine manufacturer Vestas. Stone and her team are responsible for securing the profitable growth of the service business in the onshore and offshore wind markets in the United States and Canada. 3/09/2021

Alex Tinker JD ’14 has been elected to partnership at Tonkon Torp and is listed in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for 2021. 1/15/2021

Carla Grabarek JD ’15 was made a partner at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman on June 1, 2021. 6/03/2021

Marques Lang JD ’15 was interviewed by Minnesota Lawyer for his work reviewing, drafting, and offering advice on qualified domestic relations orders. 4/27/2021

Caleb Smith JD ’15 received the 2020–21 Stanley V. Kinyon Clinical Professor of the Year Award as a clinical law professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. 5/23/2021

Lanee Danforth JD ’16 was elected district attorney of Lincoln County, Oregon. 1/13/2021

Loretta Miranda JD ’16 has been appointed chief deputy tribal advisor and special counsel for the California Governor’s Office of the Tribal Advisor. 11/02/2020

Jarell Hunt JD ’17, a business attorney with Tonkon Torp, has been elected to the board of directors of the Brian Grant Foundation, an organization that aims to improve the quality of life through exercise and nutrition programs for those living with Parkinson’s disease. Hunt’s practice focuses on contract drafting and negotiation, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and transactional work, from securities offerings and other capital raises to mergers and acquisitions. 5/19/2021

Olivia Schneider Grabacki JD ’17 joined Amazon Web Services as associate corporate counsel for AWS Infrastructure Technology Development and Procurement, focusing on commercial transactions and contracting. 1/22/2021

20s

Steve Murphy JD ’20 has joined Albright Kittell in Tillamook, Oregon, focusing on landlord-tenant, family law, and conservatorship matters. 6/15/2021

Carlisle M. Pearson JD ’20 has joined Lane Powell’s Portland office as an associate and member of the commercial litigation team. During law school, Pearson served the firm as a summer associate by assisting work on litigation matters involving real property and land use, constitutional law, landlord-tenant law, contracts, dram shop liability, insurance law, and other areas. He also spent time with the U.S. Department of Energy at the Bonneville Power Administration, where he gained experience with interagency negotiations and assisted in matters involving energy law, forest law, Indian law, federal lands law, natural resources law, environmental regulations, and legal ethics. Pearson holds bachelor’s degrees in both environmental studies and legal studies from the University of Pittsburgh. 3/15/2021 [photo]

Sophie von Bergen JD ’20 has joined the Portland law office of Stoll Berne as an associate attorney. Her practice will focus on complex litigation matters. 10/20/2020 [photo]

Steve Murphy JD ’20 has joined Albright Kittell in Tillamook, Oregon, focusing on landlord-tenant, family law, and conservatorship matters. 6/15/2021

Carlisle M. Pearson JD ’20 has joined Lane Powell’s Portland office as an associate and member of the commercial litigation team. During law school, Pearson served the firm as a summer associate by assisting on litigation matters involving real property and land use, constitutional law, landlord-tenant law, contracts, dram shop liability, insurance law, and other areas. He also spent time with the U.S. Department of Energy at the Bonneville Power Administration, where he gained experience with interagency negotiations and assisted in matters involving energy law, forest law, Indian law, federal lands law, natural resources law, environmental regulations, and legal ethics. Pearson holds bachelor’s degrees in both environmental studies and legal studies from the University of Pittsburgh. 3/15/2021

Sophie von Bergen JD ’20 has joined the Portland law office of Stoll Berne as an associate attorney. Her practice will focus on complex litigation matters. 10/20/2020