PROPOSAL TO:

ALASKA REDISTRICTING BOARD

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR

LEGAL CONSULTING SERVICES

SUBMITTED BY:
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue, Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501

DORSEY AUTHORIZED CONTACTS:

Michael Grisham
Of Counsel
(907) 257-7829
grisham.michael@dorsey.com

Jill McLeod
Partner
(907) 257-7832
mcleod.jill@dorsey.com

JANUARY 2021
PROPOSAL TO:
Alaska Redistricting Board
JANUARY 29, 2021

ALASKA REDISTRICTING BOARD

3901 Old Seward Hwy., Ste. 141, Anchorage, AK 99503
Via Email to Peter.Torkelson@akredistrict.org

Subject: RFI for Legal Consulting Services

Dear Mr. Torkelson:

Dorsey & Whitney LLP (“Dorsey”) hereby responds to the Request for Information for Legal Consulting Services
for the Alaska Redistricting Board (“Board”).

Dorsey is an international firm with over 550 attorneys and a long-standing Anchorage office with attorneys who
live in Alaska because we all love being here; several of us are born and raised Alaskans. These strong local roots
provide an understanding of the pulse of the Alaskan legal, government and business climate that can only be
understood by being up here in the Last Frontier. The access of Dorsey Anchorage attorneys to Dorsey’s national
bench of experts on topics not found in Alaska firms allows Dorsey to provide the Board with the “best of both
worlds”— a robust local team with access to colleagues with specific expertise, on a timely and cost-effective
basis. Our local team routinely works seamlessly with attorneys from other offices to solve our clients’ problems.

The enclosed response provides information about Dorsey’s ability to help the Board navigate legal issues that
may arise during the redistricting process. Please note that Michael Grisham and Jill McLeod are authorized to
make representations on behalf of Dorsey with respect to this proposal. We commit to deliver timely and
insightful legal services.

Thank you for this opportunity and for your thoughtful consideration of our team’s qualifications.

Sincerely,

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Michael Grisham Jill McLeod

Of Counsel Partner
(907) 257-7829 (907) 257-7832
grisham.michael@dorsey.com mcleod.jill@dorsey.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXPERIENCE ................................................................................................4

LEAD ATTORNEY AND KEY PERSONNEL ..............................................................9

FEE SCHEDULE ........................................................................................... 10

REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 11

APPENDIX A – BIOGRAPHIES .......................................................................... 12

EXPERIENCE
Responders must provide comprehensive narrative statements that illustrate their understanding of the
requirements of the project and the project schedule including:

A. An organizational chart specific to the personnel assigned to accomplish the work called for in this
Request; illustrate the lines of authority; designate the individual responsible and accountable for
the completion of the work.

Michael Grisham
Of Counsel
Lead Attorney

Jill McLeod Louisiana Cutler

Partner Of Counsel
Key Personnel Key Personnel

Siena Caruso Michele Rupp

Associate Senior Paralegal

B. A narrative description of their firm’s qualifications and prior experience including the Lead
Attorney and Key Personnel’s experience in advising clients in Alaska with regard to:
(a) statutory duties; (b) matters of federal and state constitutional law; (c) legal aspects of the operation
of public agencies and their interactions with the public; (d) state or municipal elections including state
and federal voting rights issues pertaining to redistricting; and (e) trial experience; and experience with
appeals before the Alaska Supreme Court.

Jill McLeod is a lifelong Alaskan. Born in Juneau and raised in Anchorage, Jill is deeply committed to serving the
Alaska community and upholding the Alaska Constitution. In this redistricting cycle, Jill was appointed by the
Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court, and then elected to lead, the Redistricting Planning Committee, the
committee responsible for the initial preparations and arrangements necessary for the Redistricting Board to
successfully complete its work implementing Alaska’s decennial redistricting plan. During her year long tenure
as the Chair of the Redistricting Planning Committee, Jill became intimately familiar with the redistricting
process, voting rights, electoral system design including redistricting software, redistricting and voting rights
issues pertaining to redistricting and the redistricting requirements under state and federal law, including the
Voting Rights Act. With her understanding of the redistricting requirements, Jill will be able to assist the Board

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 4

in preparing a defensible redistricting plan. In her role as the Chair, Jill ensured compliance with the Open
Meeting Act for all public meetings.

