Programs & Events
Sharon Nelson Leadership Award
The Sharon Nelson Leadership Award was established in 2003 to honor prominent University of Washington School of Law alumni who have made significant contributions in the areas of law and technology. An accomplished attorney, Sharon Nelson was the inaugural director of the Shidler Center, and the former head of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission.
The Sharon Nelson Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have emerged as leaders in fields involving law, commerce and technology. The work of the Nelson Award recipient should have national or international impact, transform his or her chosen field and contribute to the common good. The award is honorary and does not come with a stipend or honorarium. If you have questions, please contact Professor Anita Ramasastry at arama@u.washington.edu.
Current Recipient
2007
Martin f. smith (’81) practiced for 25 years with the law
firm of Preston Gates & Ellis, (now K&L Gates). He founded their Intellectual
Property Practice Group, advising such organizations as Microsoft and Amazon.com. Smith currently serves as Chair of the Technology
Alliance board and sits on the boards of the Washington State K-20 Network and
the Attenex Corporation, a company he helped found in 1999. The awards ceremony
and public lecture was held on
October 25, 2007.
The event was sponsored by Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP (K&L
Gates), the Microsoft Corporation, and Perkins Coie LLP.
Past Recipients
2006
RICHARD SALWEN (’71) is the founding General Counsel for
the Dell Computer Corporation. He worked for Roger Shidler at the firm then
named Shidler, McBroom, Gates and Baldwin (now Kirkland & Lockhart Preston
Gates Ellis LLP). Salwen also served as Associate General Counsel for the
Federal Aviation Administration in Seattle and as General Counsel at the Perot
Group, a real estate investment and development company owned by Ross Perot in
Dallas, Texas. The awards ceremony and public lecture were held on October 4,
2006 and sponsored by Heller Ehrman and Perkins Coie.
2005
Roberta Katz (’80) is currently the Associate Vice President of Strategic Planning, Stanford University and former General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Netscape Communications. In addition, she was previously the President and CEO, Technology Network (TechNet).
- Press Release, which includes more background information on Katz
2004
Gregory C. Simon (’84), president of FasterCures/The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions. Simon formerly served as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Al Gore and played a key role in the crafting and passing of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
2003
Judge Betty Fletcher ('56), United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Fletcher was one of the founding partners of Preston Gates Ellis
(now Kirkland & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP), became the first woman to serve on the Board of Governors for the Washington State Bar Association, and was the first female president of the Seattle/King County Bar Association. Judge Fletcher
was appointed to the Ninth Circuit Court in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter.