Lane Powell is pleased to announce that six attorneys have been elected shareholders of the firm, effective January 1, 2024. These individuals are committed to providing outstanding legal counsel to clients on complex and significant matters while also demonstrating leadership that supports Lane Powell’s mission of being trusted advisors.
Julia Clark (Seattle) counsels clients in all stages of commercial real estate, including structuring and forming joint ventures and other business entities, acquisitions, construction, financing, leasing and asset management, and dispositions. Clark represents developers, real estate investment trusts, property owners, landlords, tenants, and other businesses in the office, multifamily, mixed-use, retail, and hotel sectors. She is included in the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list in the areas of Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate Law and named a “Washington Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters in the area of Real Estate. Clark received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish Literature from Northwestern University.
Noelle Cooper (Seattle) focuses her practice on acquisition and financing transactions and general corporate matters for health care clients. Cooper represents buyers and sellers of senior housing facilities in complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, sale/leasebacks, loan financings, joint ventures, general corporate and securities law issues, and health care regulatory compliance. Cooper received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and her B.A. from Northwestern University.
Aaron C. Johnson (Seattle) represents multinational, U.S., and regional businesses in state and local tax (SALT) matters including tax litigation, audit defense, appeals, and planning and structuring tax efficient transactions. When Johnson is not serving clients, he is providing service to his community. He is the Washington State Bar Association Tax Section’s SALT Committee Chair, on the Tax Section’s Legislative and DEI committees, on the American Bar Association Tax Section’s SALT Executive Committee, and currently teaches federal tax at the University of Washington School of Law. He is included in the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list in the areas of Tax Law and Tax Litigation and Controversy and named a “Washington Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters in the area of Tax. Johnson received his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Washington School of Law, his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and his B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, cum laude, from the University of Washington.
Devon McCurdy (Seattle) represents clients in complex commercial litigation and advises them on regulatory compliance, including in matters related to antitrust, trademark, fraud, class actions, products liability, and constitutional law. McCurdy initially joined the firm as a Summer Associate and Associate, and then returned to the firm in 2019 after clerking for the Honorable Scott Matheson, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He is included in the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list in the area of Commercial Litigation and named a “Washington Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters in the area of Securities Litigation. McCurdy received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, his Ph.D. in History from the University of Washington, and his B.A. in History, magna cum laude with distinction, from Carleton College.
Chris Motta-Wurst (Seattle) advises employers and individuals on a wide variety of immigration-related issues. Motta-Wurst’s comprehensive approach to immigration provides businesses and their employees with counsel throughout the employment-based immigration lifecycle, including all types of employment-based temporary visas and green card processes. With a focus on employment-based immigration, he provides employers with guidance as it relates to immigration compliance and creating and maintaining internal policies and procedures. In addition to supporting employees of established businesses in the U.S., Motta-Wurst also works with individuals on investment-based visa processes and new U.S. office creation for foreign companies. His experience includes matters both inside and outside the U.S., with extensive border and consular processing experience for matters before Customs and Border Protection and the Department of State. Motta-Wurst has been commended for his work by Chambers® USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, where one source states he is “always available and well versed in processes and systems and how they impact cases.” Motta-Wurst received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law and his B.A. in Economics and History from St. Lawrence University.
Kellen Patterson (Seattle) is an experienced commercial construction attorney, who handles the full range of dispute resolution and litigation proceedings, with a focus on achieving efficient and pragmatic solutions to clients’ construction-related problems. She has wide-ranging experience handling all aspects of complex litigation, including pre-suit claims handling and negotiations, large-scale e-discovery, mediation, motions practice, and appeals. She is well-versed in both arbitration and court settings. Patterson also has a strong background in advising and representing public entities, having represented numerous Washington state municipalities and school districts, including in both land use and administrative proceedings. She is included in the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Transportation, Construction Litigation, and Construction Law and named a “Washington Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters in the area of Construction Litigation. Patterson received her J.D. at the University of Washington School of Law and her B.Ed. in Elementary and Special Education Teaching Certificates, magna cum laude, at Gonzaga University.