Lane Powell is pleased to announce that seven attorneys have been elected Shareholders of the firm, with an additional three promoted to Counsel to the Firm. This talented group, of which 60 percent are women and/or diverse attorneys, signifies Lane Powell’s ongoing commitment to cultivating a diverse and inclusive team.
Shareholders
Callie Castillo (Seattle) is a skilled litigator and appellate advocate who is well-versed in a wide range of complex litigation matters. She represents both individuals and entities in matters related to commercial disputes, civil and regulatory liability, wage and hour class actions, taxation, and public administration and authority. In addition to handling litigation matters from start to finish, Castillo has successfully briefed and argued numerous cases in front of the Washington Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit. She received her J.D. from George Mason University and her B.A. from the University of Washington.
Brett Durbin (Seattle) counsels clients on state and local tax issues spanning both transactional and litigation matters, including general business planning and representing clients in tax controversy matters from the administrative level up to the Washington State Supreme Court. Durbin serves as Chair of the Tax Section of the Washington State Bar Association and is on the State & Local Tax Executive Committee for the Tax Section of the American Bar Association. He has been named as one of The Best Lawyers in America© in the areas of Litigation and Controversy — Tax and Tax. Durbin received his J.D. from the University of Washington and his B.A. from Western Washington University.
Qingqing Miao (Seattle) is a corporate attorney with a focus on general business and aviation transactions. Her aviation transactional practice includes aircraft acquisition and sale, leasing and financing, FAA regulatory matters, and more. She advises clients on business matters including company formation, contract drafting, dispute resolution and M&A. She is also an experienced immigration attorney who advises business clients on work visa and employment-based immigration issues. Miao serves on the Executive Committee of the Washington State Bar Association’s International Practice Section and co-chairs the International Investment and Development Committee of the American Bar Association’s International Practice Section. She also serves as a Board Member of the Asian Bar Association of Washington. Miao has been named a “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers® and a “Washington Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters in the area of Business/Corporate. She received her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School and her B.A. from Peking University.
Julie H. Seidenstein (Seattle) is an experienced attorney in the real estate and finance industry, skilled in representing institutional lenders, finance companies, joint ventures and borrowers with respect to all types of financings, loan restructuring and workouts on all types of real property. She has a demonstrated history of counseling clients in all aspects of real estate transactions, including leasing, easements and other property matters, and the purchase and sale of and development of retail, office, hospitality, industrial, multifamily, senior living and mixed-use properties. Seidenstein is a dedicated member and leader in many organizations, including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Commercial Real Estate Women, and as an active nonprofit Board Member for both Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle and Wellspring Family Services. She has been named to The Best Lawyers in America© list in the area of Banking and Finance two years in a row, is a consecutive two-year recipient of the “Volunteer of the Year Award” by the Washington Women Lawyers, King County Chapter and was recognized as a Washington Rising Star by Thomson Reuters in the area of Real Estate: Business. Seidenstein received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Seattle University and her B.A., magna cum laude in the Honors Program, from the University of San Diego.
Christine Thelen (Portland) brings to her practice a unique understanding of the challenges employers and HR professionals face, from workplace disputes and employee relation issues to compliant policies and practices. She provides advice to employers and HR professionals on an array of HR policy, compliance, employee relations and workplace issues, as well as training on topics such as cultivating a respectful workplace and effective management practices that mitigate risk. She also has represented employers in state and federal court, as well as before the EEOC and state fair labor practices agencies. Thelen received her J.D., cum laude, from Temple University and her B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. She is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management, and a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources® from the HR Certification Institute.
Cozette Tran-Caffee (Portland) works to obtain practical, creative and cost-effective solutions for her clients as they navigate the land use entitlement process. She advises clients at every stage — from pre-development due diligence through local approval and, where necessary, upon appeal to LUBA and the courts. Tran-Caffee also counsels clients on real estate transactions, including commercial leasing and real estate finance. She co-chairs Lane Powell’s Women’s Initiative and was recently appointed to Urban Land Institute Northwest’s Women’s Leadership Initiative. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" and by Thomson Reuters as an "Oregon Rising Star" in the area of Real Estate. Tran-Caffee received her J.D., M.P.P. and B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.
Taylor Washburn (Seattle) focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and investigations, including corporate governance, securities and white-collar matters. He holds a J.D. from the Columbia Law School, an M.I.P.P. from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an A.B., with high honors, from Bowdoin College.
Counsel to the Firm
Bret Finkelstein (Seattle) is a commercial litigator with a broad range of experience defending companies and individuals in securities, professional liability, and other complex commercial disputes and litigation. His practice also includes a significant focus in the investigations, compliance, and white-collar practice area, where he assists clients with internal investigations, government investigations, and enforcement proceedings. Finkelstein has been named a “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers® in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Securities Litigation. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Boston University and his B.A. from the University of Washington.
Rishi Puri (Portland) provides advice and litigates on behalf of clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues. He provides counsel on a broad scope of issues ranging from top-down corporate policy to advice regarding individual employment decisions, and also has significant experience in class actions. In addition, Puri defends clients involved in unfair labor practice charges filed by the National Labor Relations Board, regularly practices before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and assists with DOL audits and investigations. He serves on the Board of Directors for Basic Rights Oregon and was a 2018 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow. Puri received his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles and his B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Paul Spatafore (Seattle) brings together dynamic in-house legal experience with quality patent application prosecution and portfolio management know-how. He provides patent counseling and portfolio management for a wide array of technologies, including biotech and medical devices, wireless networking and telecommunications, smart technologies, green technologies and software as a service (SaaS), among others. Spatafore previously worked at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner. He received his J.D. and his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami.