Attorneys

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 George M. Shumsky
                                     

 

 

 

PRACTICE EMPHASIS

Property Insurance Subrogation

AUTHOR/SPEAKER

Speaker, "Insurance Company - Law Enforcement Cooperation," presented to International Association of Arson Investigators, March 16, 2000, Portland, Oregon.

Speaker, "Product Liability Litigation," presented to International Association of Arson Investigators, January 21, 1999, Portland, Oregon.

Speaker, "Property Loss Adjuster Workshop, Subrogation Fundamentals," presented to Zurich Insurance Company, June 3, 1998, San Francisco, California.

Author, "Suing Your Own Insured," included in series "Educating the Insurance Professional-American Educational Institute, Inc." 1999 Edition.

Author, "Evaluating Fire Subrogation Claims," presented to insurance property loss adjusters on October 16, 1996, Portland, Oregon.

Author, "Subrogation and Spoliation of Evidence," presented to State Farm Insurance, March 27, 1996, Portland, Oregon.

Northwest Fire Marshall Seminar, Portland, Oregon, May 1995 and May 1996. Presented annual seminar for West Coast fire marshals concerning all aspects of fire scene investigations, including the presentation of a mock trial with emphasis on expert fire cause testimony.

Author, "An Overview of Recurring Evidentiary Issues in Subrogation," presented at Eastern Regional Property Insurance Seminar, September 1994, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Co-Author, "Claims Handling and Adjustment of Property Losses," presented at Eastern Regional Property Insurance Seminar, September 1993, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

 

BAR/COURT ADMISSIONS

Admitted to Oregon State Bar and Federal Bar, 1995. Admitted to Pennsylvania State Bar and Federal Bar, 1990.  Admitted to Washington State Bar and Federal Bar, 2004.

 

 

EDUCATION

1990 Rutgers University School of Law, JD Camden, NJ
1987 University of Illinois, BA Urbana, IL

 

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Oregon State Bar Association
Multnomah County Bar Association
Clark County Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association

 

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Barbara J. Backman  
  

PRACTICE EMPHASIS

 Property Insurance Subrogation
 

 

BAR/COURT ADMISSIONS

Admitted to Washington State Bar and Federal Bar, 1996.
Admitted to Pennsylvania State Bar and Federal Bar, 1990.

  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Experienced in overseeing litigation of commercial property claims from inception through discovery and preparation for trial.  Regularly provide prompt and complete analysis of viability of subrogation to clients.

Negotiated hundreds of settlements of property claims and author of  numerous dispositive motions.

Experienced bankruptcy and creditors' rights attorney.

 

EDUCATION

1990 Rutgers School of Law, JD with High Honors Camden, NJ
1983 Widener University, BA Political Science Chester, PA

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Washington State Bar Association
Clark County Bar Association
 

  

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 Erich T. Walz
  

PRACTICE EMPHASIS

 Property Insurance Subrogation
 

 

BAR/COURT ADMISSIONS

Admitted to Washington State Bar in 1999 and admitted to Oregon State Bar in 2006.

  

EDUCATION

Erich received his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and his law degree from University of Oregon School of Law.
  
 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Erich joined Shumsky & Backman in 2009.  Prior to joining the firm, Erich served as a judicial clerk in Chelan County Superior Court and worked with the litigation department of a major Pacific Northwest law firm and a national property insurer. 

Erich is licensed to practice in Washington and Oregon and is an experienced trial lawyer.
  

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Erich is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the Oregon State Bar.