An artisanal law firm based in beautiful Port Townsend. Created by attorney and law professor, Denis Stearns, to provide real-world solutions to a wide range of challenges on behalf of businesses, non-profit organizations, and injured persons.
An artisanal law firm based in beautiful Port Townsend. Created by attorney and law professor, Denis Stearns, to provide real-world solutions to a wide range of challenges on behalf of businesses, non-profit organizations, and injured persons.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, J.D., graduated with high honors, 1992.
While in law school, Denis was a well-respected legal writing instructor for two years, and a member of the moot court team that won the Midwestern Regional Championship of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Mr. Stearns and his team then went on to compete at the International Round of the competition, competing against teams from all over the world. In his third year at law school, Denis was elected President of his law school’s Moot Court Board, while also serving as Articles Editor for the Wisconsin International Law Journal. His law journal article, Rendered Stateless: The Extraordinary Apprehension of Foreign Nationals and the Politics of Exclusion, won the Mary Kelly Quackenbush Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to the Wisconsin International Law Journal. When he graduated Denis also received the Milwaukee Bar Moot Court Prize, for significant contribution to moot court teams, and the Wisconsin Law Alumni Award for significant contribution to life in the law school.
Seattle University, B.A. in Philosophy, 1989, with 4.0 Seattle University GPA.
Admitted to Practice Law: Washington and Wisconsin, since 1992
Other Federal Courts Admitted To: Western & Eastern Districts of Washington; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; Eastern & Western District of Wisconsin; Western District of Pennsylvania; United States Supreme Court.
Martindale-Hubbell Peer-review Rating: AV (highest rating).
Stearns Law, PLLC
Attorney-Owner 2014 to PRESENT
Marler Clark, LLP, PS
Of Counsel Attorney 2011 to 2018
Nationally-recognized law firm with a primary focus on the representation of persons injured by foodborne illness. See www.marlerclark.com
Marler Clark, LLP, P.S.
Partner 1998 to 2011
Founding partner of the first law firm in the U.S. to focus on food cases.
Previously: Karr Tuttle Campbell (92-96); Kargianis, Watkins & Marler (96-98)
Adjunct Professor 2014 to present
Professor from Practice 2012-2014 academic year
Visiting Professor 2011-2012 academic year
Adjunct Professor 2010-2011 academic year
Courses: Legal Writing I, Legal Writing II, Torts, Food Law & Policy
Visiting Professor Nov. 2010, and Annually from 2015 to PRESENT
Agricultural and Food Law LL.M. Program
Course (1-credit): Unsafe Food & Product Liability (2010)
Course (1-credit): Food Law and Litigation (2015 to PRESENT)
Guest Lecturer November 2008
Course: Transnational Regulation: Increasing Safety of Globally-Sourced Products, Professor Peter Carstensen
Title of Presentation: Deadly Food and Product Liability: A Law-in-Action Perspective. A discussion of product liability litigation related to food and the challenges of international commerce.
Guest Lecturer Each Fall, 2004 to 2011
Course: MPTX517—Medical & Food Products and the Law
“A Critical Appraisal of the Impact of Legal Action on the Creation of Incentives for Improvements in Food Safety in the United States,” in Food Safety Economics-Incentives for a Safer Food Supply, Tanya Roberts, PhD, Editor (Springer 2018)
“Food as a Product,” in Product Liability Law Deskbook, Alisa Brodkowitz, editor (Washington State Association for Justice 2014).
“Torts and Civil Litigation for Damages, including Class Actions,” and “Escherichia Coli O157:H7,” two chapter-entries in Food Issues: An Encyclopedia, edited by Ken Albala (Sage Publications 2014).
“Food Safety and the Law: Understanding the Real-Life Liability Risks,” in Researching the Hazards in Hazardous Food, edited by Barbara Alamanza & Richard Ghiselli, (Apple Academic Press Dec. 15, 2013).
“A Future Uncertain: Food Irradiation From a Legal Perspective,” Chapter 16, in Food Irradiation Research And Technology, edited by Christopher H. Sommers & Xuetong Fan (IFT Press 2006).
