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| Belcher Swanson Law Firm History: |
The Belcher Swanson Law Firm, PLLC is one of the oldest law firms in Whatcom County. It was established
on January 1, 1893 when Clinton W. Howard and Thomas G. Newman associated under the law firm name Newman
& Howard. Like many of the current attorneys at Belcher Swanson Law Firm, PLLC, both Howard and Newman
had roots in the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office, with Newman being elected Whatcom County Prosecuting
Attorney in 1892 and Howard serving as City Attorney for Fairhaven (1891) and an Assistant Whatcom County
Attorney (1892-93). Newman & Howard was regarded as one of the strongest law firms in Western Washington,
serving clients such as the Bellingham Bay Improvement Co., Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railroad Co.,
and the Northern Railway & Improvement Co.
The firm of Newman & Howard was located in the Bellingham National Bank Building (currently the Key Bank
Building downtown) from 1893 to 1899. In 1899 the law firm moved to the LD Pike Building on the northeast
corner of State and Holly Street. Newman & Howard remained in the LD Pike Building until 1908 when they
moved back to the Bellingham National Bank Building which had become the First National Bank Building.
In the fall of 1912, Newman & Howard promoted law clerk Joseph W. Kindall as a third partner in the firm.
The firm was renamed Newman, Howard & Kindall. Like his senior partners Kindall worked for Whatcom County
as an Assistant County Attorney prior to moving into private practice with Newman & Howard.
Due to failing health Newman was forced to retire from the practice of law in 1924. Howard and Kindall
continued the law firm under the name Howard & Kindall. Howard & Kindall had an extensive practice and were
regarded as one of the strongest legal combinations in Bellingham. Howard and Kindall worked out of the
First National Bank Building until 1937, when Howard passed away. After Howard’s death, Kindall operated a
solo practice at the First National Bank Building in Bellingham.
Lester C. Voris joined Kindall as an associate in 1948. In addition to his law practice, Voris was a Bellingham
City Councilor from 1952 to 1955. In 1956, Kindall made Voris a partner. They practiced under the name Kindall
& Voris for nearly twelve years until 1967 when Kindall passed away after 57 years of distinguished practice in
Bellingham.
After Kindall’s death, Lester Voris practiced law by himself under the name Kindall & Voris until he associated
with James F. Flynn and Michael C. Lipscomb in 1968. Voris, Flynn & Lipscomb practiced together until 1969 when
Flynn left to pursue his own legal practice. Voris and Lipscomb practiced at the First National Bank Building
under the name Voris & Lipscomb for the next five years.
Between 1973 and 1977, the law firm brought in three new partners still practicing with the firm today: John C.
Belcher, Jack O. Swanson and Chester T. Lackey. In 1978, Michael Lipscomb left to practice on his own. The
four remaining partners practiced under the name Voris, Belcher, Swanson & Lackey at the Bellingham National
Bank Building (formerly the First National Bank Building) downtown. In 1981, James M. Doran was made partner
and the law firm was renamed Voris, Belcher, Swanson, Lackey & Doran. Swanson, Lackey and Doran all served
Whatcom County as Deputy Prosecutors before joining the firm.
There were no changes in the law firm until 1988 when Voris retired and Terrance G. Lewis, yet another former
prosecutor, joined the partnership. For the next five years, the firm practiced under the name Belcher, Swanson,
Lackey, Doran & Lewis at the Bellingham National Bank Building.
However, in 1993, the law firm moved out of the downtown area for the first and only time to the Bellingham National
Bank Building in Fairhaven (currently Sycamore Square). When the law firm moved to Fairhaven, Douglas K. Robertson,
also an alumnus of the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s, was brought on as a partner and the firm was renamed Belcher,
Swanson, Lackey, Doran, Lewis & Robertson.
In 2000, the law firm relocated back in the downtown area at 900 Dupont Street near Battersby Field. In 2006,
Doran retired from the firm after practicing with the firm for over 25 years. During that same year Jeffery J.
Solomon was made partner and the name of the law firm was changed to Belcher Swanson Law Firm, PLLC. In 2007,
Bradley D. Swanson, Jack Swanson’s son, was made the law firm’s most recent partner. Currently the Belcher Swanson
Law Firm, PLLC has three associates Scot S. Swanson, Peter R. Dworkin and Mark A. Lackey.
The attorneys and staff at Belcher Swanson Law Firm, PLLC are proud of the firm’s heritage and distinguished
history in this community. Under one name or another, the Belcher Swanson Law Firm has served business and individual
clients in Whatcom County for over 100 years. The attorneys and staff at Belcher Swanson Law Firm continue providing
the same ethical and quality standard of service today that was established by our founding partners over a century ago.
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