Jan 14, 2022

Lasher Holzapfel

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson announced that Brent Beecher, formerly of Hackett Beecher, has joined the firm, of counsel, to practice with its Business Litigation and Real Estate Law groups. Beecher concentrates on insurance policy and bad faith disputes. He represents both insurance policy holders and insurance companies. He also lectures on insurance issues at legal seminars for other attorneys. A graduate of Bowdoin College, Beecher was a judicial extern before receiving his juris doctor and MBA from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson was founded over 48 years ago in Seattle.

Foster Garvey

Foster Garvey elevated four attorneys to principal in its Seattle office: Chloe Thompson Villagomez, Paul Heer, Dan Youngblut and Michael Zhao. Additionally, the firm added Noah Williams to its Seattle location. Thompson Villagomez has over 16 years of experience representing tribes and tribal entities, advising on a broad range of governmental and business matters. Heer focuses on domestic and international investments for public and private institutional investors across a range of alternative investments, including private equity funds, hedge funds, and domestic and global real estate funds. Youngblut represents debtors, creditors, trustees and others in bankruptcy proceedings, receiverships and distressed scenarios. He also represents sponsors and managers on all aspects of real estate funds and syndications, banks and borrowers on major financing transactions, and other clients on general corporate matters. Zhao is an investment management attorney with extensive experience in alternative investments, primarily representing institutional investors in commingled investment funds, separate accounts, collective investment trusts and direct real estate investments. Williams joins the Labor, Employment & Immigration practice group. Formerly with Reed Longyear Malnati Corwin & Burnett, he has spent his career helping clients navigate workplace issues, employment litigation, intellectual property and trade secret protections.

City of Kenmore

The Kenmore City Council elected Nigel Herbig as mayor and Melanie O'Cain as deputy mayor. Herbig has served on the council since 2014 and was deputy mayor since 2018. O'Cain has served on the council since 2020. Former Mayor David Baker will remain on the council; his current term goes through 2023. Baker served as mayor from 2008 through 2021. Incumbents Joe Marshall, Angela Kugler, Debra Srebnik and Herbig were reelected last November. The Kenmore City Council is responsible for establishing city policies, enacting and amending city laws, adopting the biennial budget, and setting the overall direction and vision for the city. Council members serve staggered four-year terms, and the council selects one of its members to serve as mayor and a second as deputy mayor for two-year terms.

Laird Norton Wealth Management

Laird Norton Wealth Management and Wetherby Asset Management have merged. The combination establishes a national presence with offices in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City. The new enterprise manages over $15 billion in client assets. Kristen Bauer, Laird's CEO, is now CEO of the combined firms. Debra Wetherby maintains the role of managing partner of WAM and serves on an expanded Laird board of directors. Senior leadership teams are working together to integrate operations. The combined company retains both the Laird and Wetherby names, and continues to serve high and ultra-high net worth families. Financial details associated with the merger were not disclosed. Founded in 1990, WAM is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Headquartered in Seattle, Laird Norton Co. is a seventh-generation, family-owned enterprise with investments in real estate and operating companies. Laird Norton Co. is the majority owner of Laird Norton Wealth Management, and wholly owns Laird Norton Properties, a Seattle-based real estate investment firm.

Jan 13, 2022

Lane Powell

Zack

Pyle

Lou-Magnuson

Lanier

Lane Powell elected four new shareholders in its Seattle office: Jamie Lanier, Shirley Lou-Magnuson, Greg Pyle and Jimmy Zack. Lanier focuses her practice on estate planning, probate and trust administration for high net worth individuals and families. She also works with fiduciaries and beneficiaries regarding non-judicial resolution of trust and estate disputes. She serves on the Seattle Foundation's Professional Advisors Council, and is included in Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch list in the areas of Trusts and Estates and Nonprofit/Charities. Lou-Magnuson defends public and private entities from civil and regulatory liability in employment law matters. She regularly litigates on behalf of employers before federal and state courts, administrative bodies, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the state Human Rights Commission. Before joining Lane Powell, Lou-Magnuson served as a clerk at the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals. She is included in Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch list in the area of Labor and Employment Management. Pyle advises clients in corporate governance, business and transactional matters. He counsels early-stage and established clients through all manner of business transactions with a particular focus on mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch list in the areas of Corporate Law, Corporate Governance and Compliance, and Elder Law. Zack focuses his practice on bankruptcy, receiverships, commercial litigation and out-of-court workouts. Before joining Lane Powell, Zack was a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Brian Lynch and a judicial extern to the Hon. Karen Overstreet, both of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington. Chambers USA's Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognizes Zack as an Associate to Watch, and he is included in Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch list in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization.

Caring Transitions

Visser

Christine Visser is the local owner of the new Caring Transitions of Mill Creek franchise. Caring Transitions is a provider of senior transition solutions focused on the 3 R's: relocation, right-sizing and resale of household goods. The company helps with decluttering, cleanouts, packing, move management, unpacking and estate sales. The new franchise serves Mill Creek, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Bothell and the surrounding areas. Visser combines more than 25 years of professional experience at Northwest companies like Amazon, Costco, Boeing and Zillow with her experience in family service and estate planning. She is a Certified Relocation and Transitions Specialist. Caring Transitions, founded in 2006, has more than 200 locations throughout the U.S.

KBS Advisors

Skillestad

KBS Advisors recently announced that Kevin Skillestad has joined its Georgetown office after over 16 years with Neil Walter Co. His past clients include Tesla, Georgetown Brewing, Prologis, Terreno and CenterPoint.

Sally Clark joins SHA

Former city council member Sally Clark has joined the board of Seattle Housing Authority, the agency recently announced. She's a new appointee to fill an at-large slot on the now seven-person board. She left the council, after a decade of service, in 2015 to join the University of Washington; there she continues to serve as director of regional and community relations. Her new term as SHA board commissioner lasts four years.

Aegis names new leader

Aegis Living has named Sandra Preyale as its new president. She's been promoted from her prior post as chief people officer. The senior housing developer and operator is led by founder Dwayne Clark, who said in a statement, “She is a brilliant strategic thinker and thought partner, and she will lead us confidently into Aegis' future as we open two new communities this year and continue to innovate our offerings to provide the highest standard of care in senior assisted living.” Before Aegis, she was with Amazon and Coach. Among other Aegis promotions announced at the same time, Lee Kaufmann becomes senior vice president of human resources; and Howard Jacobs becomes the company's new COO. The company is now under construction on Aegis Living Laurelhurst (pictured).

Learned signs Mt. Vernon tenant

Learned Commercial, based up in Burlington, announced that it represented Hughes Fire Equipment as a new tenant in an industrial building at 1215 E. Hickox Road in Mount Vernon. Terms were not announced. The individual brokers were Jarrod Ball for the tenant, and John Mitzel of Windermere Commercial for the landlord, Hickox Road Industrial Leasing & Storage.