“Contaminated Fresh Produce and Product Liability: A Law-in-Action Perspective,” Chapter 21, in Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce: Challenges, Perspectives, and Strategies, edited by Xuetong Fan, et al., pp. 385-98 (IFT Press 2009).
Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain: Concealment, Revelation, and the Question of Food Safety, 30 Seattle University Law Review (Summer 2015).
PROSSER’S BAIT-AND-SWITCH: How Food Safety Was Sacrificed In The Battle For Tort’s Empire, 15 Nevada Law Review (Fall 2014).
A CONTINUING PLAGUE: Faceless Transactions and the Coincident Rise of Food Adulteration and Legal Regulation of Quality, 2014 Wisconsin L. Rev. 101 (2014).
ON (CR)EDIBILITY: Why Food in the U.S. May Never Be Safe, Symposium: Food Policy and Health, 21 Stanford L. & Pol. Rev. 245 (2010).
PREEMPTING FOOD SAFETY: An Examination of USDA Rulemaking and its E. coli O157:H7 Policy in Light of Estate of Kriefall ex rel. Kriefall v. Excel Corporation, 1 J. Food Law & Pol. 375 (Fall 2005).
Rendered Stateless: The Extraordinary Apprehension of Foreign Nationals and the Politics of Exclusion, 10 Wis. Int’l L. J. 78 (Fall 1991). (Winner of the Quackenbush Award for the Best International Law Journal Article of the year.)
“Intentional Contamination: The Legal Risks and Responsibilities,” 70 J. of Environmental Health 58 (January/February 2008).
“Where’s the Meat? The Need for Full Public Disclosure in Meat Recalls,” 68 J. of Environmental Health 58 (June 2006) (with co-author Patti Waller, MS).
“An E. Coli Outbreak At a Chain Restaurant: A Case Study on How Easily Legal Liability Can Spread to a Franchisor,” Franchising Business and Law Alert, Feb. 1, 2004, available at http://www.marlerclark.com/franchising-liability.pdf
“Did the Supreme Court Just Create a Relevancy Requirement for the Public Records Act?” Trial News, 17-19 (Sept. 2001).
“E. coli Lawsuit Results in a $4.75 Million Jury Award For Injured Children: A Case Study In How Not to Learn About Food Safety,” Trial News (May 1, 2001).
Of Recycled Buns, Food Safety in China, and the Jabberwocky of Political Debate, May 11, 2011.†
In a Perfect World: Making Hamburger Safe, December 13, 2010.†
Meet My Butcher: Valuing the Meat You Eat, September 12, 2010.†
On Restaurant Grades: Giving an F to Josh Ozersky, July 29, 2010.†
The Perils of Punditry: Everyone Has an Opinion, June 29, 2010.†
What the Oil Spill Can Teach Us About Food Safety, June 01, 2010.†
On Civic Agriculture: Why Backyard Chickens Matter, April 12, 2010.†
Keeping Tradition Alive (despite the risks), March 19, 2010.†
On Cooking Burgers: Out, damned E. coli! Out! Feb. 24, 2010. †
Tender, But Deadly: Mechanically-Tenderized Steaks and E. coli O157:H7, Dec. 29, 2009.†
The Blame Game: How Cargill Pointed the Finger, Dec. 15, 2009. †
Losing the Face-to-Face in the Global Food Market, Nov. 18. 2009.†
† The above essays can be found here: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/contributors/denis-stearns/
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: More Meat Industry Dissembling on E. coli, Oct. 21, 2009.†
Freedom Means Never Having to Be Logical: Rebutting Michelle Bachmann on the 2009 Food Safety Modernization Act, Oct. 15, 2009.†
RIP Gourmet Magazine, You’ll Be Greatly Missed, Oct. 12, 2009.†
What the Restaurant Industry Should Really Do in Support of National Food Safety Education Month—That is, if it was really serious about food safety, Sept. 21, 2009.†
More Double-Talk from USDA on E. coli and Swift Meat Recall, July 13, 2009, http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-policy-regulation/more-doubletalk-from-usda-on-e-coli-and-swift-meat-recall/
Back to the Future: Obama Recycling Clinton-Era Food Safety Initiatives as New, July 7, 2009, http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-policy-regulation/back-to-the-future-obama-recycling-clintonera-food-safety-initiatives-as-new/
