How I represent clients and Schwabe

With over three decades of business and construction law experience, I help clients navigate complex transactions, address challenging business matters, and manage risk in the engineering, architectural, geotechnical, and environmental industries.

While a large part of my practice focuses on representation of design professionals, I also represent owners, contractors, and consultants in the construction and high-tech industries. My business practice involves mergers and acquisitions, ownership transition and exit strategies, contract development, review and negotiation, professional licensing, employment matters, professional liability, real estate, and intellectual property protection.

Experience

• Structured a difficult breakup of a large company allowing smaller parts to operate independently from each other.
• Structured and negotiated a complex merger of two medium-size engineering companies
• Negotiated the sale of an architectural firm to an engineering firm in compliance with the separate architectural and engineering licensing requirements of the local jurisdictions.
• Successfully enforced a limitation of liability contractual clause that resulted in the dismissal of a claim against an engineering company.

Memberships

• King County Bar Association (1986-present)
• Washington State Bar Association (1986-present)
• WSBA Business Law Section Executive Committee, past Chairperson (2018-2019)
• Colorado Bar Association (1990-present)
• American Bar Association (1990-present)
• American Institute of Architects (1996-2022)
• American Council of Engineering Companies, national and Washington state (1990-2022)
• Northwest Environmental Business Council (1996-2020)

Publications

“Structure Considerations for Mergers and Acquisitions”
American Institute of Architects
2019

“Merger and Acquisition Workshop: Everything You Need to Know about Merging Your Professional Services Firm”
2021

“Structuring Mergers and Acquisitions”
May 2018

“Effective Communication to Minimize Risk”
2020

“The Liability of Design Professionals”
2020

“Claims Against Design Professionals”
2020

“Contracting Principals for Architectural Firms”
2021

“Oregon Lien Law Requirements”
2020

“Liability Protection and Business Transition Advice for Engineers and Surveyors”
2019

“Build It and They Will Come: Addressing Liabilities of Large Wood in Rivers”
2018

“Nuts and Bolts on Contracts and Insurance”
2019

Community Activities

• Design in Public, Volunteer (2014)
• Snohomish County Community Services Center Joint Operating Committee, in conjunction with Volunteers of America, Member (2017-present)

Services