Mary Jo Heston

Shareholder | Seattle | 206.223.7015 | hestonm@lanepowell.com

Areas of Practice

Commercial Litigation

• Contract and UCC Litigation and Transactional Work
• Business Bankruptcies, Reorganizations and Workouts
• Creditors’ Remedies
• International Insolvency Matters

Professional Experience

• Adjunct Professor, Debtor Creditor Law, Seattle University, 1984-Present
• Adjunct Professor, Corporate Reorganization Course, University of Washington School of Law, 1997-1999

Admitted to Practice

• Washington
• Oregon
• U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Academics

• University of Puget Sound (J.D., cum laude, 1980)
• University of Washington (B.S., cum laude 1975)
• Board Member – St. John’s/ABI Law Review

Awards and Honors

• Named a Washington “SuperLawyer,” Washington Law and Politics Magazine, 2006 – 2009 (also named a “Top 50 Women Washington SuperLawyers,” 2008 – 2009 and a “Top 100 Washington SuperLawyers,” 2008)
• Recognized for her work in bankruptcy law by The Legal 500 (United States), 2009
• Listed in Chambers USA directory, 2006, 2009

Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships

• Litigation
• Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights
• Real Estate Litigation

Publications

• “Throwing a Lifeline — How to Acquire Troubled Assets Using a Lawyer’s Toolbox,” Seattle Business Monthly, December 2009

Professional Experience and Community Activities

• Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy Lawyers
• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Lawyer Honorary Society (2009)
• United States Trustee, Region XVIII (1988-1993)
• Board Member, Debtor Creditor Resource Committee
• American Bankruptcy Institute, Former Board Member, Contributing Author to ABI Journal
• INSOL Committee Chair and Board Member (1996 – 1999)
• Washington State Bar Association
  • Creditor Debtor Executive Committee (1988 – 1996)
• Turnaround Management Association Member – President of NW Chapter (2004)
• Author of Bankruptcy Chapter, Washington Practice Series
• Frequent Speaker at Regional, National and International Seminars on Insolvency Issues