Mike Grisham’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation and appeals, and he has made numerous
appearances before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Alaska Supreme Court, with many reported
cases to his credit. Mike has specific, significant, and recent experience in many types of administrative
litigation, including procurement challenges and defense in both federal and state procurement matters. Mike
also advises clients regarding compliance with personnel regulations and guidelines. Mike notes: “Every
redistricting plan ever adopted in the State of Alaska has been challenged, and this year’s plan will be as
well. The Board needs an experienced litigator to assist and support the Board who is comfortable in each of
the very different venues – from agency review to the Alaska Supreme Court – where those challenges will be
heard. In my 25 years of litigation work I have developed the litigation experience necessary to assist the Board,
and I welcome the challenge.”

Louisiana Cutler advises Alaskan clients on a variety of issues such as constitutional law, legislation, ordinances,
municipal, employment, and other Alaska law issues. She has over 25 years of complex litigation experience
involving constitutional and municipal law. She specializes in representing public sector clients and the unique
issues that face them because of their status as governmental actors. Louisiana routinely assisted municipal
clients in Alaska when all elections and any change to election laws in Alaska had to be approved by the
Department of Justice under the Voting Rights Act. She was involved with two Voting Rights Act litigation
matters, one representing the City of Bethel, Alaska and one for the Municipality of Anchorage.

Siena Caruso’s practice focuses on complex civil litigations, and she also routinely assists municipal clients in
Alaska and has worked closely with Louisiana Cutler to support the firm’s municipal law clients.

We take pride in our ability to provide timely and effective legal advice within tight time lines. This ability is
based not only on our dedication to our clients’ goals, but on our ability to pull in additional resources from our
national platform to support fast track litigation.

Dorsey’s Legislative practice group, comprised of attorneys and non-attorney lobbyists, helps clients address
political and public policy challenges thoughtfully and strategically, including election laws. The group assists
clients in lobbying the legislature and working with the governor, state attorney general and state agencies,
boards and commissions. We have extensive experience in handling regulatory and administrative matters
through legislative change as well as through state administrative procedures and the courts. We also assist
clients in state and federal campaign finance issues, ethics and election law issues, lobbyist reporting, and a
wide variety of compliance advice. Link to Dorsey's Legislative Practice

C. A description of the firm’s qualifications and experience advising clients on elections related
matters in Alaska and other Alaska statutes and regulations.

The Dorsey team has extensive experience advising clients on a plethora of Alaska and federal statutes and
regulations. Each of the team members regularly advise clients on administrative code provisions, state and
federal statutes and regulations, including procurement laws and bid protests, wage and hour laws and
regulations, zoning regulations, liquor license statutes and regulations, public records laws, anti-trust, and
more. Additionally, members of the team routinely advise on oil and gas and mining laws and regulations,
maritime law, environmental statutes and regulations, Alaska Native law, and telecommunications law.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 5

As stated above, Jill McLeod was the chair of the 2019-2020 Redistricting Planning Committee. Both Jill and
Louisiana Cutler have experience with the redistricting process and the redistricting requirements under the
Alaska statutes, Alaska Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act.

Dorsey has been involved with the Election Protection project for over a decade and hosts a national call center,
ensuring that voters were able to cast their vote and have that vote counted. As a result, we have familiarity
with the Voting Rights Act in particular as it relates to the language and assistance requirements.

D. A description of any distinct and substantive qualifications for undertaking the proposed contract,
such as the availability of specialized equipment, awards and recognition received for similar
services or special approaches or concepts relevant to the required services.

Dorsey calls upon a suite of technology resources to support the services our attorneys provide to clients. The
following are just a few of the technology solutions we employ in our daily work.

KnowledgeFinder. KnowledgeFinder is a searchable collection of standard forms, best practices, and valuable
precedent and research spanning nearly every major facet of our practice. It helps ensure that clients benefit
from the collective knowledge and work product of the 550+ attorneys in the firm efficiently and avoids
reinvention of the wheel at clients’ expense.

CAEL LPM. Dorsey is ahead of its peers in the category of legal project management (LPM), a discipline which
allows us to forecast, communicate, update, and manage budgets on the legal matters we handle. Our LPM
team uses powerful software called CAEL LPM, which helps project managers plan staffing and budgets and
produce progress updates, and alerts team members of possible budget or deadline problems.

