Moffatt Thomas | Announcements

Announcements

Kimberly Evans Ross selected as a 2012 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year

Kimberly Evans Ross has been selected as a 2012 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year. Ms. Evans Ross will be recognized at the Idaho Business Review Women of the Year event on February 21. The event will honor 50 of the state's most successful business women from both the public and private sectors while revealing the triumphs and challenges that have shaped their careers. Ms. Evans Ross's profile will be featured in the 2012 Women of the Year publication, a special publication by the Idaho Business Review.

Moffatt Thomas Welcomes New Associate Andrea J. Rosholt

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Moffatt Thomas is please to announce the addition of new associate Andrea Rosholt to the firm. Ms. Rosholt’s practice areas include, business law, commercial litigation, estate planning and probate, health care law and tax law. Ms. Rosholt earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Idaho and her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2009. Ms. Rosholt’s prior experiences include work in both the private and public sector. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Rosholt served as an intern and staff assistant for Idaho’s U.S. Senator Larry E. Craig in Washington D.C. During law school, Ms. Rosholt worked as a law clerk and associate for a Spokane, Washington based firm. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and membership of the Idaho State Bar Association is pending. In her spare time, Ms. Rosholt raises money to help hospitals provide portable mammogram devices to rural areas.

Moffatt Thomas welcomes Norman M. Semanko as an Attorney Of Counsel with the firm

Mr. Semanko’s extensive experience in water resources issues and his working relationships with members of local, state, and federal government and regulatory agencies further bolsters Moffatt Thomas’s expertise in agricultural law, water rights, environmental law, land use, mining, and public lands. Mr. Semanko joins the firm’s water and natural resources practice group: Scott Campbell, Andy Waldera and Dylan Lawrence.

Mr. Semanko's experience includes:

Executive Director & General Counsel, Idaho Water Users Association, Inc.
President & Director, National Water Resources Association
President & Director, Idaho Council on Industry and the Environment
General Counsel, Republican National Committee
Western States Water Council
Advisory Committee, Family Farm Alliance
President, Coalition for Idaho Water
President, Eagle City Council

David Gardner Honored by ISB - Access to Civil Justice - Pro Bono Award Recipient

David Gardner commented about his pro bono activities: "I have actively taken cases for CASA for several years and enjoy working with them. I have also accepted several family law cases through IVLP and have had some great experiences working on those cases. For me, pro bono work is very fulfilling. We are in a professional service profession, with a strong emphasis on the service. I consider myself to be in the profession of solving problems, and pro bono work allows me to help others in that regard. The personal satisfaction of helping another person, solely for that purpose alone, is a great feeling.

" He gave credit to his mentors as examples of selfless and personal service: "I had the opportunity to clerk for Judge N. Randy Smith who is a living example of service. His dedication to the law and helping others is without limits. I have also had great examples of service here in my firm. I believe that pro bono service includes service to the legal profession as well. These great individuals have been examples in helping me to recognize the importance of pro bono service in rounding out a complete legal career."

Moffatt Thomas Welcomes New Associate Jetta H. Mathews to Pocatello Office

Moffatt Thomas is pleased to announce the addition of new associate Jetta H. Mathews to our Pocatello office. Ms. Mathews earned her B.A. with High Honors from BYU in 2001 and received her J.D. from University of Idaho College of Law in 2010. During law school Ms. Mathews represented pro bono clients in immigration proceedings and before the Ninth Circuit. Prior to joining Moffatt Thomas, Ms. Mathews served as a law clerk to the Honorable N. Randy Smith at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her practice areas include, commercial litigation, insurance defense and workers’ compensation defense.

Best Lawyers' 2012 Lawyers of the Year - Randall A. Peterman and D. James Manning

Randall A. Peterman has been named the Best Lawyers' 2012 Boise Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law Lawyer of the Year.

D. James Manning has been named the Best Lawyers' 2012 Pocatello Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year.

