Our Team
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Mr. Koegen began practicing in 1974 and his practice has focused solely on municipal finance and municipal law. Mr. Koegen has primarily served as bond counsel to numerous states, cities, counties, special purpose districts, underwriters and banks, colleges and universities. In addition, Mr. Koegen has provided general municipal advice to large array of clients with respect to tax, investment, finance and regulatory issues.
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS AND ISSUERS
Mr. Koegen has represented a large diversity of clients in the public finance sector, including governmental issues throughout most of the western United States, investment banks, commercial banks, universities, colleges and developers. Representative clients include the states of Washington and Montana, various public utility districts in the state of Washington, numerous school districts and library districts throughout the state of Washington, Kitsap County Public Benefit Transportation Authority, Spokane Public Facilities Authority, Spokane County, Montana Public Power Authority, various cities in Washington, Idaho and Montana, Lehman Brothers Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Banc of America Securities, LLC, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Citigroup.
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- States of Montana, Washington and California
- University of California, Hastings College of Law, J.D., 1974
- Gonzaga University, B.A., 1971
- Lukins & Annis P.S., Spokane and Bellevue, Washington, 2002-2005
- Perkins Coie LLP, Seattle and Spokane, Washington, 1990-2002
- Preston, Gates & Ellis, Seattle and Spokane, Washington, 1980-1990
- Blair & Koegen P.S., Spokane, Washington, 1977-1980
- Wilson Jones Mortin & Lynch, San Mateo, California, 1974-1977
- National Association of Bond Lawyers, Professional Responsibility Committee, Past Chair and Current Speaker
- American Bar Association, State and Local Government Law Section, Public Finance Committee, Past Chair; Subcommittee on Municipal Securities, Past Chair; and Publications Subcommittee
- Chair, “Conference on Ethics,” National Association of Bond Lawyers (2001-2005)
- Co-chair, “2002 Municipal Law Conference,” Law Seminars International (2002)
- Chair, “Sub-Sovereign Finance in the New Europe,” Prague, Czech Republic, American Bar Association (2002)
- Chair, “Sub-Sovereign Debt,” Dublin, Ireland (2001)
- Speaker, “Financing Professional Sports Facilities,” American Bar Association (2001)
- Law Seminars International, 2001 Municipal Law Conference, Co-chair (1999-2001)
- Speaker, “Ethical Issues Regarding Pay-to-Play,” American Bar Association (1999)
- Speaker, “Resource Recovery Financing,” Bond Counsel Workshop, National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Speaker, National Association of Bond Lawyers Annual Conference (1999)
- Panelist, “1996 Bond Attorney Workshop – Function and Professional Responsibility of Counsel and Model Engagement Letters,” National Association of Bond Lawyers (Chicago, IL, September 1996)
- Speaker, “Derivatives in the Municipal Bond Market,” Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (March 1994)
- Author, Washington Municipal Financing Deskbook, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing (1993)
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Mr. Werst’s practice focuses on the areas of municipal law, health care law, and public finance. Mr. Werst has served as both general counsel and bond counsel for public and private entities, providing advice and litigation representation on a wide range of practice areas, including labor and employment law, real estate law, contract law, and regulatory compliance issues. Mr. Werst has also assisted numerous nonprofit entities in various financings involving state and federal agencies, including the Washington Health Care Facilities Authority, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Washington Higher Education Facilities Authority, Washington State Department of Community Trade, & Economic Development, United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS AND ISSUERS
Mr. Werst has represented a wide array of clients in both the public and private sector. Representative public entity clients include counties, cities and towns, water districts, school districts, public utility districts, library districts, conservation districts, and public hospital districts. Representative private entity clients include non-profit and for-profit hospital systems, continuing care retirement communities, healthcare providers, physicians, and non-profit housing programs.
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- State of Washington
EDUCATION
- Gonzaga University School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1998
- Eastern Washington University, B.A. (cum laude, English/Technical Writing), 1995
RELATED EXPERIENCE
- Stamper, Rubens, Stocker & Smith, PS, Spokane, Washington, 2002-2007
- Perkins Coie LLP, Spokane, Washington, 2000-2002
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Dennis J. Sweeney, Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, 1998-2000
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES
- Community Health Association of Spokane, Board of Directors
- Exchange Club of Downtown Spokane, Board of Directors
- Gonzaga University School of Law, St. Thomas More Program
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Ms. Yates has worked in the municipal finance area since 1981. She has extensive paralegal experience in municipal financings, underwriter’s counsel transactions, bank counsel transactions, university and college financing transactions and developer’s financing transactions. Ms. Yates experience ranges from drafting basic financing documents such as resolutions, ordinances and other authorizing documents, to drafting official statements and closing documents. She meets frequently with clients in support of and in conjuction with the municipal finance attorneys and has a close relationship with clients of Koegen Edwards LLP due to her long-term tenure.
RELATED EXPERIENCE
- Lukins & Annis P.S., Spokane and Bellevue, Washington, 2002-2005
- Perkins Coie LLP, Seattle and Spokane, Washington, 1998-2002
- Lukins & Annis, Spokane, Washington, 1986-1998
- Preston, Gates & Ellis, Spokane, Washington, 1981-1986
- Speaker, “29th Annual Fundamentals of Municipal Bond Law Seminar,” National Association of Bond Lawyers (2008)
- National Association of Bond Lawyers (Legal Assistant Committee)
- Paralegal Faculty Member for Fundamentals of Municipal Bonds for National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Project Access, Spokane County (Sustainability Committee Member)
- Member of MuniCouncil
- Spokane Falls Community College, Liberal Arts classes, attended 1980-1982
- Spokane Community College, Paralegal Program, attended 1989-1991
- Gonzaga University, B.G.S. (Organizational Leadership) 2004, with honors
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
Ms. Dumas has worked with the attorneys of Koegen Edwards LLP for four years. She is experienced in drafting basic financing documents such as resolutions, ordinances and other authorizing documents and closing documents, along with assisting in the research and drafting of official statements. She meets and corresponds with clients in support of and in conjunction with the municipal finance attorneys and has a close relationship with clients of Koegen Edwards LLP. In addition, Ms. Dumas has experience in the areas of real estate and corporate law from her employment at a general practice firm in 2005-2006. Her role at Koegen Edwards LLP is both as Paralegal and as Office Administrator.
RELATED EXPERIENCE
- Law Offices of David A. Gittins, Clarkston, Washington, 2005-2006
- Lukins & Annis P.S., Spokane, Washington, 2002-2005
- NALS of Washington. . . the association for legal professionals
- Spokane Community College, Legal Administrative Assistant, March 2003, with honors
