05.01.2017

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Press Releases

Firm Also Names Two Seattle Partners to National Practice Leadership Positions

SEATTLE, Wash. (May 1, 2017) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that James F. Williams has been named Office Managing Partner (OMP) of the firm’s Seattle office, effective May 1, 2017. James succeeds Nancy Williams, who became interim Seattle OMP when Fred Rivera, who had served in that role since 2013, left the firm in March 2017 to become Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Seattle Mariners. Additionally, the firm is announcing the appointment of V. L. Woolston and Mack H. Shultz as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the firm’s national Product Liability practice.

“We are excited that James will be leading Perkins Coie’s flagship office in Seattle,” said John Devaney, Perkins Coie’s Firmwide Managing Partner. “As a widely respected attorney within our firm and in the Seattle community, James is well-positioned to guide the office’s continued growth and support the firm’s overall strategy and plans for the future.” He added, “V. and Mack bring a wealth of experience to the Product Liability group, representing some of the biggest names in aviation and technology. Their leadership will continue the group’s successful track record and high level of counsel to clients on product liability containment, litigation and trial representation.”

A partner in the firm’s Litigation practice, James focuses his practice on contract disputes, mass torts defense, corporate plaintiff asset recovery, consultant liability, consumer protection and unfair business practices, trade secrets, bankruptcy court adversary actions, and federal and state agency litigation. James has served on Perkins Coie’s Executive Committee and Associate Evaluation Committee and has chaired the firm’s Litigation Training Program, Community Service Committee and Women and Minority Lawyers Committee, as well as the Seattle Office United Way Campaign. James has extensive ties to the Seattle community, serving on the Seattle Foundation Board of Trustees, the YMCA of Greater Seattle A.K. Guy Awards Committee and the United Way of King County Campaign Cabinet. James earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and received his B.A. (with honors) from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. After law school, James served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the U.S. Air Force before moving to Seattle and joining Perkins Coie in 1993.

V. and Mack, both partners in the firm, succeed partner Bruce Campbell, who had led the Product Liability practice since 2014. V. represents manufacturers in state and federal courts throughout the United States, and his practice emphasizes aviation, product liability and class actions. He has served on the firm’s Management and Executive committees, has chaired the Partner Compensation Committee and is a member of the Partner Compensation Resource Committee. Mack represents companies in a variety of fields, including aviation, automotive, consumer electronics, virtual reality and medical devices.

Perkins Coie’s Product Liability team has successfully handled product liability cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars. The firm’s attorneys have the depth and experience to advise both national and international manufacturers regarding product liability risks and can provide experienced counsel should those manufacturers face liability claims in court. The practice provides clients with counseling on product liability containment and lawsuit avoidance; litigation and trial representation; global, national and regional claims coordination; and representation before government agencies.

With nearly 400 attorneys in Seattle, Perkins Coie is the largest law office in the city. Our Seattle attorneys provide legal counsel and representation to leading national and international clients in many industry segments, including aerospace, technology, cleantech, retail and consumer goods, manufacturing, finance, natural resources, healthcare and transportation.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

Media Inquiries: Please email Justin Cole, Head of Media Relations.