Peter C. Partnow
Counsel to the Firm
partnowp@lanepowell.com
907.264.3317
Areas of Practice
Peter Partnow’s practice emphasizes litigation and dispute resolution in employment and labor
disputes, construction, public procurement and contract claims, and other complex litigation.
Chambers USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has listed Peter as a “Leading Lawyer,”
describing him as “well known, well respected and well liked” and as having a “strong background in
dispute resolution, particularly in relation to employment matters.”
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Lane Powell, Peter has been an owner of his own firm as well as general counsel
for the Anchorage School District and chief of the civil section of the Alaska Attorney General’s
Anchorage Office.
Admitted to Practice
Alaska
United States District Court, District of Alaska
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Academics
University of Chicago (J.D.)
Bowdoin College (B.A., magna cum laude)
James Bowdoin Scholar
Phi Beta Kappa
Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships
Business Crisis Management and Emergency Remedies
Construction
Labor and Employment
Litigation
Significant Experience in Labor Area
Member of Bargaining Team for the Anchorage School District in teachers’ union negotiations
Former hearing examiner for the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights. Hearing officer on ad hoc basis for numerous school districts in employee discipline and termination proceedings
Expert witness in civil proceedings regarding public employment labor matters
Presenter at various CLE’s and panels including presentations on Tort Reform Impact on Employment and Labor Matters, COBRA, Fair Credit Reporting Act Impact on Employment
Matters, Fair Labor Standards Act, Agency Processed Employments Discrimination Matters in Alaska, Equal Employment Opportunity Law Developments, and Choice of State or Federal
Court for Employment Disputes in Alaska
Advocated for numerous employers in a variety of mediations, arbitrations, and other administrative proceedings involving dismissal, transfer, work assignments, employee benefits, discrimination, and retaliation.
Reported Employment Related Appellate Decisions
Woodford v. Tesoro Alaska, Case No. 3:11-cv-000444-TMB (D. Alaska January 13, 2013) (alleged discrimination, retaliation, and harassment)
Goodson v. G.S. Equipment Inc., Case No. 3:11-cv-00059-TMB (D. Alaska June 3, 2013) (remand of
ERISA LTD claim)
Brooks v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., OAH No. 11-0206-HRC, ASCHR No. J-08-0069 (alleged race discrimination)
Kendall and Rahlfs v. The Home Depot, Inc., Case No. 3AN-06-13817 Civil (alleged age
discrimination, retaliation and violation of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and award of attorney’s fees)
Giordano v. Providence Health System in Washington, Case No. 3:08-cv-0219-RRB (D. Alaska September 21, 2010) (denial of ERISA LTD claim)
Raad v. Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, __ F.3d __ (9th Cir. 2006) (alleged
discrimination and retaliation and award of attorneys fees)
Raad v. Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, 323 F.3d 1185 (9th Cir. 2003) (alleged discrimination and retaliation)
Raad v. Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, 86 P.3d 899 (Alaska 2004) (alleged employment discrimination and retaliation)
Ellingstad v. State, Department of Natural Resources, 979 P.2d 1000 (Alaska 1999) (alleged breach of contract)
Johnson v. University of Alaska, 1998 WL 34347965 (Alaska 1998) (alleged age discrimination in employment )
University of Alaska v. Tovsen, 835 P.2d 445 (Alaska 1992) (termination of probationary employee)
Anchorage Daily News v. Anchorage School District, 779 P.2d 1191 (Alaska 1989) (public records)
Martinez v. Anchorage School District, 699 P.2d 330 (Alaska 1985) (termination of employment)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Board of Education v. Brown, 691 P. 2d 1034 (termination of employment for immorality)
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Anchorage Education Association v. Anchorage School District, 648 P.2d 992 (Alaska 1982) (legality of public employee strike)
Griffin v. Galena City School District, 640 P. 2d 829 (Alaska 1982) (termination of employment)
Rouse v Anchorage School District, 613 P.2d 263 (Alaska 1980) (change of benefits under collective bargaining agreement)
Recent Trial Court Proceedings In Employment And Labor Area
Bonus v. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. (alleged wrongful termination of at-will employee who violated HIPAA/HITECH confidentiality requirements)
Cronick v. Custom Disability Solutions et al (ERISA medical claim)
Walleri v. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. (alleged wrongful termination/breach of contract claim by former in-house general counsel)
Ah You v. The Home Depot, Inc. (alleged national origin discrimination/wrongful termination)
Uei v. Kenai Peninsula Borough (alleged failure to protect/negligence)
Wilfong v. Kenai Peninsula Borough (alleged wrongful termination/age and gender discrimination)
Jacketta v. The Home Depot, Inc. (alleged employment disability discrimination)