NetDocuments and Secure Client Access. “NetDocs” is Dorsey’s document management system. It is an
internet-based platform that allows for firm-wide collaboration on a 24/7 basis. All Dorsey lawyers can share,
assemble, and review documents from anywhere with an internet connection. NetDocs also allows us to share
documents with clients through secure extranet sites.

LegalMine™ Document Review Solutions. LegalMine™ is a state-of-the-art document review and

management service designed to effectively manage costs by culling and limiting the number of documents
that need to be substantively reviewed, keeping the due diligence and discovery processes efficient and
predictable. The service is overseen by a Dorsey attorney for quality control, but uses near-sourced contract
lawyers at a lower hourly rate for most of the tasks of input and initial categorization, working onsite at Dorsey
in restricted access facilities, to ensure that confidentiality and privilege are maintained.

Dashboards. Dorsey has developed numerous internal and external facing dashboards to track matter
progress, billing status, and the like.

Other. Dorsey employs other technology such as Ringtail for discovery, e-billing systems, extranets for clients,
and many more tools to provide excellent, innovative service to our clients and aid our attorneys in serving our
clients.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 6

E. Details about the firm’s ownership, headquarters, branch or affiliate offices and length of time in
business.

Dorsey & Whitney is a limited liability partnership and we have been providing legal services since 1912. Our
headquarters is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Office Locations & Dates Established

UNITED STATES OFFICES INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

ANCHORAGE PALO ALTO CANADA

1031 West Fourth Avenue, Suite 305 Lytton Avenue
TORONTO
600 Palo Alto, California 94301
TD Canada Trust Tower
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-5907 Established: 2002
Brookfield Place 161 Bay Street
Established: 1995
SALT LAKE CITY Suite 4310
DALLAS 111 South Main Street, Suite 2100 Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S1
300 Crescent Court, Suite 400 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111-2176 Established: 2001
Dallas, Texas 75201 Established: 1996
VANCOUVER
Established: 2017
SEATTLE 1095 West Pender Street, Suite 1070
DENVER Columbia Center Vancouver, British Columbia
1400 Wewatta Street, Suite 400 701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6100 BC V6E 2M6
Denver, Colorado 80202-5549 Seattle, Washington 98104-7043 Established: 1995
Established: 1992 Established: 1995 EUROPE
DES MOINES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LONDON
801 Grand Avenue, Suite 4100 Plaza Tower 199 Bishopsgate
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2790 600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 2000 London, England EC2M 3UT
Established: 1991 Costa Mesa, California 92626 Established: 1986
Established: 1992
MINNEAPOLIS ASIA
50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1500 WASHINGTON, D.C. BEIJING
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-1498 1401 New York Avenue NW, Suite Twin Towers (West), Suite 1503-1505
Established: 1912 900 B12 Jianguomenwai Avenue
Washington DC, 20005 Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022
MISSOULA Established: 1988 Established: 2015
Millennium Building
125 Bank Street, Suite 600 WILMINGTON HONG KONG
Missoula, Montana 59802-4407 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1010 One Pacific Place, Suite 3008
Established: 1979 Wilmington, Delaware 19801 88 Queensway
Established: 2006 Hong Kong
NEW YORK Established: 1995
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019-6119 SHANGHAI
Established: 1984 Kerry Parkside, Suite 807-808
No. 1155 Fang Dian Road
Pudong, Shanghai 201204
Established: 2001

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 7

F. A description of the firm’s structure, size and capabilities/quantities available in terms of personnel
and equipment. Indicate if the award of this contract would require the acquisition of additional
space, equipment, personnel or any other items. Be as specific as possible (i.e., how much
additional space, specific equipment, the number and function of additional employees, etc.)