Consumer Trust in Food Safety in the U.S. Plummets Because of Rise in Recalls, July 6, 2009, http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/consumer-trust-in-food-safety-in-the-us-plummets-because-of-rise-in-recalls/
The "Guess Who Inspects It Game": Nestle E. coli Cookie Dough Edition, Junje 29, 2009, http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/06/articles/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/the-guess-who-inspects-it-game-nestle-e-coli-cookie-dough-edition/
Food Safety Enforcement: How the Brits Do It, June 15, 2009, http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/06/articles/food-policy-regulation/food-safety-enforcement-how-the-brits-do-it/
Before Food Was Fast: Some Looks Back to a Time when Food was Local, Slow, and Safe, May 18, 2009, (essay and book reviews), http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/05/articles/food-poisoning-watch/before-food-was-fast-some-looks-back-to-a-time-when-food-was-local-slow-and-safe/
Dissenting Justices in Wyeth v. Levine on FDA-Approval of Drugs: “Is it Safe?” March 10, 2009, http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/03/articles/lawyer-oped/denis-stearns-guest-blogger-the-dissenting-justices-in-wyeth-v-levine-on-the-fdaapproval-of-drugs-is-it-safe/
The Market For Peanuts: Why Food In The U.S. May Never Be Safe, Feb. 12, 2009, http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/02/articles/lawyer-oped/guest-blog-denis-w-stearns-the-market-for-peanuts-why-food-in-the-us-may-never-be-safe/
CHICKEN IN AMERICA: A Lesson In Irony (And Bad Taste), Dec. 17, 2008, http://www.marlerblog.com/2008/12/articles/lawyer-oped/chicken-in-america-a-lesson-in-irony-and-bad-taste-guest-blogger-denis-w-stearns-jd/
Who Does the USDA Really Protect When It Comes to Deadly E. coli? Aug. 18, 2008, http://www.marlerblog.com/2008/08/articles/lawyer-oped/who-does-the-usda-really-protect-when-it-comes-to-deadly-e-coli/
Monthly column on legal issues relating to product distribution for ID Access, a publication for distribution managers and distributor sales professionals. See www.myidaccess.com/index.php
Product Liability: A Brief History of Its Early Origins.
Product Liability: How It Turned Strict.
Chain of Distribution Liability: Tag, You're It.
Product Distributor Liability: Some Different Scenarios.
Indemnification, Contribution, and Allocation of Fault: Shifting Blame.
Intentional Contamination: Liability for the Criminal Acts of Employees.
(Text of columns available here: www.marlerclark.com/dstearns.htm)
“Why Hepatitis-A Vaccinations are Bad for (My) Business,” Food Quality magazine, July-August, 2002.
“USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service Should Say What It Means, Mean What it Says—And Say It Clearly,” Food Protection Report, at 10 (July/August 2002).
“The Courage to Criticize,” Food Prot. Report, at 2A (Oct. 1999).
“Guess What’s Coming for Dinner? The Next Food Scare, Trial News (April 1, 1999), review of DEADLY FEASTS: The “Prion” Controversy and the Public’s Health (1997).
Regular participant on the Policy Roundtablefor Eating Matters! a weekly radio-show on the Heritage Radio network
http://www.heritageradionetwork.org/programs/136-Eating-Matters
A Twist of Fate, A Profile, KCBA Bar Journal, October 2011 https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=10&Year=2011&AID=profile.htm
Appearance on Good Morning America segment, Is Your Chicken Safe From Salmonella? Segment aired November 12, 2009. A video and print version of segment is available online at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthyLiving/chicken-safe-salmonella/story?id=9049797&page=2
Andrew Martin, “Out of a Church Kitchen and Into the Courts, New York Times, June 8, 2008.
Julie Schmidt, “USDA wants to reveal stores in food recalls,” USA Today, Feb. 28, 2007.
Walter Alarkon, “Infection leads to lawsuit, Family sues Stop & Shop over E. coli bacteria,” Concord Monitor, Aug. 8, 2006.
