Senior Assistant Attorney General
Jack Johnson
Admitted to Practice: 1980 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington (J.D., 1980, cum laude)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington (B.A., Journalism, 1976)
Practice Area(s): Chief Counsel to President and Board of Regents
Jack has been chief of the UW Division since 2001. After receiving his undergraduate and law degrees from the University, Jack has practiced more than 25 years as a public attorney, including ten years as a civil deputy prosecutor for King County and eleven years heading the Civil Division of the Seattle City Attorney's Office. Jack supervises a staff of fourteen assistant attorneys general and ten professional support staff members.
Assistant Attorneys General
Helen Arntson
Admitted to Practice: 1990 (Washington, Wisconsin) (U.S. District Courts for Eastern and Western Districts of Washington; Ninth Court of Appeals)
Law Degree: University of Wisconsin (J.D., 1990, cum laude)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Massachusetts Amherst (B.Mus., Performance, 1978, summa cum laude)
Other Degree: Northwestern University (M.Mus., Performance, 1981)
Practice Area: Employment Law
Helen joined the UW Division in October 2007. Immediately before coming to the UW Division, Helen was with the Torts Division of the Attorney General's Office where she defended state agencies in employment and civil rights cases brought in state and federal courts. She has also practiced with the AGO's Labor & Personnel Division. Helen began her career in the private sector, in general civil litigation, when she returned to her native Washington in 1990. She has focused on employment litigation and counseling since 1997.
Aileen Huang
Admitted to Practice: 1996 (Washington), 2007 (U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 1996)
Undergraduate Degree: Barnard College, Columbia University (B.A., Sociology, Art History Minor, 1991)
Practice Areas: Student Life, Housing and Food Services, Student Fiscal Services, The Graduate School, The Burke Museum, FERPA, Public Records
Aileen has been with the Washington State Attorney General's Office since January 1998. Before joining the UW Division in May 2007, she represented the Department of Social and Health Services in child abuse and neglect cases. Her other work experience includes serving as a law clerk for a King County Superior Court judge and as an intern for the King County Prosecutor's Office.
Rolf B. Johnson
Admitted to Practice: 1996 (California), 1999 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of California at Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) (J.D., 1995)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington (B.A., History, 1991, magna cum laude; B.A., Economics, 1991, magna cum laude)
Practice Areas: UW Technology, Software Licensing, Copyright, Trademark, and Trade Secret Law, Purchasing, Public Records, E-Discovery, UW Police, Real Estate Transactions, UWTV
Rolf joined the UW Division in 2007. He began his legal career in San Francisco where his practice focused on securities class action and derivative litigation. He then spent two years in Paris, France practicing international commercial arbitration and public international law. In 1999, Rolf returned to Seattle and joined Perkins Coie LLP, where he worked in the firm’s general and commercial litigation department. During his time at Perkins, he also worked on secondment as in-house counsel to The Boeing Company and, through a fellowship program, as a Special Deputy Prosecutor in the Drug Enforcement Unit of the King County Prosecutor’s Office.
Kristin Miles
Admitted to Practice: 1999 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 1998)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington (B.A., International Studies, 1993)
Practice Areas: Health Care Law, Administrative Law
Kristin joined our office from the Social and Health Services division of the Attorney General's office where she advised and represented the Department of Social and Health Services (most recently as lead counsel to its Mental Health Division) on issues related to Medicaid payment and program requirements, the public mental health system, and administrative law. Her current practice focuses primarily on health care law including mental health; informed consent, professional liability, and risk management; medical staff credentialing and privileging; Medicaid reimbursement; human research subjects; and compliance with health care regulatory and accreditation standards. During law school, Kristin served as an extern with the UW Division in the Health Sciences office.
William P. Nicholson
Admitted to Practice: 1990 (Washington), 1994 (Oregon)
Law Degree: Gonzaga University School of Law (J.D., 1990, magna cum laude)
Undergraduate Degree: Syracuse University (B.A. Economics, 1985)
Practice Areas: Finance, Tax, Business Transactions, Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Public Records
Bill joined the UW Division in 2001. From 1995 to 2001, as an Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division of the Attorney General's Office, Bill worked on a number of large antitrust and consumer protection cases, including tobacco and sweepstakes litigation. From 1990 to 1995, Bill worked as a trial attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, focusing on criminal prosecution.
