Spokane attorneys launch new law practice downtown

Spokane attorneys Mary Ellen GaffneyBrown and Pete Lineberger opened a new law firm in downtown Spokane in May.

The firm, called Lineberger & GaffneyBrown PLLC, employs five people in addition to its principals and leases about 1,500 square feet of space in the Paulsen Center at 422 W. Riverside, says Lineberger.

Gaffney-Brown previously was a partner in the Spokane law firm Phillabaum, Ledlin, Matthews & Gaffney-Brown. She left that firm at the end of last year when it decided to dissolve and form a new limited liability company.

Gaffney-Brown, who has practiced law for 15 years, says she had served with Lineberger on a Spokane County Bar Association committee some years ago and enjoyed working with him.

"Our practices are complementary, and our philosophies of representation are similar," she says. "The philosophy of our firm is to represent businesses and families in as an economical and efficient a manner as possible."

Gaffney-Brown mostly practices commercial law with an emphasis on debtorcreditor matters, including bankruptcies, she says. She currently represents the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee for Metropolitan Investment Securities Inc., the now defunct brokerage affiliated with Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co.

Lineberger focuses mostly on matrimonial and family law and previously operated his own practice here, which employed one support person. He practiced law in Montana for 18 years before moving to Spokane 10 years ago.

Separately, the partners of Phillabaum Ledlin formed Phillabaum, Ledlin, Matthews & Sheldon PLLC in December 2003, says attorney Ian Ledlin. The new name includes that of Brian Sheldon, who was named a partner of the previous firm in early 2003, says Sheldon who primarily focuses on general civil litigation and insurance defense. The firm employs 18 people, including seven attorneys, and also is located in the Paulsen Center.