Hanchett v. IBEX et al (alleged wrongful termination and retaliation)
Bell v. Boys and Girls Club of Kenai (alleged sexual harassment)
Dowd v. Countrywide Mortgage, Inc. (alleged mortgage fraud)
Golden Heart Emergency Physicians v. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. (complex claim for medical services reimbursement)
Sonnyboy v. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. (alleged wrongful termination)
Sam v. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. (alleged wrongful termination)
McDowell v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged disability discrimination/failure to accommodate in employment)
Ortiz v. Sam’s Club (alleged national origin discrimination/retaliation)
Bloemhard v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged sexual harassment/retaliation)
Cowen v. Alaska State Commission for Human Rights and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged disability discrimination in employment)
Watkins v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged gender discrimination/wrongful termination)
Schleiter v. Sam’s Club (alleged disability discrimination in employment/retaliation/wrongful termination)
Zurek v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged national origin and gender discrimination in employment)
Olson v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged gender discrimination in employment)
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Jenkins v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged disability discrimination in employment)
Johnson v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged sex discrimination/harassment/retaliation/failure to accommodate/wrongful termination)
Flakes v. Alaska Sales and Service (alleged discriminatory failure to promote)
Flory v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged employment disability discrimination)
Hoffman v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged sex and disability discrimination)
Sears v. GCI et. al. (personal injury allegedly caused by negligent utility repair)
Absolute Environmental Services v. Imperial et al. (complex multiparty construction dispute)
Flory v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (alleged ADA claim)
MP v. Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (student sexual assault alleged arising from failure to supervise)
Smith v. Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (student injured in physical education class)
Bashaw v. South Peninsula Hospital et. al. (claim of wrongful termination and interference with contract)
Frost v. Morris (alleged employment discrimination and retaliation)
Pierson v Restaurants Unlimited, Inc. (alleged age discrimination in employment)
ACS v. Alaska Construction and Paving et. al. (complex dispute regarding road construction and
alleged damages to buried utilities)
Representative Clients
ASSETS, Inc.
Bank of America
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
The Home Depot, Inc.
Kenai Peninsula Borough and Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc.
Tesoro Alaska Company
Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Publications
“Lynne Curry: Employee Coming Out Has Rattled Some Cages,” Alaska Dispatch News, Quoted (April 6, 2015)
“Is the Issue of Whether Pilots Are ‘Professionals’ for Purposes of Wage and Hour Laws Still up in the Air? You May Be Surprised at How This Alaska Ruling Could Affect All Employers,” Lane Powell Legal Update (November 24, 2014)
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Speaking Engagements
“Annual Labor and Employment Law Update: Lessons for Best Employers,” Lane Powell’s Anchorage
Labor and Employment Seminar (April 2, 2015)
“Agency Processed Employment Discrimination Claims in Alaska,” Alaska Bar Association Employment Law Section (statewide) (January 2013)
“Equal Employment Opportunity Developments,” Law Seminars International CLE, Anchorage, Alaska (December 2012)
“NDA’s/IP Protection/Hiring the First Employee,” Alaska Bar Association’s “Legal Issues in Starting a New Venture” CLE (October 2011)
“Effectively Handling Difficult HR Situations in Turbulent Times,” Lane Powell Sponsored CLE (November 2009)
“Ten Things I Wish I’d Asked My Alaska Employment Lawyer,” Lane Powell Sponsored CLE
(February 2009)
“Employment Litigation in Alaska: Federal Court or State Court? What’s a Litigator to Do?,” Alaska Bar Association Employment Law Section (statewide) (April 2008)
“Honoring Belief Systems in the Workplace: A Legal Overview,” Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission’s Technical Assistance Program Seminar
Awards and Honors
Recommended by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Labor & Employment
(2012-2016)
Named an “Alaska Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers® magazine, Employment & Labor (2015)
Professional and Community Activities
Alaska Bar Association
Alaska Bar Association, Fee Arbitrator
Alaska Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section Executive Committee
Alaska Attorney Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference
Board Member, Anchorage Concert Association
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