Karin L. Nyrop
Admitted to Practice: 1984 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Puget Sound School of Law (Seattle University) (J.D., 1984, magna cum laude)
Undergraduate Degree: St. Martin’s College (B.A., Criminal Justice, 1981, summa cum laude)
Practice Areas: Intercollegiate Athletics, Construction, Purchasing, Faculty Adjudications, Scientific Misconduct
Karin joined the division in March of 1997. Prior to that, Karin served as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she advised and represented the Water Quality Division and the Transit Division on a variety of purchasing issues and capital project matters (1994-1997). Karin also was a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Civil Division of the Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (1988-1994) and an associate at the Seattle firm of Reed McClure (1985-1988). Upon graduation from law school, Karin served as a Law Clerk for the Washington State Supreme Court (1984-1985).
Lori A. Oliver
Admitted to Practice: 1995 (Washington)
Law Degree: Willamette University (1995)
Other Degree: Willamette University (M.B.A., 1995; Certificate in Dispute Resolution, 1995)
Undergraduate Degree: Boise State University (B.A., Sociology, 1987; B.A. Political Science, 1987)
Practice Areas: Lori represents the School of Medicine, UW Medicine and the UW generally on a wide range of health law issues, including Health Care; Transactions (Stark, Anti-Kickback, Fraud and Abuse), Physician Contracting, Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement, Privacy of Health Care Information, Health Care and Research Compliance, and Enterprise Risk Management
Lori joined the division in April 2001 after working as a private regulatory consultant. Prior to that time she worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Labor & Industries Division (1995-2000) handling litigation and advice in the areas of specialty compliance, safety and health, workers' compensation, health care and vocational provider issues, and third party payor issues. Prior to law school, she worked for the Alaska State Legislature and the U.S. Senate.
Lawrence W. Paulsen
Admitted to Practice: 1998 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington Law School (J.D., 1998)
Other Degree: Cambridge University (M.St. Candidate, International Relations)
Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University (B.A., Political Science, 1992 summa cum laude)
Practice Area: Employment Law
Larry came to the UW in 2004. He previously worked in the Education Division of the Attorney General's Office where he dealt with a wide range of higher education issues, including employment matters. Prior to that he worked in the Labor & Personnel Division of the Attorney General's Office where he advised on and litigated a variety of labor and employment issues. His early legal experience included working for a private law firm which represented employers, a legal clinic which represented low income employees, and working as a judicial clerk.
Noella Rawlings
Admitted to Practice: 1980 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington, School of Law (J.D., 1980)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Hawaii (B.A., Psychology, 1977)
Practice Areas: Health Care Law including Compliance, Human Subjects Research, Medicare/Medicaid Reimbusement, and Physician Arrangements
Noella joined the UW Division in 2008 after 13 years with the Social and Health Services Division where she was chief counsel to the Division of Children and Family Services in King County. Noella was previously with the UW Division in the Health Sciences Section from 1987-1989. She then spent three years as the Vice President and General Counsel for Physicians Insurance before returning to the University of Washington Division in 1992. From 1981-1987, Noella was a trial attorney with the Social and Health Services Division and handled child abuse and neglect cases. She began her legal career in 1980 as a staff attorney with Evergreen (now Columbia) Legal Services.
Clark C. Shores
Admitted to Practice: 1990 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington, School of Law (J.D., 1990)
Undergraduate Degree: Reed College (B.A., Philosophy, 1978)
Other Degree: University of Washington (Ph.D., Philosophy, 1985)
Practice Areas: Intellectual Property, Technology Transfer, Libraries, Research Contracts, CTC
Clark joined the division in April of 1993. However, from February of 1997 to September of 1999, Clark was employed by the University of Washington as a Special Assistant for Research and Technology Transfer and as a Senior Assistant to the Vice Provost. In these positions, Clark reported to the Office of Technology Transfer and the Office of Research. In September of 1999, Clark returned to the division, where his practice focuses primarily on intellectual property issues. Prior to entering the field of law, Clark taught philosophy at the University of Washington and at the University of Puget Sound. After law school, Clark served as a Law Clerk for the Washington State Supreme Court (1990-1993).