As a full-service law firm with seven attorneys based here in Anchorage and nearly 550 fellow attorneys to call
upon from our other 18 offices, Dorsey & Whitney LLP is well-equipped to offer excellent legal representation
to the Board in any legal arena that may arise. Given the resources available throughout our 19 offices, Dorsey
will not require any additional space, equipment, or personnel to complete the scope of work required by the
Board. We have extra offices in our Anchorage office for visitors, and three individual conference rooms to
accommodate the Board and Board staff.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 8

LEAD ATTORNEY AND KEY PERSONNEL
Below please find a roster of proposed team members with brief descriptions of their capabilities, an estimate
of the percentage of time expected to be spent on Board matters, along with hourly rates. Full biographies for
all team members appear in Appendix A.
Michael Grisham
Lead Attorney
Of Counsel, Anchorage
(907) 257-7829
grisham.michael@dorsey.com
Percentage of time: 50%
Hourly Rate: $435
Jill McLeod
Key Personnel
Partner, Anchorage
(907) 257-7832
mcleod.jill@dorsey.com
Percentage of time: 10%
Hourly Rate: $440
Louisiana W. Cutler
Key Personnel
Of Counsel, Anchorage
(907) 257-7828
cutler.louisiana@dorsey.com
Percentage of time: 10%
Hourly Rate: $450
Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021
We propose Michael Grisham to serve as the
overall team lead with respect to accountability
and client service and primary, day-to-day
communications. As a member of Dorsey's Trial
group, Mike’s practice focuses on complex civil
litigation and appeals, and he has made numerous
appearances before the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals and the Alaska Supreme Court. He has
assisted clients in successfully managing litigation
and arbitration matters in an array of practice areas
– from antitrust compliance to administrative
litigation to commercial litigation and appeals – by
providing clients with the strategic understanding
and the legal tools they need. He also regularly
provides counsel on employment-related matters.
Jill has two decades of U.S. and international legal
experience, including extensive work in
acquisitions, commercial transactions,
environmental & regulatory compliance,
telecommunications, transportation, real estate,
finance, and general corporate law. Jill acts as
outside general counsel for many companies,
providing advice and practical solutions to a full
range of day-to-day concerns. She provides
general corporate, corporate governance, and
transactional advice to clients, and counsels other
clients on state and federal permitting and
regulatory approvals required for infrastructure
projects and acquisitions.
Louann advises Alaskan clients on constitutional
law, legislation, ordinances, municipal,
employment, and other Alaska law issues. She has
over 25 years of experience as a litigator focusing
on complex litigation involving constitutional law,
construction law, municipal law, and other issues.
She has litigated matters in Alaska trial and
appellate courts, as well as administrative hearings
and arbitrations.
9
 Siena Moberly Caruso
Key Personnel
Associate, Anchorage
(907) 257-7818
caruso.siena@dorsey.com
Percentage of time: 20%
Hourly Rate: $360
Siena Caruso helps clients navigate complex legal
issues in federal court, state court, and arbitration
proceedings. Siena is an associate attorney in
Dorsey’s Trial Group, where she uses her domestic
and international experience to achieve effective
and efficient litigations outcomes for her clients.
Siena’s litigation experience includes complex
consumer class actions; multidistrict, product
liability, and commercial litigations; and regulatory
compliance.

Michele Rupp Michele is a Certified Paralegal in Dorsey’s

Key Personnel
Senior Paralegal, Anchorage
(907) 257-7808
rupp.michele@dorsey.com
Percentage of time: 10%
Hourly Rate: $260
Anchorage office. She has over 25 years of
experience in the Alaska legal market, providing
key support in a broad range of areas. Her primary
focus is business transactional work involving the
organization of corporations and limited liability
companies, corporate maintenance work, and the
review and preparation of transactional documents
in conjunction with the purchase and sale of
company assets or stock. She regularly assists in
litigation matters.

FEE SCHEDULE
Hourly billing rates for the proposed team of Dorsey attorneys available to support the Alaska Redistricting
Board’s needs are set forth below.

Standard
Dorsey Attorney Role(s) Location
Hourly Rate*
Michael Grisham, Of Counsel Lead Attorney – Litigation, Employment Law Anchorage $435
Redistricting experience, Employment Law,
Jill McLeod, Partner Anchorage $440
Business Contracts
Louisiana Cutler, Of Counsel Constitutional Law, Litigation Anchorage $450
Siena Caruso, Associate Litigation Anchorage $360
Michele Rupp, Senior Paralegal Litigation, Corporate Anchorage $260
* Rates shown in U.S. Dollars, effective as of October 1, 2020. Dorsey considers across-the-board hourly rate increases on an
annual basis (typically in the Fall). These increases have varied over the years but typically fall in the range of two to five
percent. In some years, there have been no across-the-board rate increases.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 10

REFERENCES
Our clients Doyon, Limited and Matanuska Telephone Association, Incorporated can affirm our experience and
expertise in routinely advising on the applicability of codes, regulations, and statutes at the local, state, and
federal level on a wide variety of topics and in all aspects of their business.

