Industry focus
Let’s work together to resolve your legal issues, while taking into account your unique business (and everyday) realities.
How I represent clients at Schwabe
Combining real-world construction experience with legal know-how, I help contractors find practical solutions to complex problems. Before attending law school, I earned a degree in Construction Management and worked as a construction manager for two large commercial contractors and the world’s largest aerospace company. As a result, I can understand the business realities clients face daily.
Practical solutions and client ownership
I handle arbitrations and lawsuits for issues ranging from lien foreclosures, construction claims, and public contracting to employment disputes and complex breach of contract claims. I strive to help clients fully understand the litigation process and present creative, practical solutions.
Clients also turn to me for transactional assistance. I focus on achieving client goals and mitigating risk in construction contracts, purchase and sale agreements, services contracts, purchase orders, and other legal documents. I am proactive in ensuring that clients fully understand the contracting process and can take ownership of contract terms.
Experience
- Successfully obtained a defense verdict in an $8.2 million arbitration, including a complete award of counterclaims.
- Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment where her client was awarded over $2 million in damages and interest.
- Prevailed on a defense motion to dismiss a real property dispute at the close of plaintiff’s case-in-chief.
- Successfully obtained a judgment for a material supplier in a multiple-property, complex lien foreclosure case of distressed properties.
- Prepared a claim on a federal construction project on behalf of a specialty contractor. Successfully negotiated the resolution of the claim.
- Successfully negotiated the resolution of a state public contracting claim for delays and impacts caused by unforeseen site conditions.
- Drafted and reviewed numerous prime and subcontracts for both private and public projects.
Education
- Seattle University, School of Law, Juris Doctor degree (2011)
- California State University, Chico, Bachelor of Science degree, Construction Management (2005)
Admissions
- Oregon State Courts
- Washington State Courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court - Western District of Washington
Memberships
- Clark County Bar Association, President (2019-2020), Board of Trustees (2015-present)
- Washington State Bar Association, Construction Law Section Executive Committee, Member (2018-present)
- Association of General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter, Counsel to the Board (2020-present)
- Association of General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter, Professional and Associates Council, Chair (2019-present)
- Association of General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter, Legal Operating Committee, Chair (2020-present)
- Southwest Washington Contractors Association, Education Committee, Member (2015-2019)
Awards
- The Historic Trust’s Marshall Leadership Award, Recipient (2016)
- Vancouver Business Journal Accomplished and Under 40, Recipient (2016)
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Oregon/SW Washington Chapter, Woman of the Year (2017)
- Daily Journal of Commerce, Women of Vision, Honoree (2019)
- Clark County Bar Association, Ken Weber Award for Community Service, Recipient (2019)
- Association of General Contractors, Rookie of the Year, Recipient (2020)
Additional Publications
Co-Author, “Employer Issues in an Age of an Aging Workforce,” Xenium Resources Publication (November 2013)
Author, “When ‘Substantial Completion’ Means Actual Completion,” Southwest Washington Contractor’s Association Newsletter (October 2013)
Author, “Be Careful What You Put in Writing: Preparing Your Incident Reports,” Southwest Washington Contractor’s Association Newsletter (October 2013)
Co-Author, “Major Changes to the ‘One-Call’ Statute Are Coming: Washington’s Underground Utility Prevention Act Goes into Effect Next Year,” NUCA of Washington Focus (May 2012)
Co-Author, “Taming the ‘Under-Ground’ Beast: Deciphering Differing Site Conditions in Construction,” King County Bar Bulletin (2012)
Author, “Strict Compliance in Construction Contracts: Detrimental to Tax Payers and Contractors,” 40 PUB. CONT. L.J. 911 (Summer 2011)
Additional Events
Presenter, “M/W/DBE Certifications,” SWCA Construction Executive Summit (February 2024)
Presenter, CLE: “Alternative Fees in Litigation,” Clark County Bar Association (May 2015)
Presenter, CLE: “Construction Law: Washington Lien and Bond Claims,” Clark County Bar Association (November 2014)
Presenter, CLE: “How to Train Your Litigator,” Association of Corporate Counsels (October 2014)
Presenter, “Major Changes to the ‘One-Call Statute,'” National Utility Contractors Association (February 2012)
Presenter, “Public Contracting Basics,” Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (October 2011 and February 2012)
Co-Author, “Agencies Teaming-Up to Crack-Down on ‘Wage Theft,'” AGC Works (October 2011)
Services
Community Activities
- Workforce Southwest Washington, Chair (2020-present), Board Member (2013-present)
- Girls on the Run, Board Member (2014-2017)
Outside Interests
I call this “Pearls and muck boots.” After a long day in trial, there is nothing better than drinking wine with my goats.
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