Well it isn't easy trying to cram everything about me into a one page bio but in the famous words of Lando Calrissian in Star Wars, "here goes nothing." I was born and raised in Seattle. I love it here. Why would anybody want to live anywhere else? We have the mountains for skiing (in my case snowboarding), the water for windsurfing, wakeboarding, boating, etc., the trees for hiking and beauty, and the city for entertainment, education and livelihood. I've been to Europe, Australia, Roratongo, Timbuktoo and a few other places.

I received my B.A. degree from the University of Washington in philosophy. When my professional philosophizing career took off to a shaky start, I refocused my efforts on applying for law school. In truth, philosophy provided me with an excellent foundation to learn the art of logical reasoning. They say the master philosopher (not lawyer, mind you) is capable of starting with a few premises that only an idiot would deny, and deducing them to a conclusion with which only an idiot would concur. The better a lawyer is at filtering through hype, posturing, and flawed reasoning, the more effective the lawyer is at serving the client's interests. Philosophy was also a good place to learn the fundamentals of ethics.

I attended the University of Oregon School of Law in Eugene. Yes, that makes me both a Husky and a Duck. However, my background in philosophy helped me understand the nature of the interstate rivalry, and that has helped me work through the psychological conflict. Law schools are three year programs. Within those three years, I pursued studies and programs that served to develop my skills of persuasion, advocacy, and articulation.

Legal matters always involve a client. Always. Furthermore, the client is always more important than the legal matter. Always. The reverse is never true. Never. I fully communicate with the client and work with the client to get to the optimum outcome. Where's our direction, our perspective, what is logical, practical, how best to persuade the other side? Our firm's clients are almost always businesspersons. I work with them to determine which facts are important and which are not important so that the appropriate strategy can be developed. Hollywood and television are infatuated with the courtroom, the legal process, the detective work, and most of all, the truth. But "the truth" can rarely be agreed upon by all. Rather, the practice of law and my work as a lawyer involves determination of the "proof". Proof that is logical and persuasive. That's where my educational background helps me to help our clients.

As a lawyer, my job entails finding a balance between or among conflicting, inconsistent or adversarial positions. Lawyers and judges attempt to fashion this balance. The better lawyers are able to work with their clients and opposing counsel to define and strike this balance. Other lawyers spend time in the courtroom asking the judge to strike a balance that the lawyer was unable to achieve on behalf of his client. Taking matters to trial, though costly and time consuming, is sometimes necessary. However, the client is usually best served by avoiding court rooms. A lot of my work entails helping my clients avoid disputes, e.g., with a good contract. When a dispute develops, I always exhaust every imaginable effort to create a workable solution. That's why my clients love me.

Education:
J.D., University of Oregon School of Law, 2002
B.A., Philosophy, University of Washington, 1999

Bar Admissions:
Washington State Bar Association, 2003