Kutak Rock partner Sarah E. Elsden has been appointed as Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference for the Eastern District of Washington. Sarah will serve a three-year term through October 31, 2027.

Lawyer Representatives represent attorneys practicing in each of the Ninth Circuit’s 15 districts. These districts span across nine states in the western United States and two Pacific Island jurisdictions. Lawyer Representatives are vital to the administration of justice in the Ninth Circuit and responsible for supporting open communications between judges and attorneys as well as providing support and advice in Court functions. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Attending and participating in the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference
• Voting in lawyer representative elections and in balloting for Judicial Conference resolutions
• Participating in the Conference resolution process—proposing, drafting and debating resolutions
• Educating members of the bar about the Conference and soliciting their reviews
• Speaking at district meetings and at the Conference to assure the views of lawyers are heard

Sarah focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation and counseling in connection with a wide range of industries, including software services, consumer products, and financial services. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in an extensive variety of matters, including commercial and employment disputes, with significant experience in all phases of complex commercial litigation. Sarah routinely advises businesses facing contract disputes, consumer protection, noncompete covenants, fraud, trade secret and unfair competition, and copyright and trademark infringement issues.