Congratulations to KTC Attorneys Selected as 2019 Best Lawyers in America©
Karr Tuttle Campbell is pleased to announce that 15 of its attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America© 2019 edition. The firm has 15 attorneys recognized in 17 different practice areas. Best Lawyers® is based on a comprehensive peer-review survey in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers evaluate the legal abilities of other lawyers within their practice areas. The KTC attorneys included in 2019 edition are:
James Austin, a KTC shareholder, has been recognized in two areas on the Best Lawyers list: Banking and Finance Law and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Mr. Austin’s practice includes the representation of both emerging and established enterprises with their formation, capitalization, transactional dealings and mergers, as well as dispositions.
Chris Brown, a shareholder at KTC, was honored as one of Washington’s Best Lawyers in the Tax Law practice area. Mr. Brown’s practice focuses in tax law; guiding businesses through various aspects of the Washington State Excise Tax, mergers and acquisitions, closely held businesses, and debt and equity instruments. In addition to his tax practice, Mr. Brown works closely the firm’s business law attorneys, serving as general counsel to a number of businesses, providing insight in their corporate matters.
Diana Carey, Chair of the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Insolvency practice group, was recognized in the Best Lawyers’ Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law area. Ms. Carey has been previously recognized as Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” in this practice group in 2017 and 2015. Ms. Carey is a recipient of the King County Bar Association’s Annual President’s Award, which is only given to those who have made a tremendous impact on the legal practice and community as a whole in the Seattle area.
Kathy Feldman, a shareholder and member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Department, has been recognized in the 2018 Best Lawyers list in the Labor Law category. Her practice consists of counseling employers on matters including sexual harassment and discrimination, wage and hour requirements, the Family Medical Leave Act, personnel policies and procedures, investigations, and hiring practices. Ms. Feldman has also completed the Conducting Title IX Investigations training, which ensures thoroughness in sexual harassment and workplace misconduct investigations. She has been recognized in Best Lawyers every year since 2012.
Ronald Friedman is included in Washington’s Best Lawyers for his work in the White Collar Criminal Defense practice area. Mr. Friedman’s legal practice is uniquely diverse representing clients within the areas of pharmaceutical compliance and licensing, DEA and FDA regulatory compliance, white collar criminal defense, complex litigation and professional license defense. With decades of legal experience, including serving as a Seattle federal prosecutor for 22 years, Mr. Friedman is often quoted in the media regarding prescription drug-related issues, due to his expansive knowledge of the issue and his involvement in several nationally recognized law enforcement programs (Operation Stolen Valor and Operation Midnight Express).
Gary Huff, a firm shareholder and Chair of the Real Estate and Land Use practice group, was selected in both the Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate areas of the Best Lawyers list. Within these practice areas, Mr. Huff works to emphasize project development, aid in the governmental permit process, negotiate the appropriate mitigation of project impact, and work with the local, state and federal planning resource and administrative agencies. Mr. Huff has worked on projects including the Microsoft campus in Redmond, the Physio Control Corporation campus and the expansion of the South Hill Mall.
James Irby has been recognized in Best Lawyers once again in the areas of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. His extensive experience in commercial law includes structuring, negotiating and documenting a variety of commercial financing transactions, particularly in commercial real estate and construction loan transactions. Due to his expertise in the area, Mr. Irby is often asked to speak and write on subjects involving loan administration, lender liability, foreclosures and bankruptcy and loan workout agreements.
Mark Johnsen has been recognized in Best Lawyers since 2008, and he has once again been selected for the Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants) category. Mr. Johnsen represents public entities, businesses and individuals in a wide range of litigation at the federal and state level, including land use and environmental law, personal injury and appellate practice. As a successful litigator, Mr. Johnsen is frequently a contributor in continuing education courses, including the well-recognized Washington State Skills Training Academy.
Mike Liles Jr., a member of both the Corporate Finance Group and Business Finance Department, has been included on the Best Lawyers list for the first time under the Corporate Law category. He has been a primary legal adviser in over 30 major public offerings and helped solidify an equal number of mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Liles has served as lead counsel on a wide variety of matters, including those having to do with private placements, bridge financings, venture financing, public company regulatory compliance, proxy contests, and joint ventures, among others.
Walter Maas III, Chairman of the firm’s Business and Finance Department, was once again recognized as Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for 2019 in the Business Organization category. This award is presented annually to a single lawyer in each practice and designated metropolitan area. Additionally, he was recognized in three other categories, including Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Tax Law.
Medora Marisseau, a member of the KTC’s Employment Department, has been selected for her work in Employment Benefits (ERISA) Law. Ms. Marisseau has dedicated her practice to providing employment, ERISA, employee benefits advice and litigation services to companies large and small. Her 20+ years of experience and multi-state bar licenses has allowed her practice to serve clients throughout the Pacific Northwest and across Alaska. Ms. Marisseau often is asked to serve as a speaker at employee-related seminars and trainings for a wide-range of industries and clients.
Alex Modelski, is recognized in the Best Lawyers Copyright Law category for 2019. Mr. Modelski spearheads the KTC’s Emerging Growth, Intellectual Property and Technology practice group and co-developed the firm’s Cannabis (I-502 Compliance) practice area. His work consists of assisting clients with business formations, funding acquisition and sales, multimedia and internet law, and nearly all things intellectual property. He is an angel investor and legal counsel for the SeaChange Fund, a nonprofit corporation that provides funding and support to early-stage startups.
Richard Omata returns to the Best Lawyers list for the 19th consecutive year. Mr.Omata is a shareholder and Chairman of the firm’s Employment Department. He has again been listed for his work in three different categories, including Employment Law (Management), Labor Law (Management), and Labor and Employment Litigation. Mr. Omata represents public and private employers in employment and labor-related cases before the city, state and federal agencies.
James Treadwell, who has made the Best Lawyers list for over a decade, has been recognized for his work in Trusts and Estates Law. Mr. Treadwell is a shareholder at KTC and his practice helps clients in nearly all things trusts and estates, including estate value freeze techniques, multi-tiered discount partnerships and limited liability companies, split interest trusts, private foundations, asset protection and resolution of disputes arising in estate administration, among others. For years, Mr. Treadwell has been a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and executive committee member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Washington State Bar Association, where he has contributed in major legislative improvements to the Washington State Probate Code.
Dennis Walters, a KTC shareholder and seasoned litigator, was selected among Washington Best Lawyers this year under the Commercial Litigation category. Mr. Walters’ practice primarily deals with litigation in relation to contract disputes, real estate disputes, estate planning disputes, personal injury and wrongful death claims, and other commercial, intellectual, and property and securities litigation matters. Mr. Walters represents his clients in a variety of arbitrations, trials and appeals at the state and federal level.
Best Lawyers in America© awards have been around since 1981. Award recipients are chosen entirely based on peer review. To learn more about Best Lawyers® methodology, visit their website.