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Bruce T. Bjerke

BjerkeBruce
Partner
Co-chair, Business & Tax Group
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Seattle
T206.757.8071
F206.757.7071
Bruce Bjerke counsels clients in business transactions, including the acquisition or sale of companies. For the past 30 years, he has handled hundreds of these transactions for clients such as Starbucks Corporation, Microsoft, Amazon, Red Lion Hotels, Edison Energy, Puget Sound Energy, ECOVA, Security Properties, Inc., and Bristol Bay Native Corporation. He also counsels boards of directors on corporate governance and strategic planning.

Bruce has served on boards of directors for businesses, including as chairman and president of Riddell Williams P.S., and chairman of the board of directors of West Coast Hotels and chairman of the board of directors of Paramount Hotels.

Representative Experience

Starbucks Coffee Company

Represented Starbucks in its acquisitions of Evolution Fresh, La Boulange, Café Hawaii Partners, and Puerto Rico Coffee Partners.

Microsoft

Represented Microsoft in acquisitions and dispositions.

Red Lion Hotels Corp.

Represented Red Lion in the sale of the Red Lion Fifth Avenue Hotel, in the acquisition of ten hotels from iStar, and in the acquisition of Red Lion from Hilton.

Avista Corp. and Ecova

Represented Avista Corp. and its affiliate Ecova in multiple acquisitions.

Bristol Bay Native Corporation

Represented Bristol Bay Native Corp. in multiple acquisitions.

Edison Energy

Represented Edison Energy and its affiliates in multiple acquisitions and investments.

MasterPark LLC

Representation of MasterPark LLC in the merger of multiple predecessors, financings, and property acquisitions.

Black Diamond Equipment

Represented the owners of Black Diamond in the sale of the company to Clarus Corporation.

Puget Sound Energy

Represented Puget Sound Energy in the sale of InfrastruX Group, Inc., to Tenaska Power Fund.

Massif Mountain Gear Company

Represented the owners of Massif Mountain Gear Company in the sale of that company to Golden Gate Capital.

Professional & Community Activities

  • American Bar Association
  • Chair, Board of Regents, Pacific Lutheran University
  • Trustee and former Chairman, Board of Trustees, Childhaven
  • Former Member and President, Board of Directors, The Market Foundation
  • Former Chairman, Board of Directors, Pike Market Medical Clinic
  • Former Chair and President, Riddell Williams, P.S.
  • Former Chair of the Board, West Coast Hotels, Inc.

Professional Recognition

  • Named one of "America’s Leading Lawyers for Business" in Corporate/Commercial Law (Washington) by Chambers USA
  • Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers 
  • Recognized as one of Washington state's "Amazing Lawyers" by Washington CEO and as one of Seattle's "Top Lawyers" by Seattle Magazine
  • Selected to "Washington Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters 
  • Selected to "Top 100 Washington Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters 
Close

Education

  • J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1976
    • Order of the Coif
  • M.A., University of Oxford, 1974, with honors
    • Rhodes Scholar
  • B.A., Pacific Lutheran University, 1972, magna cum laude

Related Practices

Admitted to Practice

  • Washington