2026 September Hearsay by CCBA Washington

HearSay THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CLARK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

September 2026

December 2019

Welcome, Commissioner Lopez!

The Clark County Bar Association is a professional organization that serves to support our local attorney community through providing education and networking opportunities designed to enhance and foster better relationships within the local legal community.

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Septemeber Hearsay Contributors Josh Sherman Jane Clark Legal Josh

Sherman

dedicates

his

practice to representing clients in medical malpractice cases.

Jean Mccoy Landerholm, P.S Jean McCoy’s practice focus

is real estate transactions and conflict resolution, landlord/

tenant and creditors’ rights.

Amanda Hartman Beaty Hatch Amanda joined the Beaty Hatch team in February 2025 as a family law

attorney. She focuses her practice on dissolutions, modifications

and prenuptial agreements.

CCBA Summer Soiree page 8

Representing Injured Workers on Their Washington Claims

Law Office of Steven L. Busick

(360) 696-0228 1915 Washington Street Vancouver, WA 98660

Welcome to Portugal! page 10

Quarter Centurions Give Us Their Stories page 14

CCBA Summer Soirée

& S weet d n a S , Tea n u S By Josh Sherman

The Clark County Bar Association celebrated another wonderful Summer Soirée at Hidden House, bringing members of our local legal community together for an evening of food, music, and good company. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Colleague of the Year Award to Kim Nigg, recognizing Kim's outstanding work and many years of service as a judicial assistant for Clark County Superior Court. Kim currently serves as judicial assistant to Judge Nancy Retsinas and previously worked alongside Judge Roger Bennett and Judge Daniel Stahnke. Fun fact about Kim: before she was keeping judges and lawyers in check, she was a star basketball player. Kim played an incredible five years of varsity high school basketball, making her varsity debut as an eighth grader— before she had even officially started high school. We feel reasonably confident that makes her the only Clark County judicial assistant who can make that claim! Thank you, Kim, for all that you have done for our legal community. The evening also included live music from Jack & John, featuring Jack Green and John Terry, who provided the perfect soundtrack for a summer gathering. The CCBA also extends a tremendous thank you to our generous event sponsors: Schauermann Thayer, Jane Clark Legal, Wheeler Boyd, and Petersen Rothermel Law Firm. Their support helped make the Summer Soirée possible and allowed the Association to provide a fun and welcoming event for our members. We greatly appreciate these firms stepping up to support not only the CCBA, but the broader Clark County legal community. Finally, the CCBA is always looking for firms interested in sponsoring future events. In an era when the cost of seemingly everything continues to rise, sponsorship dollars go a long way toward helping the Bar Association keep events affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for its members. Whether it is a social gathering, CLE, or another opportunity to bring our legal community together, the generosity of our sponsors makes a real difference. Law firms interested in sponsoring an upcoming CCBA event are encouraged to contact Lisa Darco at the CCBA office. Thank you again to everyone who attended, to our sponsors, and especially to Kim Nigg for the outstanding work that made her this year’s 8 deserving Colleague of the Year! very

30 Strong. A Firm Record. Congratulations to McKinley Irvin’s 2026 Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Honorees in Washington and Oregon

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WELCOME TO PORTUGAL! By Amanda Hartman This series started with a note that it was never too early to start planning for retirement. While I am not going to retire just yet, my husband and I have officially proceeded down the path to obtain residency and eventually citizenship via the D7 Visa. I am now writing this article from Portugal, where I will hopefully remain for the foreseeable future.

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We started the process in 2025, when we reached out to a Lisbon based attorney. Our attorney helped us obtain NIFs (Número de Identificação Fiscal aka Tax ID numbers), a bank account, a lease, and appointments at our local Portuguese consulate (in California). Our appointments were right around Christmas 2025, and we were supposed to have our responses back in 4–6 weeks. Several months later, FedEx delivered our passports with visas included. We had them in hand mid-March 2026. The visas allowed us to enter the country twice and remain for four months after they are issued. Though we had to enter the country in the first 90 days. We had until July 23, 2026 to enter Portugal. The visas also included an appointment with AIMA (Foreigners and Boarders Service) in Portugal for the next step in the process. My appointment was in late May, which predated the visa expiration and was to be expected. My husband’s appointment is scheduled for November 2026, well after the expiration. Luckily, the government has granted some leeway in that regard given the inability to get renewal appointments scheduled – having a local lawyer helps. My husband and I remain at this next stage, of obtaining the residency permit following the expiration of our visas. I did go to Portugal in May for my AIMA appointment. However, my path to citizenship is technically a reunification with my husband as the main applicant. While the reunification spouse can have their appointment a couple months before the other spouse, the AIMA officials decided that the time difference between May and November was too long. As a result, I did not get to complete my appointment, and am waiting on a new one. Until we each get our appointments, and the subsequent residence card, we are unable to leave and re-enter the country. Despite the hitch in my own path to residence, my husband and I proceeded to sell or donate the vast majority of our possessions, prepare our house for sale, and find a larger apartment to rent. We found a lovely apartment on the top floor of a relatively small apartment building in Vila Nova de Gaia. I also scheduled my cat, Tybalt, for updated vaccines and an EU Health Certificate appointment with his vet. We left the United States on July 20, 2026 and arrived on July 21, 2026.

