Law Firm Overview

Moffatt Thomas has been providing legal services to the Pacific Northwest/Intermountain region since 1954. With offices in Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Twin Falls, Idaho, the firm is strategically situated for direct contact with the governor's office, the legislature, federal and state administrative agencies, courts, and international and national corporations engaged in business throughout the region.

Moffatt Thomas has 43 attorneys serving clients in the full-spectrum of business, litigation and regulatory areas. Our attorneys focus on the realities of our clients' continually evolving business needs. Whether we are working with a small start-up company or an international corporation, we take a teamwork approach in responding to these issues with practical, cost-effective and innovative legal solutions.

Moffatt Thomas also integrates technology to improve the timeliness and quality of our work product. We also know that technology is only as good as the people who use it. Our dedicated information services professionals evaluate new technology with an eye toward improving our delivery of legal services. These professionals also provide consistent updates and educate our attorneys and staff on the use of the firm's technology. Like our clients, we use innovative technology as an efficient and productive tool allowing us more time to understand our clients' needs and envision where their businesses will be tomorrow.

Areas of Practice

• Banking & Financial Transactions
• Business Formation
• Charities & Nonprofits
• Creditors' Rights & Bankruptcy
• Environmental/Water/Agricultural Law
• Estate Planning
• Government Relations & Regulatory Affairs
• Health Care Law
• Insurance Law
• Labor & Employment Law
• Start-Up Companies: Creation, Advice & Representation
• Securities
• Technology & Emerging Companies
• Litigation
• Mediation & Arbitration
• Real Estate & Land Use Planning
• Taxation

Honors and Awards

• Bar Associations and Law Societies of Australia, New Zealand, France, The Philippines and Israel, Honorary Member
• Best Lawyer in America (10 attorneys), 2001 - 2006
• Canadian Bar Association, Honorary Member
• Idaho State Bar/Annual Distinguished Lawyer Award (3 attorneys), 1986 - 2003
• Idaho State Bar Outstanding Service Award (2 attorneys)
• Kramer Award for Excellence in Judicial Administration, 1992
• La Barra Mexicana, Honorary Member
• Professionalism Award (2 lawyers)
• The Law Society of England and Wales, Honorary Member
• Union Internationale de Advocate, Conference of Presidents, Chairman

Published Works

• Employer Obligations Under the OSHA Ergonomics Regulation, Idaho Business Review, 2001
• Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) May Offer Employers Protection From The Staggering Growth in Wrongful Termination and Discrimination Lawsuits, Idaho Business Review, 2000
• Ethics in Settlement Negotiations, The Advocate Journal, 2003
• Few Things in Life are Guaranteed, Idaho Business Review, 1999
• Idaho Section of Lobbying, PACs and Campaign Finance 50 State Handbook, State Capital Global Law Firm Group, 1994
• Idaho Supreme Court Confuses Rules in Two Recent Insurance Bad Faith Decisions, Idaho Law Newsletter, 2001
• Idaho Tort & Insurance Law Deskbook, Moffatt Thomas, 1994-2004
• Nonprofit Board Seats: Are the Risks Worth It?, Idaho Business Review, 1999
• Representing Your Client in Mediation, Some Do's and Don'ts, The Advocate Journal, 2004

Classes and Seminars

• Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Under the ADA, Moffatt Thomas, February 5, 2005
• Appellate Judges Seminar, American Bar Association, 1967 - 1973
• Give Me Freedom or Give Me Money; 515 Litigation Update, Council for Affordable & Rural Housing, January 20, 2005
• History of Federal Water Quality Controls, Moffatt Thomas, January 20, 2005
• Lender Issues and Water Law: How Do the Two Relate?, Moffatt Thomas, February 23, 2005
• Recent Developments Under the Ada, Moffatt Thomas, February 25, 2005
• The Employment Process from Job Descriptions to Undemployment Comp; Avoiding Charges and Litigation, Sterling Education Seminar, January 26, 2005
• Transferring and Protecting Water Rights, February 15, 2005
• Workplace Violence, Idaho Bankers Association, January 13, 2005

Pro Bono Activities

• American Bar Association (Chairman, House of Delegates 1980-82) (President), 1986 - 1987
• Court Appointed Special Advocate attorney volunteer (2 lawyers)
• Idaho Adoptions for Families with Children Born in China, 1986 - 2005
• Idaho Law Foundation, Director/President
• Idaho Partners for Justice, Executive Committee
• Idaho State Bar, State President(s)
• Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program
• Or-Idaho Council Director, Boy Scouts of America
• St. Luke's Episcopal Church--legal assistance (Idaho Falls), 2003 - 2005
• St. Joseph's School--Board of Directors
• Trust and Estate Professionals of Idaho, Inc., 2004 - 2005

Representative Clients

• Burlington Northern Santa Fe
• Chevron Texaco Corporation
• Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
• General Motors Corporation
• Intermountain Gas Company
• Key Bank, N.A.
• 3M Company
• Micron Technology
• Northwest Nazarene University
• Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho
• St. Luke's Regional Medical Center
• Washington Mutual, Inc.
• Zurich-American Insurance Company

Representative Cases

• Associated Taxpayers of Idaho Inc. vs. Cenarussa, 725 P.2d 526, 111 Idaho 502
• Albertsons and United Food and Commercial Workers, 116 Labor Arbitration Reporter 635 (Kaufmann (2001)
• Dulaney vs. St. Alphonsus, 137 Idaho 160, 45 P. 3d 816 (Idaho Supreme 2002)
• Fouche vs. Chrysler Corporation, 107 Idaho 701 (Idaho Supreme 1984)
• Lapham vs. Stewart, 137 Idaho 582, 51 P. 3d 396 (Idaho Supreme 2002)
• Mitchell vs. Zilog, Inc., 125 Idaho 709, 874 P.2d 520 (Idaho Supreme 1994)
• Oats vs. Nissan Motor Corp in U.S.A., 879 P.2d 1095, 126 Idaho 162
• Rhodes vs. Idaho Industrial Commission, 125 Idaho 139 (Idaho Supreme 1993)
• Rudd vs. Merritt, 138 Idaho 526, 66 P. 3d 230 (Idaho Supreme 2003)
• Sharp vs. W. H. Moore, Inc., 118 Idaho 297, 796 P.2d 134 (Idaho Supreme 1990)

References

• American Bar Association
• Attorneys Liability Assurance Society
• Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Boy Scouts of America
• DBSI Group of Companies
• Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry
• Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho
• State Capital Global Law Firm Group
• US Bancorp
• Wells Fargo Bank

Ancillary Businesses

• Legislative Legal Services

West Practice Categories

Agriculture Law, Arbitration, Mediation, Banking & Finance Law, Lending & Secured Transactions, Bankruptcy Law, Creditors' Rights, Business Organizations, Formation & Business Planning, Non-profit & Tax-exempt Organizations, Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, Environmental Law, Water Pollution, Estate Planning, Government Agencies & Programs, Health & Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Labor Law, Litigation & Appeals, Water & Riparian Rights, Real Estate Law, Land Use & Zoning, Science & Technology Law, Securities Law, Taxation Law