Karen Robinson-Jacobs, “Brinker settles Chili’s salmonella cases: Lawsuits over Illinois food poisoning dropped after record agreement,” Dallas Morning News, Aug. 11, 2004.
Vince Beiser, “Big Beef’s Dirty War: Meat Industry has resisted cleaning up its act for decades,” LA Weekly News, Jan. 15, 2004.
Tom Held, “Appeals court revives lawsuit from parents of girl who died from E. coli,” Journal Sentinel, May 13, 2003.
Alison Perilk, “Feeding the Faith: The public’s attention to and concerns about the food they eat are on the rise,” Restaurants and Institutions, June 1, 2002.
Annette Cary, “$4.75 million awarded in E. coli case,” Tri-City Herald, Feb. 18, 2001.
Mike Lee, “Records Denied, She Went to Court,” Tri-City Herald, Oct. 23, 2001.
Beth A. Auerswald, “Restocking the Shelves: Recovering from a Recall,” Food Quality, June/July 1999.
Interview, “Outbreak, Inc. Co-Founder Denis Stearns: Litigating Foodborne Illness,” Foodtech Source, E- magazine, available at www.foodtechsource.com/emag/004/trend.htm
Karen Reed-Matthee, “Building a Case Against E. coli,” Seattle University News, Spring 1999 (profile of Marler Clark firm)
Food & Product-Defect Class Actions—Strategies & Lessons Learned, presentation 13th Annual Class Actions Conference, Seattle, Washington, April 28, 2017.
Court Decisions and FSIS: Salmonella Should be an Adulterant, presentation as part of panel, Is Salmonella an Adulterant in Raw Meat and Poultry?, International Association of Food Protection Annual Conference, August 2, 2016
Pathogen Information, Legal Liability, and Economic Incentives, presentation as part of panel, Information and the Creation of Positive Economic Incentives for Food Safety Performance, International Association of Food Protection Annual Conference, August 2, 2016
Establishing Membership In A Class is Ascertainable: An Example From A Pending Food-Related Class Action, panelist-presentation as part of panel: Lessons from Recent Food Labeling Class Actions, Twelfth Annual Comprehensive Conference on Class Actions, May 5, 2016, Seattle, WA
Pay No Attention to that Man Behind the Curtain: The (De)meaning of “Pink Slime.” Conference: Re-tooling Food Law: How Traditional Legal Models Can be Re-Tooled for Food System Reform, at Seattle University School of Law, March 6, 2015.
Is it “Natural” to be So Confused? FDA Inaction as a Boon to the Plaintiffs’ Bar, panelist-presentation as part of panel: Lessons from a Recent Spate of Food Labeling Class Actions, Eleventh Annual Comprehensive Conference on Class Actions, June45, 2015, Seattle, WA
Legal Claims Against Third-Party Auditors: Does FSMA Suggest a Possible Solution? Conference: Food Fight: An Examination of Recent Trends in Food Litigation and Where We Go From Here, sponsored by Resnick Program for Food Law & Policy and California Bar Association, Litigation Section, at UCLA School of Law, April 11, 2014.
“Turning the Black Swan White: Questioning the Need for Regulation of Non-Industrial Agriculture,” New Directions for Food Safety: The Food Safety Modernization Act and Beyond, Conference sponsored by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, and Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and Food Law Lab, at Harvard Law School, February 21, 2014.
“A CONTINUING PLAGUE: Faceless Transactions and the Coincident Rise of Food Adulteration and Legal Regulation of Quality,” Symposium: Safety and Sustainability in the Era of Food Systems: Reaching a More Integrated Approach, sponsored by the Wisconsin Law Review and held in conjunction with the 2013 annual conference of the American Agricultural Law Association, October 31, 2013, Madison, Wisconsin.
“Ethical Challenges of Settling Claims Arising from Large Foodborne Illness Outbreaks: Three Case Studies,” Towards Global Food Law: Transatlantic Competition and Collaboration, University of Washington School of Law, Feb. 8, 2013. The conference-sponsors also included the The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Idaho School of Food Science, and Hautes études commerciales de Paris.
