Miller Nash Graham & Dunn partner Christine Masse was honored as Mentor of the Year by the King County Bar Association (KCBA) Young Lawyers Division. The award ceremony took place at the KCBA Young Lawyers Division Winter Soiree on February 9, 2017.
The KCBA Young Lawyers Division annually recognizes exceptional attorneys in the legal community for their guidance, support, and encouragement of young lawyers. Miller Nash Graham & Dunn attorneys accounted for two of the thirteen finalists: Ms. Masse and Daniel Oates. Mr. Oates, also a partner, has been a leader and is also a strong advocate for the firm’s associates. Both attorneys were nominated by several Miller Nash Graham & Dunn associates for this recognition.
In her letter of nomination of Ms. Masse, MNGD associate Brie Coyle Jones writes, “No one person has had a greater impact on my career and professional development than Chris Masse. She has sought out opportunities for me to speak at national conferences. She has brought in billable work that aligned with my interests, even when the work was outside of her own interests. She has guided my participation in ground-breaking Indian law projects and instilled confidence in our tribal clients that I am capable of the tasks at hand. Ms. Masse's mentorship has empowered me to fully participate in the legal profession and her tireless advocacy has helped eliminate barriers that diverse attorneys frequently experience at law firms."
Partner Danielle Hunt also submitted a letter of nomination for Ms. Masse. In her nomination, she wrote, “Chris has three young children and a husband who works outside the home. She has been a tireless advocate for working mothers and is open about the challenges of what it means to be a dedicated mother and a dedicated professional. I watch how she communicates with clients and manages work emergencies when pressures from home are pulling her away from the office. She is open about being a working mother and has helped me learn how to balance work/life pressures and remain poised and composed (even if it is not always easy).”
About Chris Masse
Masse leads the firm’s tribal team, providing counsel to several Northwest Native American tribes and organizations on gaming, regulatory, real property, construction, financing, tax, liquor, marijuana, and economic development issues. She is also the leader of Miller Nash Graham & Dunn’s government and regulatory affairs practice group and specializes in representing businesses in highly regulated industries with their transactional, regulatory, and public policy needs. She is a registered lobbyist in Washington State and has successfully lobbied for the passage of legislation in various areas.
Masse joined Miller Nash Graham & Dunn in 1999 and served on the Miller Nash Graham & Dunn Executive Committee from 2011-2016. She has been selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers since 2013, including being named Lawyer of the Year for Gaming Law in Seattle in 2014; and has been recognized as a Washington Rising Star and Super Lawyer since 2005.
Before joining the firm, Masse was a judicial extern for the Honorable Thomas S. Zilly, U.S. District Court, Seattle, Washington. In 1997, she clerked for the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney, in Springfield, Illinois.
