Helsell Fetterman Names Four New Partners

Helsell Fetterman LLP, a Seattle-based law firm providing exceptional legal solutions for businesses, organizations and individuals, today announced that it has expanded the partnership by four adding Lisa Gilmore, Sean Griffee, Dan Keefe, and Jake Winfrey.

“The extensive depth and breadth of experience and knowledge that Lisa, Sean, Dan and Jake bring to the table as partners enables our firm to further meet the expanding needs of our diverse client base,” said Scott Collins, managing partner of Helsell Fetterman.

“We aim to be at the forefront of important issues and we’re proud that these highly talented legal professionals will be able to contribute leadership, further strengthening their practices and the firm,” continued Collins.

Lisa Gilmore

Lisa Gilmore has more than 14 years of experience in family law. She represents parents and families dealing with divorce, domestic partnership, parenting, support and property cases. A member of the King County Collaborative Law Board of Directors, Gilmore has a passion for Collaborative Law, a relatively new approach to resolving legal disputes in which parties and their attorneys agree to resolve matters outside of court, and instead work collaboratively as a team rather than as adversaries. Gilmore is proud to offer clients different approaches to resolving their family conflicts, as best suits their needs.

As Chair of Helsell Fetterman’s Diversity Committee, Gilmore leads the firm’s efforts to achieve and maintain diversity in the firm and to support diversity in the local community. This committee encourages widespread participation in various civic projects directed at assisting diverse segments of the community.

Demonstrating a deep commitment to community service, Gilmore is a member of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association, the Alternative Families Division of the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section, the Washington State Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification Legal Issues Section, and the King County Bar Association Family Law Section. Gilmore serves on the Board of Directors for the GLBT Bar Association of Washington and is the secretary for the GLBT Bar Foundation of Washington. She also volunteers regularly at the King County Bar Association Domestic Violence Clinic and for FareStart.

A graduate of the Rutgers University School of Law, Gilmore practiced in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving to Seattle. Gilmore is the recipient of a Special Recognition Award from the Greater Seattle Business Association for Collaboration for Social Change and received a Cynthia Gillespie Award from the Northwest Women’s Law Center for her work with the Marriage Equality Team.

Sean Griffee

Sean Griffee joined Helsell Fetterman directly after law school and in seven years has grown his practice to focus on corporate, business, and commercial real estate transactions. His representation of businesses covers the entire lifespan of a company – from entity formation, through operation and management, and ultimately sale, merger, or other disposition of the business.

In real estate matters, Griffee advises clients on all aspects of property acquisition, development, leasing, and sale. He represents borrowers in project financing and has also advised lenders in loan security matters. He works closely with the firm’s estate planning practice group on tax planning and business succession strategies, and with the firm’s employment group to develop executive compensation and other employment agreements for corporate clients. Griffee also represents business clients in commercial disputes involving real estate, creditors’ rights, and tax issues.

A graduate of The University of Washington School of Law, Griffee is a member of the Washington State and Oregon State Bar Associations. He is a contributor to forthcoming 4th Edition of the Washington State Bar Association Real Property Deskbook and was named a “Rising Star” by Washington Law and Politics Magazine in 2009.

Committed to the community, Griffee volunteers time as an attorney at the King County Bar Association’s Downtown Legal Clinic.

Dan Keefe

Dan Keefe’s practice involves trial and arbitration primarily focused on defense of personal injury cases, with a concentration on medical malpractice defense and defense of actions involving the Washington State Department of Health and the Medical, Nursing and Dental Quality Assurance Commissions. Keefe represents hospitals and doctors, and has particular experience in orthopedic and general surgery cases. He also conducts appellate work, and has extensive experience in defense of auto, premises, and products liability cases, as well as asbestos litigation. Keefe works with hospitals to develop risk management seminars and is the primary contact for numerous mental health professionals on a variety of risk management issues. In addition, he serves the firm’s business clients through intellectual property litigation.

Prior to joining Helsell Fetterman, Keefe was with Reed McClure for three years, first as a senior associate then as a shareholder. He also spent more than five years as an associate attorney with Bullivant Houser Bailey, P.C. in Seattle, after practicing two years in Spokane. While at these firms, his work focused on insurance defense litigation ranging from auto, product and premises liability to asbestos defense and pharmaceutical work.

In his spare time, Keefe volunteers his time as an attorney at the Downtown Legal Clinic and is on the Board of Directors of a national fraternity’s education foundation. He serves on the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers pro bono committee and is also an active participant in the mentor programs at the University of Washington Law School and Gonzaga University Law School.

Keefe is a graduate of the Gonzaga University School of Law and is licensed to practice in Washington. He holds admission to the United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Keefe is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers and Defense Research Institute. Keefe is a six-time recipient of Washington Law and Politics Magazine “Rising Star” recognition.

Jake Winfrey

Jake Winfrey has spent the past 10 years building a successful practice focusing in medical malpractice litigation. He represents physicians, dentists, hospitals, nurses, and other health care providers in a variety of cases statewide, with particular experience in Emergency Department and OB/GYN cases. He has a successful record of litigating and trying medical malpractice cases.

Winfrey has been named a five-time “Rising Star” by Washington Law & Politics Magazine. In 2007 he received the Outstanding Litigation Associate Award from the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers. This is an award given to one lawyer in the State of Washington each year; Winfrey was selected for his intelligence and ethics in the courtroom, as well as his writing ability and persuasive advocacy outside of the court.

He is admitted to practice in the State of Washington and in the United States District Court for the Western and Eastern District of Washington. Winfrey is a member of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers, the Defense Research Institute and the Washington State, King County, and American Bar Associations. He also has experience presenting risk management seminars to hospitals and other clients in the health care industry and has presented several continuing legal education seminars in the area of medical malpractice law.

Winfrey graduated Cum Laude from the Seattle University School of Law, and clerked for the Honorable Thomas S. Zilly in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington following law school graduation.