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Settling In: The first thing we did after getting settled into the apartment was buy some transit cards and go looking for an internet service provider. It took three internet providers and most of a week before we were able to get set up with both internet and local phone numbers. Though, all things considered, the process was still very fast because the providers were generally able to get someone out in 24-48 hours with each call. It took about the same amount of time for us to buy a couple of portable air conditions after trying to regulate temperature by opening the windows and closing the blinds over the course of the day. Tybalt is a fan of the cool air and the provided perch. Tybalt’s path to legal residency was much quicker, as I was able to set up a vet appointment and get him officially registered with all the required vaccinations and treatments in the first two weeks. It took a couple weeks, since I needed a Portuguese bank account/payment method, but Matt and I also managed to set up the public transport phone app so we could tap and go on any public transit without purchasing specific tickets. With most of the big-ticket items checked off, Matt and I are still discovering the details. Lots of little things like where to buy molasses, how on earth the oven works, and where to take household trash and recycling have come up and been figured out. Other things like the washing machine are still be a bit of a mystery. I have no doubt there will be many many more little things in days to come. I’ve even started keeping a notebook of all our (mis)adventures as we’ve tried to figure out how things work in another country and language. Daily Life: As we’ve settled in, the days have become just a little more routine. I am still working remotely in Clark County, so I usually wake up around 10:00 a.m. and log onto work at 4:00 p.m. I’m usually online until around 1:00 a.m. before heading to bed. I am very grateful to have been practicing in Clark County at a time when remote hearings, electronic filings, and other technology have made it possible to remain meaningfully connected to the legal community from thousands of miles away! 13

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While every evening I go to work, having every morning free gives us great opportunities. Matt and I can head to one of the three grocery stores in walking-distance, (the chocolate croissants are amazing), take care of other small errands during the day, or explore places like the Palacio da Bolsa. I’ve gone to the beach before logging in. That – as it turns out – was quite an adventure of navigating the public transit system when a bus didn’t arrive as expected, but the beach was well worth the wait. So far, we’ve been able to get most places by bus or metro and have been exploring both Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto. Readers may remember the multiple pairs of socks I wore holes into walking around Portugal last year. I’ve worn through two more pairs since we’ve been here! Every single person we’ve talked to has been incredibly kind and welcoming as well. When we were waiting for the bus that never came to get to the beach, an older gentleman noticed we looked lost and tried to help us despite a language barrier. Several people have been willing to have conversations in very slow/basic Portuguese to help us practice. We’ve only been here for a few weeks, but I am incredibly happy to have taken the chance and started the process of moving here permanently. The legal process continues in the background, and while it does, we are going to continue living life to the fullest!

QUARTER CENTURIONS GIVE US THEIR STORIES

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By Jean McCoy

If you didn’t catch the article, the July 2026 edition of Hearsay included a list of Clark County Bar Association paid members who have surpassed 25 years in practice (and most many more!) Here are a few of their stories (more to follow) from many years of law and order….(dunh-dunh)

Winnie Clements recalls her life and practice: Here is a photo of me at 5.

The Esteemed Rich Melnick, ret. Superior Court Judge and Division 2 Court of Appeals: I have been teaching Evidence at L&C Law School for the past 5 years. I emphasize not only the law, but professional responsibility. We discuss many gray areas. Inevitably, I tell the students they need to find mentors; they cannot practice the profession alone or in a vacuum. Scott Horenstein and I frequently discuss the need for a mentorship program in Clark County. I am blessed and lucky to have had so many people who guided me as a lawyer and as a judge.

I started piano at 5 and was concert level at 17; still my first love! I then worked as a dental assistant/technician - got tired of buckets of plaque!! I went on to work as a paralegal for DEA - lots of drugs!! Then on to law school and a law clerk for the LA County DA Office - major narcotic unit, very exciting and boat loads of drugs!! I then worked as a prosecutor for 3 counties in Washington State - more drugs with lots of sex - cases that is!! and now I'm a very happy camper as a defense attorney for OPD - yes more drugs!!! I love my co workers - even though they are a bunch of clowns and need 15 counseling!

