News & Events

NBF attorney Elizabeth A. Strunk was appointed as the co-chapter president of WISTA USA’s Pacific Northwest Chapter. WISTA, Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association, is a female led organization with the mission of minimizing the gender gap in the maritime and trading sectors while allowing its members to build a community of like-minded individuals.

After the wreck of the S.S. PACIFIC was discovered off the Washington coast, NBF attorney Jeremy Jones obtained for the finder the exclusive salvage rights to the wreck. S.S. PACIFIC was a 223-foot side-wheel steamer that sank on November 4, 1875. The sinking was the deadliest marine disaster in U.S. West Coast history, and the wreck is of substantial historical interest. In addition, it is believed a not insubstantial amount of gold was aboard the vessel when she sank, owing to the fact she was transporting a number of passengers who had been involved in the Cassiar Mountains gold rush. More information about the discovery is available here: https://www.courthousenews.com/washington-company-discovers-sunken-147-year-old-s-s-pacific-steamboat/

We would like to thank and congratulate NBF attorney Nina Mitchell, who is retiring at the end of December 2022. She started and grew the NBF longshore practice and was both an outstanding advocate for her clients and great friend and colleague in the office. We wish her fair winds and following seas. After Nina retires, attorney Noah Jaffe will continue handling the firm’s longshore matters.

NBF attorney Christopher Nicoll was appointed for a second four-year term on the Washington Pattern Jury Instruction Committee.

NBF attorney Noah Jaffe is presenting on July 22, 2022 at the WDTL 2022 Annual Convention in a panel with Rory Cosgrove, Judge Lori Smith of Div. 1, and Sidney Tribe on the topic of “Error Preservation: Practice Tips from the Bench and Bar.”

NBF attorneys Christopher Nicoll, Rivers Black, Curt Feig, Larry Altenbrun and Chris Reilly were selected as 2022 Seattle Super Lawyers, which is a rating service identifying outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

NBF paralegal (and Seattle University law student) Lia Maria Fulgaro authored an article selected for publication in The Seattle Journal for Social Justice. Lia’s article, Death by Apathy: Tolerance of the Government’s Failure to Fund Promised Healthcare Causes Loss of Native American Lives is available here: https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/sjsj/vol20/iss2/15/

NBF is pleased to have represented Petro 49 in its recent acquisition of the tanker barge Petro Alaskan for use in its Southcentral Alaska fuel distribution market.  In February, NBF attorneys Pegeen Mulhern and Ruby Redshaw assisted Petro 49 in the purchase and subsequent charter of the Petro Alaskan. Petro 49 is Alaska’s largest independent petroleum marketing and distribution company and serves customers throughout Southeast and Southcentral Alaska.

NBF executive assistance Kaye Smith was honored for her outstanding service to the Puget Sound Maritime Claims Association over the last three years. The Association designated her as an Honorary Board Member and presented her with a plaque. Congratulations Kaye!!!