Education

University of Puget Sound (BA, summa cum laude, 1984)

• Degrees in American History and English Literature

• Weyerhauser Scholarship, Outstanding Academic Senior

Cornell Law School (JD, 1987)

• Cornell Law Review, Articles Editor

• Rieff Prize for Outstanding Student Note (Vol. 87, Cornell Law Review)

The Best Lawyers in America

• Bankruptcy, Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization (2014-2025)

• Commercial Litigation (2024-2025)

Awards

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2020, 2023-24)

Top Lawyers in Washington, D.C., The Washingtonian (2002-2005)

• Lead counsel in Northwest Wholesale v. Pac Organic Fruit LLC, in which the Supreme Court of Washington held for the first time at the state level that a member’s bankruptcy results in a dissociation does not violate the ipso facto provisions of the Bankruptcy Code

• Represented major Washington shipbuilder in Jones Act dispute arising from construction of a $70 million fishing trawler

• Represented major Pacific Northwest stockyard in Section 363 bidding for assets of large bankrupt farming operation in Eastern Washington

• Represented Silicon Valley venture fund in providing DIP and exit financing under confirmed Chapter 11 plan of Seattle-based biotech firm

• Represented group of creditors in commencement of involuntary Chapter 11 proceeding against Seattle-based developer of high-end industrial battery technology

• Lead counsel for Chapter 7 trustee in major Montana bankruptcy proceeding related to elite private members’ community, including financial investigations and the assertion of complex claims in multiple adversary proceedings in a number of jurisdictions

• Represented international technology company in connection with licensing and debt issues in Delaware bankruptcy proceeding of major game developer

• Represented international wireless carrier in New York bankruptcy proceeding of major wireless access reseller

• Represented prominent Pacific Northwest lender in a variety of matters, including complex litigation from failure of major propane supplier; investigation and litigation in bankruptcy involving failed development of large apartment project; and complex litigation arising out of lender’s financing and acquisition of large Pacific Northwest-based equipment lease portfolio

• Represented New York-based independent system operator in bankruptcy proceedings around the country in connection with creditor and other issues arising from administration of system operator’s markets

• Represented large national lender in Florida bankruptcy proceeding of 20-store restaurant chain for which client had provided senior secured financing

• Represented major national lender in restructuring of senior secured financing of large mid-Atlantic restaurant chain

• Represented committee of potentially responsible creditors in asserting hundreds of millions of dollars in claims and litigated complex claim treatment and recovery issues in bankruptcy of property owner in Missouri

• Represented debtor through confirmed plan of reorganization in Maryland bankruptcy case involving $100 million in secured debt and sale of assets at seven steel manufacturing and fabrication facilities around the country

• Represented debtor through confirmed plan of reorganization in Washington bankruptcy case involving apartment building located in Seattle