After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating "Lawyers of the Year" in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the "Lawyer of the Year." Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 18th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (202) is based on more than 3.9 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers. The lawyers being honored as "Lawyers of the Year" have received particularly high ratings in surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Congratulations to Randall A. Peterman and D. James Manning on being named the Best Lawyers' 2012 Lawyers of the Year in their legal specialties and legal community.

David Jensen Honored - ISB Recognizing Service to the Profession and the Public

David Jensen, a shareholder at MTBR&F, has supported the Bar by serving on the governing councils of the Real Property and the Business and corporate law Sections. He is a past chair of each Section and continues to serve on the Business and Corporate Law Section Governing council. David also belongs to the Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section, and the Professionalism and Ethics Section. In addition to his work in the legal community, David has worked with Troop 33 of the Boy Scouts for a number of years as an assistant scoutmaster. He has held numerous coaching and umpiring positions over the years for his children's soccer and baseball teams. His service work is an extension of his lifestyle, which revolves around his work and his family.

Best Lawyers in America Announces the 2012 Best Lawyers

Moffatt Thomas has announced that sixteen partners were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^® 2012. The attorneys were selected in the following fields: Peterman in bankruptcy law; Fields in commercial litigation, employment & labor and health care law; Hunter in commercial litigation, construction, and personal injury; S. Thomas in commercial litigation and insurance law; Simko in corporate law and mining; Ward in corporate law; Husch in employee benefits (ERISA) and insurance law; Olsson in employment and labor law; Martin in insurance and litigation – banking & finance; Prusynski in insurance law; Manning in tax law, trusts and estates and litigation & controversy – tax; Roe in mergers & acquisitions law; Dance in medical malpractice law and personal injury litigation; McGreaham in trusts and estates.

Chambers and Partners selects Moffatt Thomas Attorneys as Leaders in their Fields

Robert B. Burns, Gerald T. Husch, David S. Jensen, James L. Martin, Christine E. Nicholas, Patricia M. Olsson, Randall A. Peterman and Dylan B. Lawrence have been selected as leaders in their fields by Chambers and Partners, a legal publishing firm in London that prepares several renowned directories ranking lawyers throughout the world. Attorneys are selected based upon independent research, peer input, and client interviews.

Being named by Chambers & Partners is considered one of the most prestigious rankings in the world for lawyers. According to sources interviewed by Chambers, Moffatt Thomas lawyers "provide an excellent service which exceeds all my expectations."

The attorneys were honored in the following fields: Burns in real estate; Husch in labor & employment; Jensen in real estate; Martin in general and commercial litigation; Nicholas in real estate and corporate/commercial law; Olsson in labor & employment; Peterman in bankruptcy and Dylan B. Lawrence has been named a “rising star” in the areas of natural resources and environmental law.

"Two-Week Trial Results in Major Victory for Moffatt Thomas Bank Client"

After a two week jury trial held in Boise, the trial team of Moffatt Thomas lawyers John C. Ward and Tyler J. Anderson and paralegal Tiffiny Hudak were successful in defeating all claims brought against the firm's client, Idaho Banking Company, by a local real estate publishing business. Idaho Banking Company also prevailed on its counterclaim for breach of contract and breach of personal guaranty against the plaintiffs, with the jury awarding the Bank almost $800,000 in damages. The lawsuit asserted claims of fraud, breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing against Idaho Banking Company, relating to the Bank's foreclosure of the real estate publishing company's business assets upon failure to repay its loan obligations.

"Firm Successful in Getting Bad Faith Claim Dismissed"

On June 6, 2011, the firm obtained a great result on behalf of its client Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho. In Smith v. Farm Bureau, the plaintiffs sued Farm Bureau asserting a number of claims against the insurance carrier arising out of the manner in which the Farm Bureau adjusted a water loss and mold claim on their home in 2008. One of the claims asserted by the plaintiffs was for insurance bad faith; the plaintiffs contended that Farm Bureau negligently, intentionally and unreasonably delayed and denied the payment on this insurance claim. The issues raised by this claim were somewhat unique in that there was an arbitration proceeding that preceded the litigation in which an arbitration panel found no coverage under the insurance policy for the loss, but further ruled that Farm Bureau was estopped from not paying the claim. In the litigated matter, both parties argued that there was no controlling case law in Idaho on the specific legal issue underlying this bad faith claim. Ultimately, Fourth District Judge McLaughlin agreed with Farm Bureau's position and granted its summary judgment motion dismissing the claim. Moffatt Thomas attorneys Jim Martin, Tyler Anderson and Ben Ritchie were pleased to obtain this result for the client.

