IN MEMORIAM
Jan Eric Peterson
Jan Peterson was a founding partner at PWRFL.
Jan was a graduate of Pasco High School and was inducted in their Hall of Fame in 2003. He received his undergraduate education at Stanford University and his law degree from the University of Washington in 1969.
He served as president of the Washington State Bar Association and the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) (formerly Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA). He was a fellow at the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was a Washington State delegate to the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Jan was a president of the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, president and charter member of the Damage Attorneys Round Table of Washington, board member of the Legal Foundation of Washington and Board of Judicial Administration, and a member of the Supreme Court’s Joint Task Force on Attorney Discipline. He received the 1999 Trial Lawyer of the Year award from the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and is listed in Best Lawyers in America and in Outstanding Lawyers of America.
He was a committed plaintiffs' advocate in personal injury, products liability and medical negligence cases. Born and raised in Washington, he enjoyed playing basketball, listening to jazz and traveling the world with his beloved wife Margy. Jan will always be remembered for his landmark verdicts and his leadership in the legal community.
Download the obituary that ran in the Seattle Times.
Read the article written for Trial News by Jan's friend and law partner Mike Wampold.
Brian Putra
Brian Putra completed his undergraduate education, cum laude, at Gonzaga University in 1966, and went on to receive a Juris Doctorate in 1969 at Hastings College of the Law, University of California, where he was on the Hastings Law Review. He received an LL.M. in taxation from Boston University in 1970. He served on the Board of Governors of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and was Chairman of the Washington State Association for Justice’s Disciplinary Board. He served on numerous committees of state, local and trial bar associations, and lectured at numerous trial practice seminars.
His practice emphasized the representation of plaintiffs in complex medical negligence and personal injury cases. Born and raised in Eastern Washington, he enjoyed sailing and other outdoor pursuits when not practicing law. Brian was a founding partner of PWRFL and will forever be remembered for his humor, intellect, and love for the practice of law.
Download the article written for the Trial News by Brian’s partner in law and lifelong friend, Jan Peterson.
Download the obituary that ran in the Seattle Times.
BETTY BRACELIN
Elizabeth “Bets” Bracelin was one of the founding members of our firm.
Bets was one of the founders of Washington Women Lawyers and served on the board of advisors of the Northwest Women’s Law Center. She served on the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association from the 7th District from 1983 to 1986. She was the first elected woman president of the Washington State Bar Association. She was one of the charter members of the Damage Attorneys Round Table and was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 1993, she was honored as a distinguished graduate by the University of Washington School of Law.
Bets’ trial practice was varied. She was recognized as an authority in employment discrimination and labor law. In the early 1970s, along with other members of the firm, Bets was counsel for the plaintiffs in the case of Van Bronkhorst v. Safeco, a class action by women employees claiming sexual discrimination against the insurance company. This was the first white collar case of its type to be successfully litigated as a class action under a new law – Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Filed in August of 1971, the case was settled for a then-unprecedented $1,000,000. In addition to employment discrimination, her practice included medical negligence, personal injury and domestic relations litigation.
A Seattle native, Bets was a graduate of Holy Names Academy and the University of Washington, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1967. From the University of Washington Law School, she received her J.D. degree in 1969 and was Law Review editor. Prior to becoming a founding member of our firm, Bets was an associate with the firm of Horswill, Keller, Rohrback, Waldo & Moen.
Bets was a stellar example of dedication and commitment to her profession. She died after a long and courageous battle with polycystic kidney disease on December 27, 1996, at age 51. A profile on Bets' incredible career can be found here.