Mark Yamashita
Admitted to Practice: 1989 (Washington) (U.S. District Courts for Western and Eastern Districts Washington; Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Law Degree: University of Puget Sound School of Law (J.D., 1989)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington (B.A., Political Science, 1986)
Practice Areas: Employment Law, Labor Relations
Mark joined the UW division in May 2008. He has been practicing law in Washington State since 1989, and became an Assistant Attorney General in 2000. Before moving to the UOW division, he worked exclusively in the Torts Division, where he represented government agencies (WSDOT, WSF, WA Liquor Board, Western Washington University, Everett Community College, DSHS, DOC, WSP, Ecology) and various state agency directors, managers, and employees in suits concerning employment discrimination, civil rights violations, personal injury, and maritime claims. Prior to working for the AGO, Mark was in private practice for 5 years, with a general practice in criminal defense, employment law, and estate planning. Before private practice Mark worked at a public defense agency for 7 years, representing indigent clients in felony, juvenile, and misdemeanor offense matters, and supervising juvenile and felony units.
Quentin Yerxa
Admitted to Practice: 1988 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 1988)
Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington (B.A., History, 1981)
Other Degrees: University of Washington (M.A.T., English, 1983)
Practice Areas: Real Estate Transactions (Metro Tract), Land Use, Environmental Health and Safety, Development, Admissions, Tuition & Residency, Financial Aid
Immediately prior to joining the Attorney General's Office in November 2003, Quentin worked for four years as a Senior Assistant City Attorney in the Environmental Protection and Utility Sections of the Seattle City Attorney's Office. Before that, Quentin spent eleven years in the Civil Division of the King County Prosecutor's Office, where he advised on and litigated a wide variety of public contracting, employment, constitutional and general municipal law issues. Quentin worked as a law clerk at the UW Division while attending law school.
Jane Yung Dennie
Admitted to Practice: 1996 (Washington)
Law Degree: University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 1996)
Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University (B.A., English, 1992)
Practice Areas: Health Sciences and Medical Centers, Health Care Law, Compliance
Jane came to the University of Washington Division from Washington State University where, from 1998 to 2003, she was the Assistant Director of Government Relations. Formerly, Jane was an Assistant Attorney General in the Labor & Industries Division, litigating industrial insurance cases and advising and litigating for the employment standards team.
Dina L. Yunker Frank
Admitted to Practice: 1987 (Washington, U.S. District Courts for Eastern and Western Districts of Washington)
Law Degree: University of Puget Sound (Seattle University) (J.D., 1986)
Undergraduate Degree: Montana State University (B.A., Political Science, 1982)
Practice Areas: Health Sciences and Medical Centers, Health Care Law, Risk Management
Admitted in Washington in 1987, Dina maintained a commercial litigation practice before joining the Attorney General’s office in 1993. Upon joining, she helped establish the Bankruptcy and Collections Unit where she represented the state taxing agencies and advised the Attorney General's Consumer Protection, Ecology, and Natural Resources divisions. Today, Dina represents the University of Washington in its Health Sciences division, providing business-related health law advice to UW Medicine. Dina serves as the primary attorney for University of Washington Medical Center.
Professional Support Staff
Elizabeth Dahl, Paralegal, supports the attorneys in our business group.
Evelyn Dunagan, Administrator for the division, supervises the support staff, oversees the budgets, technology issues, and the day-to-day running of the office. She also provides direct assistance and support to Division Chief Jack Johnson.
Lauren Dunnuck, Paralegal, supports the attorneys in our health care group.
Kay Kinghammer, Office Assistant Lead, serves as the office's receptionist. She also oversees the library, supervises the student employees, and administers time records and leave slips.
Michael Mooney, Computer Support Analyst, oversees the Division’s databases and file system. He also assists with computer hardware and software issues.
Barbara Parnell, Legal Services Manager, Paralegal, is the first point of contact for incoming litigation involving the University. She also provides paralegal support to the employment law attorneys.
Mary Taylor, Legal Secretary, provides direct support for Aileen Huang, Rolf Johnson, Karin Nyrop, Clark Shores, and Quentin Yerxa.
Jane Warner Dukuray, Budget Clerk, oversees fiscal matters for the division.
Sandy Webb, Legal Secretary, provides direct support for Kristin Miles, Lori Oliver, Noella Rawlings, Jane Yung Dennie, and Dina Yunker Frank.