Scott graduated from Stanford Law School in 1974. He was introduced to litigation as a Deputy Prosecutor with the King County Prosecutor's office. From there he moved to private practice, joining Montgomery Purdue as a litigation associate in 1979 and became a partner in the firm at the start of 1983. Over 40 years, reflecting clients' litigation needs, he developed a broad based provider side health care and commercial litigation practice with particular emphasis on business, real estate, construction, trusts and estates and alternate dispute resolution. In recent years his commercial litigation practice has focused upon the policy holder side of commercial insurance coverage disputes.
What drives you professionally?
Personal relationships with my colleagues and with key clients. I enjoy friendships, injecting humor and working together to solve problems both with the talented attorneys at Montgomery Purdue and our long term and newer clients.
What do you consider your most significant career accomplishment to date and why?
Establishing expertise, recognized by my peers, in two areas: 1. Health Care, primarily assisting health care providers, physicians and others, resolve legal issues involving insurance coverage, business alliances, as well as contracting with vendors, payors, hospitals and others. policy holders to access insurance benefits and apply them to solving complex business disputes. 2. Insurance Coverage for policy holders, primarily assisting individuals and businesses navigate complex liability business, real estate, environmental, construction defects and similar disputes and push insurers to fully meet their obligations to their policy holders.
What is something you'd be happy doing every single day for the rest of your career?
I would be happy every single day for the rest of my career meeting with and advising a new or existing client whether and how existing insurance can contribute to solution of business disputes. Specifically, I enjoy advising a business client involved in litigation involving significant liability risk the extent to which their insurers can be encouraged or forced to contribute to solution of the problem.
Are you an active member in an local, state, national or international organizations?
I have for years been a member of the American Bar Association, the Washington State Bar Association and King County Bar Association. Further, in the area of dispute resolution outside of the court room, for over 25 years I served on the Commercial Arbitration Panel of the American Arbitration Association, acting as a private judge selected by the parties to a commercial dispute and their attorneys to act as decision maker.
Can you name any skills or personality traits that you think are needed in your kind of practice that might differ from other practices?
The personality trait most often mentioned both by my clients and by opposing attorneys is my aggressive and continuous pursuit of my client's best interest in resolving business disputes.