Stoel Rives Names Maren Norton as Seattle Office Managing Partner

SEATTLE — Stoel Rives LLP, an AmLaw 200 firm, named Maren R. Norton office managing partner of the firm’s Seattle office, effective January 1, 2022. As office managing partner, Norton oversees the day-to-day management of the office, supporting its business activities and recruiting efforts. In her new role, Norton succeeds Vanessa Soriano Power, who served in the role from 2017 to 2021.

“Maren has demonstrated impressive leadership skills and a tangible passion for fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm as well as a commitment to the Seattle community. We look forward to her leadership as we navigate the ongoing pandemic and beyond,” said Melissa A. Jones, Stoel Rives’ Firm Managing Partner. “We are incredibly grateful to Vanessa for her leadership throughout the past five years and look forward to building on her accomplishments and initiatives in the Seattle market.”

Norton, who first joined Stoel Rives’ Seattle office as a summer associate in 2003, has nearly 20 years of trial and appellate experience representing clients in complex commercial disputes. An experienced litigator and leader, she served as the chair of the firm’s Litigation group from 2020 to 2021, and has been recognized as a litigation leader by Best Lawyers in America^®. She briefly left the firm for one year to be an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington from 2008 to 2009 before returning. She is very active in the community, previously serving on the Shoreline School Board and as President of the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation. She also currently serves as the Class Agent for the University of Michigan Law School and sits on the Dean’s Advisory Committee.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to give back to the office that provided the platform for me to build my legal career,” Norton said. “Stoel’s culture — the people who make it a special place — allowed me to build and grow my practice, in a unique and authentic way. I am excited to support others in doing likewise and humbled to be asked to play a role in helping our Seattle grow and continue to provide the highest quality service to our clients.”

Norton is committed to the Seattle office’s diversity and inclusion efforts. She previously served on the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for nine years and was its vice chair half of those years. Norton was also shortlisted for the for the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2020. As Office Managing Partner, she plans to identify additional opportunities to partner and engage with clients to foster diversity and enhance ongoing firmwide programs, such the Gregoire Fellows Program which is a partnership between the University of Washington Law School and the Seattle legal community to bring greater diversity to the profession.

Best known for its environmental, energy, and commercial law practices, the Seattle-based Stoel Rives attorneys provide a wide range of transactional and litigation services including corporate and business services, real estate, labor and employment law, intellectual property, tax, employee benefits and estate planning. Stoel Rives represents businesses at all stages of growth, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.