Doyon, Limited:
Allen M. Todd
General Counsel
1 Doyon Place, Ste. 300
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
Phone: (907) 459-2019
Mobile: (907) 322-3877
E-mail: todda@doyon.com
In addition to the experience mentioned above, Jill and Mike have worked with Allen on the corporation’s
election rules and ANCSA proxy regulations compliance and campaign issues.

Matanuska Telephone Association, Incorporated:

Michael Burke
Chief Executive Officer
1740 South Chugach Street
Palmer, Alaska 99645
Phone: (907) 761-2400
Mobile: (907) 440-0540
E-mail: mburke@mtasolutions.com

Ryan Ponder
Director Legal, Regulatory & Govt. Affairs
1740 South Chugach Street
Palmer, Alaska 99645
Phone: (907) 761-2413
Mobile: (801) 830-8102
Email: rponder@mtasolutions.com

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 11

APPENDIX A – BIOGRAPHIES

Michael A. Grisham
Of Counsel
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue
Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501-5907
P (907) 257-7829
grisham.michael@dorsey.com

BEING DYNAMIC MEANS INVITING RISK – MIKE HELPS CLIENTS NAVIGATE THROUGH HIGH-RISK
LITIGATION TO REACH THEIR BEST OUTCOME.

As a member of Dorsey's Trial group, Mike’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation and appeals, and he has
made numerous appearances before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Alaska Supreme Court. He has
assisted clients in successfully managing litigation and arbitration matters in an array of practice areas – from
antitrust compliance to commercial litigation and appeals, internal investigations to environmental litigation –
by providing clients with the strategic understanding and the legal tools they need.

Representative Experience
• Bering Straits Citizens v. U.S. Army Corps of Eng., 524 F. 3d 938 (9th Cir. 2008) Lead counsel defending
against NEPA and Clean Water Act challenge to permits issued for $150 mm hard rock mine and related
processing facility in Nome, Alaska. Won summary judgment upholding permits in U.S. District Court that
was affirmed on appeal.
• Johnson v. Columbia Properties Anchorage, LP, 437 F. 3d 894 (9th Cir. 2006) Successfully defended
owner/general contractor of Anchorage Marriott Hotel on contract claims by sub-contractor, obtaining
summary judgment in trial court that was affirmed on appeal.
• Wasser & Winters Co. v. Ritchie Bros., 185 P. 3d 73 (Alaska 2008) Successfully defended one of world’s
largest heavy equipment auctioneers against claims by lienholder of auctioned equipment, establishing
precedent protecting auctioneers.
• Carr-Gottstein Foods Co. v. Wasilla, LLC, 182 P. 3d 1131 (Alaska 2008) Took over appeal and won reversal of
two separate trial results in multi-million dollar lease litigation for Alaska’s largest supermarket chain.

Other representative litigation matters include:

• Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Holiday Alaska, Inc., Successfully defended major gasoline retailer against CERCLA
and RCRA claims brought by neighboring landowner, winning summary dismissal of claims.
• Aleut Enterprise, LLC v. Independence Bank, et al., Won summary judgment for Alaska Native Corporation
subsidiary, allowing repossession of fish processing plant in Adak, Alaska, and defeating millions in
counterclaims.
• Kinney v. Holiday Alaska, Inc., Successfully defended gasoline retailer against wrongful discharge claims.
• McDowell v. Tesoro Alaska Petroleum Co., Took over case after jury verdict returned against client for
$1.2mm in damages for environmental contamination, won 75% remittitur of punitive damages award

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 12

• In re: Coastal Broadcasting, LLC, Successfully defended interests of local broadcaster in state antitrust
investigation.
• In re: Crowley Maritime, et al, Successfully defended shipping company against antitrust challenge to
merger.