“Bringing Practice to the Classroom: A New Kind of Apprenticeship,” 2011 Western Regional Legal Writing Conference,” University of San Francisco School of Law, August 27, 2011.
“Chasing the Ambulance Away: Reshaping the Role of Personal Injury Lawyer in Society and the Law,” The Robert Leader Endowed Lecture, Michigan State University, Master of Science in Food Safety program, June 17, 2010.
“Market Regulation and Food Policy,” Symposium: Food Policy and Health, panel and paper presentation, Stanford School of Law, April 23, 2010.
“On Faceless Transactions: How Tort Law Evolved to Manage the Sale of Food Between Strangers,” presentation of paper, followed by Q&A session, at From Field to Tablet: A Symposium on Food Culture and the Law, at University of Iowa, February 26, 2010.
“PROOF OF DEFECT IN U.S. FOOD CASES: Historical Origins & Current Approaches,” presentation at 2009 Conference on the Law of Food and Drink, at British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London, June 11, 2009.
“On Faceless Transactions: How Tort Law Evolved to Manage the Sale of Food Between Strangers,” abstract submission and panel presentation, at Joint 2009 Annual Meetings of the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS) and the Association For The Study Of Food and Society (ASFS), May 28-31, 2009, Penn State University, Pennsylvania.
“Food Safety Priorities and Risk for the Consumer: A Consumer Perspective,” part of panel presentation, “Setting Priorities for Food Safety: Resources, Risks, and Challenges for the Next Decade,” 2008 IFT Annual Meeting, in New Orleans, June 29, 2008.
“Déjà vu—Bad Beef Back on the Table: The Recurrence of E. coli O157:H7 Contaminated Meat and What it Means from a Legal and Public Policy Perspective,” 2008 Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) Annual Educational Conference, in Anaheim, June 10, 2008
“Product Liability and Security,” 2008 Educational Conference, Essential of Food Law and Regulations, May 12, 2008, Food Innovation Center, Portland, Oregon, sponsored by Oregon State University.
“Microbial Safety of Produce: From a Legal, Historical, and Economic Perspective,” Third International Symposium on Agro-terrorism, hosted by United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Kansas City, Missouri, April 22, 2008.
“Food Litigation and Market Failure: Why lawsuits are a necessary, but not sufficient incentive for improving food safety,” presentation at CLE and Conference, “Who’s Minding the Store: The Current State of Food Safety and How It Can Be Improved,” April 11, 2008, Seattle University School of Law.
“Profiting From Unsafe Food: The Legal and Economic Incentives that Drive Foodborne Illness Litigation,” 2007 International Conference for Food Safety and Quality, November 6, 2007.
“Handwashing on Trial,” a mock-trial designed to teach the real-world legal consequences of a foodborne illness outbreak caused by infected foodservice workers, 2007 National Environmental Health Association Annual Education Conference, June, 19.2007.
“Recouping Outbreak Costs: Who Should Pay?” 2007 Rocky Mountain Food Safety Conference, May 22, 2007.
Keynote Address: “How Food Companies Profit While Making the Public Pay for Unsafe Food,” 2007 Oregon Environmental Health Association Annual Education Conference, April 23, 2007.
“Economic Incentives for Improved Food Safety: Seeking Reimbursement of Public Expenditures Caused by Foodborne Illness Outbreaks,” 2007 Iowa Public Health Conference, April 4, 2007.
"You Break It, You Bought It: Incentivizing Food Safety by Making Restaurants Reimburse for Outbreak Costs," and "How To Sue A Health Department: Understanding the Risk of Legal Liability for Negligent Inspections and Other Alleged Failures" 2007 Southwest Food Safety Seminar in Laughlin, Nevada, January 31, 2007, and February 1, 2007 (two presentations).
“Economic Incentives for Improved Food Safety: Recouping Outbreak-Related Costs of the Hepatitis-A Infected Foodservice Employee,” 13th Joint Conference on Health, Washington State Public Health Association, Oct. 18, 2006.
“Economic Incentives for Improved Food Safety: Seeking Reimbursement of Public Expenditures Caused by Foodborne Illness Outbreaks,” 2006 National Environmental Health Association Annual Education Conference, June 25, 2006.