David Gardner has been designated as a State Chair for the Council on Litigation Management

Moffatt Thomas Barrett Rock & Fields, CHTD. is pleased to announce that David Gardner has been designated as a State Chair for the prestigious Council on Litigation Management. The State Chair is a leadership role within the Council on Litigation Management (CLM) whose purpose is to assist in the development and growth of the Council, foster communications locally and provide more opportunities to participate. State Chairs also establish and monitor CLM Strategic Affiliations for state and local organizations/associations.

The Council is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, Corporate Counsel, Litigation and Risk Managers, claims professionals and attorneys. Through education and collaboration the organization’s goals are to create a common interest in the representation by firms of companies, and to promote and further the highest standards of litigation management in pursuit of client defense. Selected attorneys and law firms are extended membership by invitation only based on nominations from CLM Fellows.

Mr. Gardner is a trial lawyer and maintains a broad-based litigation practice in both state and federal courts defending various clients in jury trials and workers’ compensation hearings. Mr. Gardner has also worked with several local hospitals in handling claims under the Idaho Medical Indigency Act as well as other health-care related issues.

Mr. Gardner graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 1995 where he was active in moot court as a member of the Moot Court Board. In his second year of law school, he received an American Jurisprudence Award in Evidence. He received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University in 1992.

Moffatt Thomas Welcomes New Associate Amy Lombardo

Moffatt Thomas is please to announce the addition of new associate Amy A. Lombardo to the firm. Ms. Lombardo joins Moffatt Thomas following a position with Bancroft, McGavin, Horvath & Judkins, P.C. Her practice areas include, commercial litigation, employment and labor law, government affairs, insurance defense, and professional malpractice. Ms. Lombardo earned her B.S. with High Honors in Political Science and B.A. in History from Boise State University in 1999 and her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law in 2005. Ms. Lombardo is an Idaho native and volunteers her time with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, including a Team Leader for the CF Cycle for Life Event. She is also currently involved with the Women in the Law Committee of DRI, serving on the Publications Subcommittee and on the 2012 Steering Committee for the Sharing Success Seminar.

Mindy Willman selected as a 2011 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year

Mindy Willman has been selected as a 2011 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year. Ms. Willman was recognized at the Idaho Business Review Women of the Year event on February 17. The event honored 50 of the state's most successful business women from both the public and private sectors while revealing the triumphs and challenges that have shaped their careers. Ms. Willman's profile is featured in the 2011 Women of the Year publication, a special publication by the Idaho Business Review.

ABA House of Delegates Recognizes Moffatt Thomas Founding Partner

Please click on the link to the right to read a copy of a speech given to the ABA House of Delegates in 2011 in memory of our firm founder Eugene C. Thomas.

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Partner Christine Nicholas Receives Prestigious 2009 Burton Award

Partner Christine E. Nicholas has been named a recipient of a 2009 Burton Award for Legal Achievement, which honors excellence in legal writing. Her article, "Teach an Old UCC Dog New Tricks, An Overview of the U. N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods" was published in the Sep/Oct 2008 volume of Business Law Today, a magazine published by the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. Each year the Burton Foundation, in association with the Law Library of Congress, honors lawyers whose writings "use plain, modern language and avoid archaic, stilted legalese." This year, 30 law firm award winners were selected by jury from entries submitted by the nation's 1,000 largest law firms.

Spring 2009 - Summary Judgment in Multi-Million Dollar Lender Liability Lawsuit

A team of Moffatt Thomas litigators led by Jim Martin successfully defended Washington Capital Management, Inc., Washington Capital Management Trust Fund, and the Western Bank of New York in a complex lender liability lawsuit brought by a Seattle developer in federal court.

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