Laura advises clients on a wide range of land use and environmental matters. Laura’s background in both the private and public sectors makes her particularly suited to address client needs at any stage of a project, including permit processing, advocating legislative changes, enforcement proceedings and litigation. Her substantive experience includes issues arising under the Washington State Shoreline Management Act and Growth Management Act, Washington State Environmental Policy Act, National Environmental Policy Act, federal and state Endangered Species Acts, federal and state Administrative Procedure Acts, Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act and the California Environmental Quality Act. She has successfully represented clients in litigation at all levels of state court and before numerous administrative boards. Laura’s clients have included municipalities and county governments, higher education institutions, shellfish growers, residential and commercial developers, an Indian gaming company and individual property owners.

When not actively engaged in the practice of law, Laura enjoys hiking, camping, skiing and generally experiencing the outdoors with her husband and two young boys.

Education
J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, 1998
B.A., Political Science, University of Washington, cum laude, 1994
   Phi Beta Kappa

Affiliations
King County Bar Association
California State Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association
    Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Secretary
Washington State Bar Association
    Environmental and Land Use Law Newsletter, Editorial Board Member, 2008 - 2011
Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle
National Shellfisheries Association

Appointments
Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County, Gubernatorial Appointee, 2011 – 2015

Court Admissions
Washington
California
U.S. District Court, Western Washington
U.S. District Court, Eastern Washington
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Publications & Presentations
Shoreline Master Program Updates, An Evolving Process, Speaker, Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys Summer Training Program, Chelan, WA, June 22 – 24, 2011.

Effective Public Participation in Shoreline Master Program Updates, Speaker, 2011 Environmental and Land Use Law Section Midyear Meeting and Seminar, Union, WA, April 28 – 30, 2011.

Shoreline Master Program Updates, An Evolving Process, Speaker, Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys Spring Training Program, Grand Mound, WA, April 20 – 22, 2011.

Recent Decisions from the Growth Management Hearings Boards, Author, Environmental and Land Use Law Newsletter, 2008 - 2010.

Visions in Environmental and Land Use Law – Past, Present and Future, Co-Chair, Environmental and Land Use Law Section Midyear Meeting and Conference, Washington State Bar Association, Ocean Shores, WA, May 6 - 8, 2010.

Shorelines and Critical Areas Interface, Speaker, Marine Shoreline Development Workshop, Law Seminars International, Seattle, WA, February 21, 2007.

Employment History
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Land Use and Environmental Law Unit, Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (2005 - 2010)

Land Use/Local Government Attorney, Bingham McCutchen LLP (1999 - 2003)

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