Richard Ottesen Prentke

During five decades at Perkins Coie, Dick Prentke created and chaired what became one of the largest and most respected construction law practices in the Northwest. Both he and the Perkins Coie construction team have been listed in Band One of Chambers USA for many years, and Dick was named "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Construction by Best Lawyers in America. 

Prior to his retirement, Dick worked on projects in the United States, Asia, the Caribbean, and Africa. His major projects in the Northwest included Safeco Field (T-Mobile Park), Benaroya Hall, The Everett Events Center, headquarter and office buildings, transportation, tunnel, light-rail projects, museums, hotels, energy projects, manufacturing facilities, and educational projects.

Dick focused on collaboration with clients in the planning of successful projects and in solving construction-related problems. He was intent on finding solutions—in transactions, dispute avoidance, and dispute resolution. His contracts were widely emulated. His innovations in contract-based mandatory mediation were adopted by the industry. He was a driving force in establishing the enforcement of notice provisions in contracts. 

Dick served as a member and then chair of the King County Bar Association Judicial Screening Committee and was the chair of the Task Force on Judicial Selection. He served on numerous community and civic boards. He was the author of Construction Law in Washington and the principal author and editor of the Washington School Construction Deskbook.