Admissions
• Alaska
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Districts of Alaska, Western Wisconsin, and Colorado

Honors
• Recognized as a "Future Star – Alaska" by Benchmark Litigation, 2013-2018 and 2021

Education
• University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., 1994), cum laude
• Dartmouth College (B.A., 1988), with Honors

Professional Activities
• Gladys Wood Soccer – Volunteer Coach
• Bar Examiners Committee – 1998-2006
• ACE Board Member
• Anchorage Pro Bono Coordinator

Articles
• "State Antitrust Practice and Statutes, 3d Ed," ABA (Alaska Section), 2004

Languages
• Spanish

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 13

 Jill McLeod
Partner, Anchorage Office Head
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue
Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501-5907
P (907) 257-7832
mcleod.jill@dorsey.com

JILL HAS TWO DECADES OF U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE
WORK IN ACQUISITIONS, COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS, OIL AND GAS, MINING, PERMITTING,
ENVIRONMENTAL & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TRANSPORTATION, REAL
ESTATE, FINANCE AND GENERAL CORPORATE LAW.

Jill McLeod serves as a partner in Dorsey’s Corporate Group and head of the Firm's Anchorage Office. She
represents companies in a wide variety industries, including oil and gas, mining, shipping and transportation,
telecommunications, and real estate, including hotels and resorts.

Jill’s participation in mergers and acquisitions includes representing buyers and sellers of businesses and
separate assets within businesses. Her experience in real estate includes representing sellers and buyers of real
estate and advising on commercial building leases. Jill advises clients on financings, especially Alaska Native
Corporations and telecommunications companies. She also counsels clients on corporate governance proxy
matters, liquor licensing issues and drilling rig transactions and regularly advises oil and gas, mining and other
clients on state and federal permitting and regulatory approvals required for infrastructure projects and
acquisitions.

Prior to joining Dorsey, Jill served as in-house counsel for ConocoPhillips Company, the world’s largest
independent oil and gas exploration and production company, where she provided expert legal support and
advice to the company’s North Slope asset groups; analyzed and evaluated legal issues relating to
onshore/offshore oil and gas authorizations, leasing, royalties, permitting, drilling, exploration, development
and production; and collaborated with executive management and industry leaders on strategic planning issues
impacting the company and the oil and gas industry, including complex procurement and employment issues.
Before joining ConocoPhillips, Jill served as Corporate Counsel for United Companies, Inc., an Alaskan Native-
owned corporation, and its subsidiaries, which provide electrical and telecommunications services to
communities in rural Alaska.

As the Anchorage Office Head, Jill has learned that effective communication at all levels is key, and how to
tactfully approach sensitive situations. She is committed to respecting colleagues and developing associates
and staff. Jill is dedicated to pro bono efforts, spending 50 to 100 hours per year to assist non-paying clients in a
variety of matters from administrative appeals from university dismissal decisions, foreclosure, and other
contract disputes. Jill was recognized with Dorsey’s Scales of Justice Award in 2019 for her exceptional pro
bono efforts, having dedicated more than 700 hours since joining the firm. Jill is passionate about health and
wellness. She serves as the Wellness Champion and Diversity Partner for Dorsey’s Anchorage office. In the
community, Jill currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Providence Alaska Foundation, a non-profit
organization supporting the mission of Providence Health & Services Alaska, which is to advance health care
excellence and access for all Alaskans. She is particularly committed to the Foundation’s support for Alaska

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 14

CARES, an outpatient clinic that provides sexual and physical abuse evaluations for children, newborn to age 18
years. Jill is also an avid triathlete and runner and has completed numerous Ironman and marathon races.

Representative Matters
• Mergers and acquisitions involving oil and gas, mining, construction, telecommunications, hotels and
resorts, and Alaska Native Corporations
• General corporate, corporate governance, proxy and transactional advice to Alaska Native Regional
Corporations
• Organization and representation of corporations and limited liability companies
• Representation of oil and gas and mining companies on a variety of issues and transactions relating to
properties in Alaska, including purchase and sale agreements; royalties; mineral and oil and gas leases;
surface use; joint operating agreements; unit agreements; option agreements; seismic data acquisition;
transportation; oil and gas sales; drilling; health, safety and environmental (HSE); and employment matters
• Advise on routine and unusual remote personnel camp issues, and related development of personnel
policies and procedures
• Advise on a variety of health and safety issues
• Advise oil and gas and mining companies regarding state and federal regulatory and environmental
permitting and compliance
• Drilling rig and oilfield services contracts
• Commercial real estate acquisition, development, leasing and disposition for developers, landlords,
tenants, buyers and sellers
• Financings on behalf of borrowers ranging in size up to $150 million
• Transfer and renewal of liquor licenses
• Telecommunications agreements
• General matters for Alaska franchisee of national fast food franchise
• Acts as outside general counsel for many companies, providing advice and practical solutions to a full range
of day-to-day concerns