“Understanding and Addressing Potential Liability Issues for the Food Processor,” 2005 Annual Meeting of Institute of Food Technologists, July 16, 2005, New Orleans, Louisiana. Full-day seminar approved for continuing education credits.
“The Legal Basis for Food Establishment Operator Responsibility and Liability in Foodborne Illness Outbreak,” Washington State Environmental Health Association Annual Educational Conference, May 4, 2005, Spokane, Washington, approved for one-hour of continuing education credit for Registered Sanitarians.
“Sources of Liability that May Apply to Regulators Conducting Inspections and Epidemiological Investigations,” Washington State Environmental Health Association Annual Educational Conference, May 4, 2005, Spokane, Washington, approved for one-hour of continuing education credit for Registered Sanitarians.
"Mr./Ms. CEO—Help Me Help You ‘Make the Case’ for Sanitation,” Annual Meeting of International Association for Food Protection, August 11, 2004, Phoenix, Arizona.
“Liability and Foodborne Illness: Understanding the Law Can Protect Your Business,” 2004 Annual Meeting of Institute of Food Technologists, July 11, 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada. Full-day seminar approved for continuing education credits.
“Public Advocacy for Improved Food Safety: An Agenda For Change,” 2003 Annual Conference of State Public Interest Research Groups, December 11, 2003, Denver, Colorado. Presentation followed by panel discussion with Felicia Nestor of Government Accountability Project.
“Food Safety Litigation: Strict Liability Related to Food Service,” Greater New York Health Care Food Administrator’s Association Annual Seminar, Nov. 9, 2005 (approved for 2 continuing education credit-hours for registered dieticians and dietary managers).
“Potential Legal Ramifications of Not Using Food Irradiation,” The International Meeting for Radiation Processing, Chicago, Illinois. September 10, 2003. Presentation followed by panel discussion.
“From the School Cafeteria to Courtroom: The Legal Implications of a Foodborne Illness Investigation,” 2003 Annual Conference of Oregon Environmental Health Association, Bend, Oregon, April 29, 2003.
“Due Diligence From a Legal Perspective: Food Product Liability Law in Action,” Half-Day Seminar, 2003 Annual Meeting of Institute of Food Technologists, Chicago, Illinois, July 12, 2003.
“The Scary Truth About Strict Liability,” Conference on Handwashing, Sanitizers, and Cross-contamination, by National Capital Area Environmental Health Association, May 4, 2001, Fairfax, Virginia.
“Understanding the Legal Risks of Food Poisoning,” American Society of Healthcare Food Service Administrators, Seattle Chapter, at Swedish Medical Center, February 14, 2001.
“Fundamentals of Product Liability Law for Food Scientists,” Joint Meeting of Northwest Regional Chapter of the Institute of Food Technologists, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, October 1, 1999.
“Fundamentals of Product Liability Law for Food Scientists,” Joint Meeting of Louisiana and Mississippi Chapters of Institute of Food Technologists, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 29, 1999.
Local Food and Planning: Reversing the Exile of Agriculture from Daily Life. Peninsula Section, Annual Conference, American Planning Association, Bainbridge Island, WA, October 20, 2016
“Credibility, Accountability, & Food Safety: Ingredients and Third-Party Inspections,” presentation scheduled for 2015 Food Safety Summit, Baltimore, Maryland, April 29, 2015.
“The Fuss About Food Safety: Understanding How the Law Makes You Liable for Selling Unsafe Food,” panelist presentation, at Natural Products Expo West, Anaheim, California, March 13, 2010.
“Product Liability and Foodborne Illness: How Understanding the Law Can Protect Your Business (and You),” Annual Meeting, Institute of Food Technologists, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, January 20, 2010.
“On Faceless Transactions: How Tort Law Evolved to Manage the Sale of Food Between Strangers,” Keynote Address at 4th International Conference for Food Safety and Quality, November 3, 2009, Redondo Beach, California.
“Recent Developments in Outbreaks and Recalls: The Salmonella Years, and Beyond” Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Emerging Issues in Food Litigation Webinar, September 30, 2009.
