2019 Awards Program

2 0 1 9 A W A RDS P ROGR A M HAVE AN AWARD NOMINATION FOR NEXT YEAR? SUBMIT ONLINE AT www.isb.idaho.gov/nominate TABLE OF CONTENTS DISTINGUISHED LAWYER & JURIST AWARDS 4 - 7 ...presented each year to attorneys and a member of the judiciary who have exhibited exemplary conduct, professionalism, and many years of dedicated service to the legal profession and the citizens of Idaho. PROFESSIONALISM AWARDS 8 - 9 ...given to at least one attorney in each of Idaho's seven judicial districts who has engaged in activities in his or her community, in the state, or in the profession, which reflect the highest standards of professionalism. SERVICE AWARDS 10 - 11 ...presented to individuals from around Idaho who have contributed their time and talents to serving the public and improving the legal profession. DENISE O'DONNELL DAY PRO BONO AWARDS 12 - 13 ...presented to attorneys in each of the judicial districts who have donated extraordinary time and effort to help clients who are unable to pay for services. SECTION OF THE YEAR 14 ...presented in recognition of a Section’s outstanding contribution to the Idaho State Bar, to their area of practice, to the legal profession, and to the community. FAMILY LAW SECTION AWARD OF DISTINCTION 14 ...presented to a member of the Bar, the judiciary, or the public who provides outstanding service in the realm of family law. OUTSTANDING YOUNG LAWYER 14 ...recognizing a young lawyer who has provided service to the profession, the Idaho State Bar, the Idaho Law Foundation, Inc., and to the community, and who exhibits professional excellence. BEST OF THE ADVOCATE 15 ...awarded based on submissions to the Idaho State Bar's official publication, The Advocate, including Best Cover Photo, Best Article, and Best Issue Sponsor. 50, 60, 65 & 70 YEAR ATTORNEYS 16 - 21 ...honoring attorneys admitted to the Idaho State Bar for 50, 60, 65 and 70 years. RETIRING JUDGES 22 ...recognizing the year's retiring judges for their service on the bench. DISTINGUISHED LAWYER ROBERT R. CHASTAIN | BOISE year. Chastain met his wife, Marilyn influence on me. He instilled the idea (also an Idaho attorney), a few years that you’re going to have to work and later in 1983 while she was working at support yourself – and he was right. the Boise City Attorney’s Office. They Not a day goes by I don’t think about were married in 2000. him.” After relocating to Idaho post-law Chastain practices criminal defense school, Chastain began working in the at his small Boise firm Chastain Law Ada County Prosecutor’s Office. He Offices in downtown Boise. Over the takes pride in his time as a prosecutor as course of his career he has tried several it gave him the foundation on which to high profile murder cases and is one of later build a career in criminal defense. the few Idaho attorneys who is death Chastain worked his way through the penalty certified. Chastain has worked ranks and became a felony prosecutor closely with attorney Deborah Kristal by the time he left the Prosecutor’s throughout his career and they have Office. tried several controversial murder cases After his time at the Prosecutor’s together. Robert Chastain grew up in Boise Office, Chastain briefly worked for a Those who have known Chastain and is a tried and true Idahoan. Chastain small firm. He quickly determined that over the years admire him for his quiet attended Borah High School and he did not enjoy civil law quite like he control and ability to get along with played baseball before attending Boise had enjoyed the criminal side of things. everyone he deals with. A longtime State University for his undergraduate At that point he ventured into opening friend and colleague of Chastain’s, education. Contemplating his next his own solo practice, in which he has Fourth District Magistrate Judge steps after receiving his undergrad been practicing ever since. Michael Oths mentions that, in a legal from Boise State, Chastain took his Early on in his career, Chastain was genre that doesn’t get the recognition father’s advice to find a career that introduced to another of his trusted it deserves, Chastain is widely regarded would provide him with a “license to mentors. Larry Scott was a public as one of the best criminal defense eat.” He decided between two of the defender while Chastain worked at attorneys around while consistently more common options at the time – the Prosecutor’s Office and Chastain staying properly humble. Being held school teacher, or lawyer – choosing recalls one of the more important in such high regard by his friends the latter. Chastain relocated to Utah to lessons he learned from Larry: “You and colleagues is just one measure of attend law school at the University of knew when you talked to Larry that Chastain’s high reputation. Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. his word was gold. He said something Outside of the office, Chastain During law school Chastain was was going to happen or he was going enjoys “playing the horses” and has hired as an intern by Greg Bower, to do something and you could go to traveled around the country for several former Ada County Prosecutor. the bank on it.” This lesson on the value thoroughbred races and events. Chastain cites Greg as one of his of being true to your word stuck with Chastain does his best to stay young, mentors and role models: “Greg taught Chastain throughout his career and mentioning, “I still play old-guy softball me the importance of going to work is a quality he admires in many other with Brad Andrews and Mike Oths. We and showing up on time […] he gave attorneys and colleagues. He says, “It’s have a good time and I’ve done that for me room to make my own decisions, to a heck of a lot easier to practice law about 35 years.” He and Marilyn have grow, to both succeed and fail.” Chastain when you trust your opposition.” kept to their roots and live in Boise; received his juris doctorate in 1981 and In addition to mentors within the they have a black Labrador named Roz. returned to Idaho immediately profession, Chastain speaks highly of thereafter for admission into his late father’s influence on his life. “My 4 the Idaho State Bar that same father was and always has been a huge DISTINGUISHED LAWYER JEFFREY C. FEREDAY | BOISE Over nearly 40 years in law practice, Employment Rules, in a case entitled Jeffrey Fereday has fashioned a distin- Fereday et al v. Watt. Although the suit guished career in water rights, natu- failed, Interior’s former Solicitor, Clyde ral resources and environmental law. Martz, offered Jeff and one of his fel- Growing up in Boise, he developed an low plaintiffs a new opportunity as at- appreciation for public lands and often torneys at his Denver firm, Davis, Gra- experienced the out of doors while ham & Stubbs. It was at Davis Graham hunting, fishing and backpacking.where Jeff built his foundation in water These interests helped lead him into his law, representing water conservation areas of legal specialty later on. Fereday districts, farmers, and cities in water graduated from Borah High School in rights transfers, mitigation plans, and 1968 and attended Columbia Universi- in disputes between ground and sur- ty in New York City, graduating in 1972. face water users. Jeff maintains lasting During his college years and for a friendships with several colleagues while after, Jeff supported himself by from the Colorado water bar. fighting wildland fires for the Forest In 1985, Jeff and Kay moved back to Service and the Bureau of Land Man- their hometown after Jeff was offered agement. For six years he was a smoke the opportunity to start a water rights jumper, first in Idaho and later in Alaska. and environmental practice at Givens Access to Justice Act. That controversial From 1973 to 1977 Fereday worked for Pursley, then primarily a boutique real mining claim was ultimately patented the Idaho Conservation League, begin- estate firm run by Ken Pursley, one of and then promptly purchased by the ning as a volunteer and ending up as Jeff’s early mentors at the Idaho Con- Forest Service, another result of Fere- its Executive Director. He entered Lewis servation League. Jeff’s efforts to build day’s efforts in this case. and Clark Law School in Portland, Ore- that practice eventually led him back to Fereday cites several professional gon in 1977, attracted there by the law his Colorado colleagues in search of le- relationships as having a marked im- school’s then-fledgling environmental gal talent. Both Mike Creamer and Chris pact on his career. Bill Hillhouse, Greg law program. At Lewis and Clark, Jeff Meyer joined Givens Pursley through Hobbs and the late Clyde Martz were was associate editor of the law review, those efforts. Fereday was made part- Fereday’s primary mentors at Davis Environmental Law, the nation’s first ner in 1987. He and Kay welcomed Graham & Stubbs. During his time at In- law review devoted to this subject. their first son, Wyatt, in 1988, followed terior, Fereday cites John Leshy as a sig- Years later, the Law School recognized by their second son, Charlie, in 1992. nificant influence. As to his colleagues Jeff as a Distinguished Environmental Fereday has argued several cases in in Idaho, Fereday singles out Michael Law graduate. the Idaho Supreme Court, worked on Creamer, Chris Meyer, Deb Nelson and In 1980, Fereday graduated from cases which resulted in landmark prec- Michael Lawrence, all attorneys in prac- Lewis and Clark Law School, was admit- edents for water rights in Idaho, and tice at Givens Pursley, as trusted and ted to the Washington State Bar, and has served as Arbitrator in disputes be- valuable colleagues in his areas of prac- took his first job in Washington D.C.

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