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For over two decades, Judy has served communications-related clients after working as a professional journalist. Her background is a unique blend of private practice and in-house experience. Most recently, Judy worked as General Counsel for Fisher Communications, Inc., a major Northwest broadcast corporation where her expertise in communications/ media law was recognized when Seattle Magazine named her as one of the area's top 155 lawyers, in that area, in January 2007. Judy also spent ten years with GTE Corporation (now Verizon) in the Northwest and California. Judy has significant experience counseling clients on legal matters central to their businesses such as commercial contracts and employment issues. This counsel has involved preparation of, or negotiation of, complex commercial agreements such as interconnection, retransmission consent, program rights and affiliation agreements. She has written many types of employment agreements and has advised on employment law compliance and litigation (discipline/termination, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, unemployment, and union-management.) Judy has also adapted to the changing needs of communications clients due to recent internet-based technological advances. She has produced privacy policies and terms of use agreements, and has addressed advertising and content issues associated with web-sites.Judy is a frequent speaker at meetings, conferences and Continuing Legal Education seminars and has published in the area of communications law. Most recently, she wrote two chapters for the "Public Records Act Deskbook" published by the Washington State Bar Association in 2006.
Judy has broad experience litigating communications issues before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Representative cases include:Media Dreiling v. Jain, 151 Wn.2d 900, 93 P.3d 861 (2004). Represented the Seattle Times Company in successfully unsealing court records that allowed a major investigative piece to be published regarding securities fraud at a local high-tech firm. In a 9-0 opinion, the Washington State Supreme Court laid out a stringent test for sealing court records under seal in civil cases, strongly affirming the Washington constitutional right of access to justice.Pinney v. Nordstrom, King County Cause No. 01-2-19525-5SEA (2002). Obtained summary judgment in favor of a local alternative weekly newspaper that had been sued for reporting on a sexual harassment lawsuit instituted by the plaintiff against Peter Nordstrom and Nordstrom, Inc. The newspaper quoted a company spokesperson as describing the lawsuit as baseless and nothing but "an attempt at extortion." The Superior Court dismissed the defamation and invasion of privacy claims on summary judgment, which was affirmed by the Washington Court of Appeals (Pinney v. Nordstrom, Division One, Docket No. 52973-1-I Unpub. Opinion, [2004]).Kiro v. City of Tacoma, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No. 03-2-10567-3, (2003). Obtained an order from the Pierce County Superior Court requiring the City of Tacoma to release date of birth information with respect to municipal employees. The City had withheld the information, the subject of a station Public Records Act request, on the basis of employee privacy. Attorneys' fees were awarded. Telecomunications WITA v. WUTC, 149 Wn.2d 17, 65 P.3d 319 (2003). Represented the first cellular company in Washington (and nationwide) to achieve eligible telecommunications status ("ETC"), which entitles the holder to eligibility for federal universal service funds, by obtaining an order from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). Its decision was affirmed by the Washington Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court.In the Matter of the Petition of Verizon Northwest Inc. for Waiver of WAC 480-120-071(2)(9), Docket No. UT-011439 (Twelfth Supplemental Order April 23, 2003). Obtained a waiver of a new WUTC line extension requirement for Verizon that would have required the company to provide service to potential customers in a remote area of eastern Washington at an estimated cost of $1.2 million.City of Auburn v. Qwest, 260 F.3d 1160 (9th Cir. 2001). Represented Qwest Communications in challenging, pursuant to the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (FTA), 47 U.S.C. § 253, lengthy, over-burdensome telecommunications ordinances enacted by four Washington cities. The Ninth Circuit held that the ordinances in question were invalid because their combined effect might prohibit the provision of telecommunications services.WUTC v. Verizon Northwest Inc., Docket No. UT-040788, (2004-2005). Represented Verizon in a full rate case, that was successfully settled in the first quarter of 2005, involving administrative discovery, motions, witness testimony preparation and the conduct of a three-day evidentiary hearing on the company's request for interim rate relief.In the Matter of Comcast Phone of Washington, Inc., Docket No. UT-031459, (2003). Represented the phone unit of a national cable company in fully mitigating penalties assessed by the WUTC for failure to comply with a new service quality reporting rule.TCI Cablevision of Washington, Inc. v. City of Seattle, King County Cause No. 97-2-02395-5, (1999). Represented cable company in two week trial challenging Seattle City Light pole attachment rates.
Education J.D., summa cum laude, Order of the Coif, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1979
Law Review, 1977-1978, Note & Comment Editor, 1978-1979 B.A., cum laude, Journalism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 975; Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi Professional Memberships Member, Washington, California and American Bar Associations Member, ABA Forum on Communications Law; ABA Section of Public Utility, Communication and Transportation Law Member, Federal Communications Bar Association
Member, Media Law Resource CenterProfessional and Civic Activities Washington Coalition for Open Government Founding Member, Secretary-Treasurer, 2002-present Washington State Bar Association Executive Committee, Law and Media Committee, 2004 - 2006; Chair, 2006 Board of Trustees & Executive Committee, Administrative Law Section, 1999-2001; Chair, 2001-2001Editorial Advisory Board, 1998-2004 Board of Trustees, Young Lawyers Section, 1983-1986 "Bench-Bar-Press" Committee, 1981-1984 ABA Forum on Communications Law Co-Chair, Common Carrier Section, 1990; Governing Committee, 1991-1994 Chair, Young Lawyers Division, Law and Media Committee, 1987-1988 Federal Communications Bar Association Steering Committee, Pacific Northwest Chapter, 1998- present; Co-Chair, 1999-2004 Co-Chair, 2000,2001 Seminar West; Steering Committee, 2002 Chapter Respresentative, Executive Committee, 2004-2006 Conference of California Public Utility Counsel (CCPUC) Chair, Telecommunications Section, 1994-1996 Women in Telecommunications Co-Founder, Pacific Northwest Chapter, 1996; President, 1999 Seattle Leadership Tomorrow, Class of 1998 Forum for Women Entrepreneurs Steering Committee, Pacific Northwest Chapter, 1999 - 2000 Northwest Industry Partnership for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Executive Board, 1998-2000 Washington Women Lawyers
Chair, State Judicial Evaluation Committee, 2000-2002 Washington Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts Board, 1988-1991 The Bridges Theatre of Seattle Board of Directors, 1999-2001; Counsel, 2001- present Center for Law Commerce and Technology, University of Washington School of Law Advisory Board, 2001-2006 Awards
Seattle Business Monthly "Seattle's 90 Top Business Lawyers," February, 2007 Seattle Magazine, "Seattle's 155 Top Lawyers," January, 2007 Washington Law & Politics, "Super Lawyer," 2002, 2003, 2005
Federal Communications Bar Association, Distinguished Service Award, 2000-2001
GTE Lawyer of the Year, 1990, 1995
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