When it comes to what I can offer my clients, it boils down to three things: integrity, experience, and results. These words can mean different things to different people. This page explains what these words mean to me in my practice of the law:
INTEGRITY
The first principal is integrity, because without this, the other two principals mean nothing. Integrity in the practice of law starts with loyalty; as your lawyer, my loyalty is to you and only you. You will never have to worry about being “sold out.” Integrity also means trust; I will always tell you the truth—even if it is not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear—so you can make informed decisions about your legal matter. Integrity also means understanding that I am not in control of your legal matter—you are. I will always give you my best advice and recommendations, but ultimately the big decisions are yours. Finally, integrity means that I will only bill time reasonably spent on your case; I have no associates, so you need not worry that I am charging you to train inexperienced lawyers.
EXPERIENCE
An old proverb says: “There’s no substitute for experience.” I have been fully engaged in the practice of law since 1989, when I graduated in the top of my class from New York University School of Law, where I won the American Jurisprudence Awards in Contracts and Advocacy of Civil Claims. After graduating, I received big firm experience at the global law firms of Morrison & Foerester and O’Melveny & Myers, where I was able to learn from some of the best lawyers in the business. After building a litigation practice in Vancouver for the Portland-based firm of Miller Nash, I broadened my experience by working as General Counsel for a large mechanical contracting firm. Over these years, I have mastered many different areas of law. More importantly, I have had the opportunity to hone my trial skills through dozens of trials and scores of arbitrations. All this experience means that I can provide you with legal counsel that is competent, confident, and cost-effective.
RESULTS
“What would you consider a successful outcome in this matter?” That is one of the most important questions I ask my clients, because each client has a different definition of success. For some, it is a matter of principal; for most, it is a matter of economics. For some, settlement is not an option; for others, settlement is the best option. Some demand their day in court; some wish to stay out of court. As your attorney, I will help you clarify your goals, and then I will develop and implement a plan to meet or exceed those goals. I have obtained complete defense verdicts, and I have had jurors award my clients more money than they sought. For me, the goal is a satisfied client—one who will return to me should the need arise, or who will refer me to their closest friends and family. As the testimonials show [link here], I have achieved this goal many times.