Eric Johnson reflects on his 45 years in practice: I think the most meaningful picture I have is the formal announcement of my first associate position in October of 1980 (copy attached). Note the address – since 2016, my firm has occupied that very same space, although it’s now designated as Suite 440. I’ve been fortunate to have learned from, and been a colleague of, many of the best lawyers our county has produced. I think there were just over 200 members of the CCBA when I started and there are probably 4 or five times that now. There were 4 Superior Court judges and one commissioner. I’m pleased that practice here is still very collegial but sad that size and technology are creating distance between us as people. In 1980, fax machines were cutting edge and our office had one of the first IBM word processors in town (remember those 12” square floppy disks?). The go-to was the IBM Selectric typewriter and (cringe) carbon paper and white out. We did research from actual books, and it took a long time. No such thing as internet or personal computers, and no cell phones. I guess practice was a bit different then, but we learned to be friends as well as advocates.

Kathryn Holland still looks as gorgeous as ever – admitted in Washington in 1993 this is her photo from the illustrious Horenstein & Duggan group circa 1995.

Marvin Benson says: When I joined the Washington bar, the Oregon bar required you to have an office in Oregon but the Washington bar required residency in Washington. I moved to Vancouver mid-year. Jim Ladley was Bar president that year. He introduced me to Judge Lodge to admit me to the Washington’s bar. I later joined the Mozena law firm. At that time in the 1980’s everyone went to the monthly bar meetings having lunch at the Inn at the Quay.

Kevin McClure says:

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I have included two photos. The first is with attorney Rachel Brooks at the original Domestic Violence Prosecution Center- likely around 2001. The second photo shows the Vancouver City Attorney’s Office prosecution team in 2006 including Michael Green, Jack Green, Dylan Eaton, Anna Klein, Aaron Ritchie and Kevin McClure. I moved to Clark County in 1998 to work at the Vancouver City Attorney’s Office and I’m still with the same office 28 years later. I have worked with so many wonderful people over the years that the job still feels fresh and exciting. I value the professionalism of our legal community and our law enforcement community. Since 2012 I have been one of the coaches for the high school mock trial team at Cascadia Tech. This has been a valuable way to help kids, learn, and build my faith in the leaders of tomorrow.

Evan Hull says: I've been a member of the Washington State Bar for 42 years. I've practiced in Walla Walla and Vancouver. The main observation I've made is how much change there has been in the legal system here since I came to Vancouver in 1989. Changes in Judges, Court Commissioners, court personnel, Prosecutor's office, Clerk's office, Court Administration, court rules, procedures, fees, and even buildings. The most recent is District Court moving out of the courthouse. From 1994 to 2004 my law office was across the street from the downtown post office on Daniels. My landlord was retired Judge C. Brent Nevin. He charged $400 per month and didn't raise the rent the whole time! He sold the building and I've been working out of my home/office since then. 17 17 ...I remember when...

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Jane Clark recalls: Attached is a photo from my attorney "youth". I was about 28 years old when this was taken and the youngest and only female partner in a lawfirm in the UK - Lees and Partners Solicitors. I also specialized in medical malpractice then, representing plaintiffs. I left the firm at age 30 to move to Seattle and pursue a legal career in the USA.

I did an undergraduate degree in law at the University of Leicester in the UK and took medical negligence as an elective subject. This is what I have done my whole career. I have been an attorney for 37 years! Maggie Smith Evanson shares: I began my legal career as a Rule 9 Legal Intern at the Denver Office of Public Defense with a misdemeanor caseload and then spent 6 months in San Diego at the El Cajon Office of Public Defense. Both Colorado and California have amazing statewide public defense offices that are fully funded and supported. Imagine my surprise when I took my first WA public defense job at Boyd and Gaffney, and found I had no office or computer of my own and my workspace consisted of a seat at a conference table and the courthouse law library, as it was before the time we all worked primarily on computers. To this day I prefer to search a book instead of the internet. The law librarian was one of my greatest supports, back then, along with the many experienced criminal defense attorneys I turned to regularly for guidance. There were no standards of representation back then, and I was representing defendants in serious felony cases right off the bat and was definitely in over my head. It was a tough learning curve, but I loved every minute of it. The most empowering realization I made was that I didn’t need to be anything more than who I was, as long as I was authentic about what I could and could not do. I am approaching 26 years as a public defender, and I have found great satisfaction in my practice. It has provided me with countless opportunities to empower my clients to move their lives forward in a positive direction. I have appreciated every chance to connect with my clients. My job looks a lot different now, I work out of my own office building and have a staff of four amazing attorneys and support staff – and we all have our own personal offices space and computers. Sidebar: I actually have plenty of space and would love to hire another new 18 18 attorney or rent some of the great office space I have available.