“Lessons Learned from Recent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks and Recalls—2007 & 2008, The Salmonella Years,” Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Foodborne Illness Litigation Conference, May 6-7, 2009, New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Deadly Food & Product Liability,” Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets (a Tesco company), Technical Summit for Product Suppliers and QA Personnel, March 26, 2009, in Manhattan Beach, California.
“Food Recall Procedures and Related Outbreak Litigation,” 2008 Spring Conference on Hospitality Supply Management, by Institute for Supply Management, Joint-Presentation, in Chicago, May 15, 2008.
“Handwashing On Trial: Setting Standards. Changing Behaviors,” a mock-trial designed to teach the real-world legal consequences of a foodborne illness outbreak caused by infected foodservice workers, followed by a two-hour workshop and training session, 2008 Food Safety Summit, in Washington DC, March 17, 2008.
“Legal Liability for Food-Related Outbreaks: The Law, History, and Some Lessons Learned,” 27th Annual Northwest Food Safety and Sanitation Conference and Workshop, Portland, Oregon, Oct. 30, 2007.
“Food Safety: It’s More Than Checking the Expiration Date,” 2007 Spring Conference on Hospitality Supply Management, by Institute for Supply Management, Joint-Presentation, May 17, 2007
“Food Safety and Litigation,” National Restaurant Association Spring Meeting, Washington DC, March 15-16, 2005, Presentation to Quality Assurance Executive Study Group.
“Food Recall Litigation: Is it a Misnomer?” Annual Meeting of National Turkey Foundation, Savannah, Georgia, February 9, 2004.
“Use of Unpasteurized Eggs and the Risk of Punitive Damages,” National Restaurant Association Orlando, Florida, Jan. 14, 2003, Presentation to Risk Managers Executive Study Group.
“Setting the Standard for Hygiene,” 2003 Food Safety Summit, Washington, DC, March 15-17, 2002.
“Strict Liability and Constructive Knowledge Explained,” National Restaurant Association, Seattle, Washington, July 11, 2002, Presentation to Risk Managers Executive Study Group.
“Food Poisoning, Deadly Litigation: Introduction to Strict Liability,” National Association of Catering Executives 2002 Educational Conference, Charleston, South Carolina, July 16, 2002.
“Salmonella and the Impact on the Restaurant Industry,” National Restaurant Association Fall Meeting, San Diego, California, October 17, 2002, Presentation to Quality Assurance Executive Study Group.
"Crisis Management,” International Food Safety Council Congress, sponsored by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, 90-minute presentation, Chicago, Illinois, Oct. 23, 2001.
“Lessons of the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak,” Presentation to the Inland Northwest Dairy Association, April 28, 2001, Spokane, Washington.
“Understanding Strict Product Liability,” 2000 Annual Meeting of American Meat Institute, Presentation to Boards of Directors and Trustees, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 12, 2000.
“Risk of (No) Handwashing: Legal Exposure and Economic Impacts,” one-hour presentation as part of all-day seminar, HACCP Hands, April 4, 2000, Tampa, Florida, sponsored by HealthMinder Inc.
Jefferson County Board of Health January 2019 to Present
Jefferson County Local Food System Council December 2014 to 2017
Member & Pro Bono Legal Counsel
Lifelong, Board of Directors June 2014 to Jan. 2017
Board President & Executive Committee member
Bailey-Boushay House, Board of Directors July 1999 to Jan. 2008
Board Officer Positions:
Past-president and
Chair of Strategic Planning Committee 2004 to 2008
President 2002-2004
Vice-president 2000-2002
Committee Memberships:
Executive Committee 2000 to 2008
Corporate Compliance (Chair) 2000-2002
Finance and Planning Committee 1999-2002
Joint Collaboration Committee on AIDS Care & Housing 2005
An outgrowth of the 2004-2006 Bailey-Boushay House Strategic Plan, this was an effort to explore greater collaboration, up to and including possible merger, with two other AIDS-service organizations (Rosehedge House and Multi-Faith Works), as a way of improving the effectiveness of the continuum of care then available in King County for person with AIDS. The committee was made up of the Executive Directors and two board members from each of the three organizations.