The law firm of Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP is pleased to announce that Anna Chapman Crary is now a partner in the firm.
Anna focuses her practice on working with Alaska Native Corporations, business organizations, nonprofits, and public entities. She represents both commercial and subsistence fishers in state and federal administrative proceedings and works closely with several tribal organizations on marine mammal subsistence hunting and co-management issues.
We are sad to announce that LBB partner Thane Tienson recently passed away. Thane was respected as a prominent environmental, fisheries and human rights attorney. The Astorian published a thoughtful summary of Thane’s career efforts.
Michelle L. Boutin became a partner with Landye Bennett Blumstein in January 2020. Boutin focuses her practice on creditor rights in commercial matters including work-outs, civil litigation, and bankruptcy. She received a Bachelor of Science (with honors) from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law.
Boutin is a member of the Alaska Bar Association and has been an active participant and past chair or co-chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the Anchorage Bar Association for 30 years, past board member of the Anchorage Bar Association, and past attorney representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. She is admitted to practice in the State of Alaska, Federal District Court, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Lauren Sommer Boskofsky became a partner with Landye Bennett Blumstein in January 2020. She joined LBB as an associate in September 2013. Sommer focuses her practice on commercial real estate, Alaska Native law, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactional work. She also works with tribes and municipalities. She received her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Loyola University and a Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University school of law (cum laude).
Sommer is a volunteer lawyer with the Alaska Legal Services Corporation and the Alaska Bar Association. Prior to joining the firm, she was a law clerk for the Honorable Deputy Presiding Judge Vanessa White of the Alaska Superior Court at Palmer.
Benjamin W. Spiess became a partner with Landye Bennett Blumstein in January 2020, after joining LBB in 2018. Spiess has practiced law in the Pacific Northwest since 2010, focusing his practice on Alaska Native Law, including ANCSA, and Real Estate and Corporate transactions. Spiess was raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts and received his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. He is licensed to practice in Alaska and Washington State.
LBB is pleased to announce that Alexander J. Kubitz joined the firm’s Anchorage office in September.
Alex was raised in Anchorage and educated at Willamette University and Lewis & Clark Law School. He began his legal work clerking with the Honorable Yvonne Lamoureux of the Alaska Superior Court in Anchorage in 2018. Alex will focus his practice on Alaska Native law, real estate development and transactions, environmental and natural resources work, and civil litigation.
The Oregon State Bar Bulletin recently featured LBB partner Elliott Dale. Dale shared his family’s heartwarming story of his school-age daughter Lizzie, who experiences a significant disability. Dale’s family experiences helping Lizzie navigate school led him to serve as a board member and volunteer for organizations advocating for inclusion for people experiencing disability. Said Dale, “We look forward to the day when disability is not a thing but just part of everyday life, and most people see it that way.” Read the full article.
We are saddened to report that Tom Landye passed away on May 8, 2019. In 1968, Tom joined the Portland law firm of Keane, Haessler, Bauman and Harper, now known as Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP, which has offices in Portland and Anchorage.
Tom was a member of the Oregon State Bar for 50 years and his practice focused on corporate law. He represented a diverse array of public and private entities and was particularly proud of his work for Alaska Native corporations. In his practice, he was known for his keen intellect, his strong business negotiation skills, and his integrity. He was a loving husband and father figure to many.
Tom was born in San Francisco to James Thomas Landye and Ethel Mason Landye. Tom’s father immigrated to Oregon from Wales via Canada, and became a prominent labor and personal injury lawyer. Tom’s mother was born and raised in Castle Rock, Wash., and, after the death of her husband at age 44, she raised Tom, his sister Donna and their brother Jerry. Tom graduated from Sylvan Grade School, Lincoln High School (1955) and Reed College (1959). At the University of Chicago, Tom received a Master’s in economics, pursued a PhD in political science and ultimately graduated with a Juris Doctorate in 1968.
Tom leaves behind his wife of 24 years, Patricia. Tom cherished his years with Pat and was proud to say how lucky he was to be with her and what happiness she brought to his life. Tom is also survived by his sister, Donna Tewksbury and her sons, Graham Tewksbury and Tom Tewksbury and his family, Graham and Emmanuele; his brother, Jerry Landye; his stepdaughter, Kathleen Flynn; his godson, Philip Polsky and his family, wife Ula, sons, Maxwell and Fletcher; Pat’s daughters, Victoria Barbur and her family, husband, Scott, daughters, Erin Brooks and Megan Stamm and their families, Lesli Owens and her family, husband, Jon, daughter, Emily and her husband, Zachary Yensen and son, James, who was Tom’s favorite tennis partner.
Tom’s family especially loved his many stories, sound advice on nearly any subject, his love of good food and his fondness for winters in Palm Desert playing golf and tennis. He leaves behind his many friends, law partners, clients who became friends and the lifetime of memories he gave them.
A funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 23, 2019, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral located at 147 N.W. 19th Ave., Portland. The funeral will be followed by a celebration of life from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., at the Multnomah Athletic Club located at 1849 S.W. Salmon Street, also in Portland.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s memory may be made to Providence St. Vincent Medical Foundation Heart Institute or Providence Foundations of Oregon.