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Growing Together, Rooted in Community

CLARK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

This will be your last issue of Hearsay if you don’t renew your CCBA membership! We know you don’t want to miss all the good content so scan the code below to renew!!

Scan to RENEW!!!

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HIRING ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY - FAMILY LAW The Vern McCray Law Firm is hiring a motivated Associate Attorney to join our well-established family law practice. The primary emphasis is on family law, with exposure to criminal defense, estate planning, and probate. We provide an experienced administrative staff and a relaxed atmosphere designed for long-term success. With a large and growing client base, we offer a desirable compensation split with generous bonuses. If you have previous experience in or a passion for family law, we would love to meet you. Requirements: Candidates must be a member of the Washington State Bar Association in good standing, with technical proficiency in MS365, Adobe, e-filing, and FamilySoft, along with a firm grasp of Clark County Local Court Rules. Pay: $120,000 - $180,000 per year Benefits: Health, Dental, and Vision insurance. Paid CLEʼs and provided parking. Location: Camas, WA 98607 How to Apply: If youʼre interested in building a great client base and working in a relaxed atmosphere, please submit your confidential resume to: mccraylaw@vernmccraylaw.com

vernmccraylaw.com

Clark County Bar Association

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CLARK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING

August 4, 2026

Minutes for the CCBA Board of Trustees Meeting August 4, 2026 1. Called to order 12:10 pm: Petersen, Rapp, Melnick, Larson, Mendoza, Sherman, Wechselblatt, and Executive Director Darco in attendance. 2. Approval of July 7, 2026 Board Meeting minutes: (Wechselblatt/Petersen) Approved 3. Treasurer’s Report (Melnick): Ben is working on the CCBA advertising revenue tax liability and the 2026/2027 proposed budget. At this point a net loss of $6k for this fiscal year is projected, however the amount will depend on the final tally of Summer Soiree revenue and expenses. 4. To Discuss A. Prices for services and events: discussion. Decision to leave prices same for members and increase prices for nonmembers advertising and CLEs. Motion: Increase CLE and Advertising fees 45% for nonmembers (Rapp/Petersen) Approved. Motion: CLEs free for staff who are CCBA members (Petersen/Wechselblatt) Approved B. Board vacancies for next year: Brief discussion of openings. Need to vote on slate at next board meeting for proposal and vote at the Annual Meeting. C. Office Space options: did not discuss D. New Programs i) In Good Company

1. Five topics and speaker pairs confirmed

2. In process of scheduling dates and reserving space

ii) The Scene

1. The focus group meeting for this paralegal/staff member group will be on 8/5/26

2. Looking for a Fall kickoff event with hopefully 5-6 meetings over this year

5. Upcoming Events b. Summer Soiree 8/29/26 at Hidden House c. Annual Meeting: 9/14/26 at Artillery Barracks at Fort Vancouver d. Membership Kickoff Coffee event will be in early September Adjourned 1:00 21

Clark County Superior Court

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BENCH/BAR COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES September 8, 2026

Persons in attendance: Judge Camara Banfield (Camera.Banfield@clark.wa.gov), Jessi Anderson (jessi@ ccvlp.org), Alex Reaganson (alexander.reaganson@nwjustice.org), Aaron Bartlett (Aaron.Bartlett@clark. wa.gov), Curt Welch (cwelch@sussmanshank.com), Kate Meyers (kate.meyers@atg.wa.gov), Amanda Willden (amanda.willden@clark.wa.gov) If you have matters that you would like to bring to the attention of the Bench/Bar, you are welcome to contact the above-mentioned members of the committee. The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 13th at 12:00. Please email Jessi Anderson (jessi@ccvlp.org) for the Zoom link if you would like to attend. Meeting commenced: 12:01 pm Meeting adjourned:12:28 pm Meeting Updates: Court updates: Judge Banfield Civil department: On 9/22 the UDA workgroup will meet to address delays relating to the defense bar operating with reduced capacity, as well as any changes necessary to respond to that issue. The civil judges have really been enforcing their continuance policy and encourage people to check the website and be familiar with that policy. Everyone has been very busy because of the number of cases going to trial in the criminal department. Many civil judges have been covering criminal matters as a result of the high number of criminal trials happening at this time. A lot of people have been missing their joint status reports. The bench is coming down kind of hard on that right now, if you don’t show up for the Scheduling Conference the court will be dismissing things. Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s office: Aaron Bartlett The Prosecuting Attorney’s office now has information on their website related to vacates and certificates of discharge. There are many resources on their website now. Some additional changes to the information on the website are still to come. The PAs office is still running on reduced capacity. Anna Klein is currently assisting on petitions to vacate and deputy attorneys are covering vacate dockets. Clerk’s Office: Amanda Willden Regarding Blake paperwork: Some of the state forms for Blake paperwork are problematic for the court because they don’t cover some information that the clerks need. The state forms are not great. There are some out of state attorneys that are sending in bulk petitions with forms off the state court website that do not include information on the specific count(s). 22

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Mr. Bartlett is going to see if they can add the forms that the PAs office uses to their website (as they worked together with the clerks to make sure their forms were correct) so as to increase accessibility for others seeking to vacate Blake convictions. In person ex parte for family law is back. It seems to be working well, but please be aware that the lobby is very full and busy from 1-3 while in person ex parte is going on: The clerk's office has asked the civil department whether a switch can be made back to in person for civil ex parte as well. Northwest Justice Project: Alex Reaganson Generally, most of their clinics from last year are being renewed which is positive news. These include the gender marker change clinic, clinics through Vancouver schools, and the reentry clinics. Still running into issues in the clerks office regarding LFOs. They have been setting hearings on LFOs and were recently told that they are not allowed to set hearings on LFO petitions. Amanda: They are aware of that issue and it has been resolved, you can set hearings on LFO petitions. Confirms that Judge Snider is still the judge reviewing these ex parte. Curt Welch Wondering what is an ideal size for this committee? Should we be asking lawyers that we know to join this committee? Judge Banfield: Having additional meeting groups and stakeholder groups has watered this committee down a little bit, but it seems like if we can get people from most of the cross sections of the legal community here that would help. Regarding mock trial: The teams receive the case in mid-October. They do not yet know the competition date for next year. Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program: Jessi Anderson Civil Survival (a statewide reentry legal services provider) reached out to CCVLP requesting assistance to identify contacts on the bench, the clerks office, and the PAs office willing and able to work with them to coordinate a Day of Mass Assistance (LFO work) for Clark County. The tentative day they are hoping for would likely be in March or April of 2027. They typically put these events on with the assistance of 1 judge from Superior Court, 1 judge from District Court, and 2-3 clerks who help to structure the event in ways that will work for their county. Aaron Bartlett can be the contact person for the PAs office. Amanda Willden can be the contact person for the clerk’s office Jessi will email Judge Snider (as the judge currently reviewing LFO matters) and will go to District Court Bench Bar to seek additional contacts on the bench to pass along to Civil Survival. Attorney General’s office: Kate Meyers Returning an AG presence to Bench Bar, happy to be back in the space to gather information. Respectfully submitted, Jessi Anderson 23

FANG-tastic Fall Festival

The FANG-tastic Fall Fest returns to Bi-Zi Farms! The whole corn maze is ours for two hours, so wear a costume and bring a flashlight. Ghouls and goblins of all ages welcome. The barn will be packed with tricks and treats, and the fun is a-maze-ing!

October 22, 2026 | 6 pm - 8 pm $15 for adults - Kids under 12 haunt for free!

Clark County Bar Association Officers & Trustees 2025-2026

CC BA

Marla Rapp

Courtney Mendoza

President

Vice President

(360) 602-2616 marla@ccvlp.org

(360) 553-0503 courtney@Mendoza-Legal.com

Josh Sherman Trustee (360) 859-3823 josh@janeclarklegal.com

Le Ann Larson Secretary

Ben Melnick Treasurer

(564) 397-2265 leann.larson@clark.wa.gov

(360) 695-4244 benm@washingtonoregonlawyers.com

Chelsey Butchard Trustee

Colin McHugh Trustee

Nathan Petersen Immediate Past President

(360) 946-0600 chelsey@butchardlaw.com

(360) 558-7099 colin@colinmchughlaw.com

(she/her)

(360) 326-4577 nathan@thprlawfirm.com

(she/her)

Christy Grafton SWLRS Coordinator

Mariah Mantzke Hearsay Production

(360) 695-5975 lisa@ccbawashington.org

(360) 695-5975 office@ccbawashington.org

Lisa Darco Executive Director