Team LBB – Simply Great Cyclists ruled the day at the Clean Air Challenge this past Saturday. It was cool, grey and rainy, but everyone stuck at it with good spirits. Below is a team photo before we started. Karl got the award for the most unusual bike, and Peg got the award for the most colorful attire.
With the help of LBB, we raised close to $4,000 for the American Lung Association, and the ALA raised overall more than $300,000. These funds are used to help Alaskans with lung cancer, COPD, asthma and other lung diseases. Here are some reasons folks ride in the Clean Air Challenge. Maybe you’ve got a story too.
Again, thanks to LBB for supporting Team LBB.
Four years ago, the Department of Interior published a regulation allowing Alaska tribes to place lands into trust status. On June 29, 2018, the Department of Interior changed course, withdrawing guidance supporting the regulation, placing pending trust land applications on hold, and jeopardizing the future of trust land acquisitions in Alaska.
Anna Crary appeared on Alaska Public Radio’s Talk of Alaska to discuss the implications of the Department of Interior’s action. Listen to the full one hour program.
LBB is pleased to announce that Benjamin W. Spiess joined the firm’s Anchorage office in June.
Ben has practiced law in the Pacific Northwest since 2010. His detailed knowledge of complex business and real-estate transactions in the region make Ben a welcome addition to the firm’s real estate and corporate transactional practice. At LBB, Ben will focus his practice on Alaska Native Law, including ANCSA, and real estate and corporate transactions. Ben was raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts and educated at Boston College Law School.
Matt Mead presented Local Revenue Development, an overview of municipal revenue opportunities around Arctic mining, as part of the Institute of the North’s Week of the Arctic Economic Development Summit focused on responsible mining in the Arctic region. Matt’s presentation included an overview of municipal taxing authority and severance taxes structured around arctic mining.
This presentation followed the firm’s 2017 representation of the Northwest Arctic Borough in litigation over the Borough’s severance tax, which ultimately resulted in resolution through negotiation a Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement with Teck Alaska with an estimated value of over $200 million for the 10-year agreement term.
The Anchorage office of LBB is pleased to announce that Leslie R. Need has become a partner of the firm as of January 2018. Leslie has been an associate with the firm since 2013 and practices municipal law, Alaska Native Law, environmental and natural resources law, civil litigation, and business law.
Outside of the office, Leslie is a member of the Alaska Bar Association’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service planning committee, a board member for NeighborWorks Alaska, and a board member for the Anchorage Ski Club.
The Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC), a nonprofit that provides free general civil legal aid for low-income and vulnerable Alaskans, selected Lauren Sommer Boskofsky as their Volunteer of the Month for December, 2017.
From the ALSC:
We are extremely grateful to have Lauren as a pro bono volunteer because she always goes the extra mile when helping clients with her passion, determination, and positive attitude.
Michelle has been practicing in Alaska since 1986, and focuses on commercial litigation, lender representation, and creditor’s rights in complex bankruptcy matters. She received a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul.
Matt Mead will present the following on November 15, 2017, at the Alaska Municipal League’s Annual Conference:
Getting the Best Deal for Your Citizens: The Keys to Negotiating with MultiNational Resource Companies.
Fresh on the heels of helping the Northwest Arctic Borough (NAB) successfully negotiate a Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement with Teck Alaska, we will discuss the keys to successfully negotiating these agreements, the importance of understanding Municipal taxing authority, and the challenge and opportunities presented by power third-parties.
See the full conference agenda.
LBB is a proud sponsor of the Alaska Federation of Natives’ Annual Convention. Please stop by and visit us in the Exhibitor Hall.
Matt Mead will present at the 33rd Annual Alaska Native Law Conference on October 17. Read more at AlaskaBar.com.
Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP is pleased to announce that Jennifer M. Coughlin has joined the firm as a partner.
Coughlin will focus her practice on Civil Litigation, Appellate Law, Administrative Law and Employment. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Riverside and her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Coughlin is a member of the Alaska Bar Association, Washington Bar Association, United States District Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and the United States District Courts for Alaska and Western Washington. She has been listed in “Best Lawyers” for Alaska since 2009, and “Super Lawyers” since 2007.
Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP is pleased to announce that Andrew B. Erickson has joined the firm’s Anchorage office as an associate attorney.
Erickson will focus his practice on Alaska Native law, litigation and bankruptcy. He received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Montana, a Master of Science in environmental policy the University of Oxford, and a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark Law School. He is a 2007 Harry S. Truman Scholar.
Erickson has been an active participant in Alaska and environmental affairs. He recently served as the state’s representative for Defenders of Wildlife and was an independent consultant for organizations such as the Center for Biological Diversity, Cook Inletkeeper, and Greater Southeast Alaska Conservation Community. Erickson is a former Law Clerk for the Alaska Supreme Court and worked as Miles Conservation Fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Max Baucus.
LBB attorney Elizabeth Saagulik Hensley contributed the following article to the Our Arctic Nation project, a U.S. Arctic Council Chairmanship initiative. The project showcases 50 American voices from 50 U.S. states sharing how the United States is connected to the Arctic.
Read Paġlaġipsi Means Welcome in Iñupiaq: An Alaskan Shares What It Means to Call the U.S. Arctic Home on Medium.com.
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