Admissions
• Alaska
• Washington

Education
• University of Natal School of Law, Durban, South Africa (LL.B.)
• Georgetown University (B.S., Foreign Service (International Politics: International Relations, Law
Organization))

Civic and Community Activities

• Redistricting Planning Committee, Chair, Alaska Supreme Court Justice Appointee
• Providence Alaska Foundation, Board of Directors (January 2017-Present)
• Alaska Association of Professional Landmen, President
• Alaska Miners Association
• Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 15

• Alaska Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association

Articles
• Dorsey Partner Jill McLeod Discusses AK Natural Resource Projects, November 2020
• Effective Collaboration with the Governor Nets Pragmatic Solution to COVID-19 Corporate Issues in Alaska,
March 25, 2020

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 16

 Louisiana W. Cutler
Of Counsel
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue
Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501-5907
P (907) 257-7828
cutler.louisiana@dorsey.com

LOUANN ADVISES ALASKAN CLIENTS ON OIL AND GAS ISSUES AS WELL AS CONSTITUTIONAL LAW,
LEGISLATION, ORDINANCES, MUNICIPAL, EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER ALASKA LAW ISSUES.

Louann has over 25 years of experience as a litigator focusing on complex litigation involving environmental
issues, oil and gas taxation and royalties, constitutional law, construction law, municipal law, and other issues.
She has litigated matters in Alaska trial and appellate courts, as well as administrative hearings and
arbitrations. She has been involved in a series of administrative and court appeals on large oil and gas tax
matters.

Admissions
• Alaska
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court for the District of Alaska

Honors
• Named one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA (Litigation: General Commercial),
2013-2020 (Band 2)
• Recognized as a "Local Litigation Star – Alaska" by Benchmark Litigation, 2021
• Recognized in Benchmark Litigation’s Top 250 Women in Litigation, 2012-2018
• Named a Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year, Employment Law – Management, 2020
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America© for Municipal Law, Litigation – Labor & Employment, Land Use and
Zoning Law, Employment Law – Management, and Employment Law – Individuals, 2006-2021

Education
• Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
• Yale University (B.A., 1978), with distinction

Professional Activities
Louann is a member of Commonwealth North, various sections of the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska
Municipal League, and the Alaska Municipal Attorneys Association. In the past, she has served on non-profit
boards including the United Way of Anchorage and Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC).

Select Presentations
• Presenter, “Practical Tips for Negotiating Salaries, Benefits, and Perks,” Anchorage Association of Women
Lawyers, May 9, 2019

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 17

Articles
• Regulating Exploration on the Arctic OCS: Interior Finalizes Rules for Oil and Gas Exploratory Drilling on the
Arctic Outer Continental Shelf, Oil & Gas Alert, July 12, 2016
• Arctic Development: Presentation Slides, KL Gates Artic Development Event, October 6, 2015
• Regulating Exploration on the Arctic OCS: U.S. Federal Regulators Propose Rules for Oil and Gas
Exploratory Drilling on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf, Arctic Industry Alert, February 23, 2015
• Alaska Passes Legislation to Support the Energy Industry, Alaskan Legislation Energy Alert, May 9, 2013
• Global Government Solutions® 2013: Annual Outlook, K&L Gates Publication, January 2013

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 18

 Siena Moberly Caruso
Associate
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue
Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501-5907
P (907) 257-7818
caruso.siena@dorsey.com

SIENA IS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING CLIENTS NAVIGATE COMPLEX LEGAL ISSUES IN FEDERAL

COURT, STATE COURT, AND ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS.

Siena is an associate attorney in Dorsey’s Commercial Litigation Group, where she uses her domestic and
international experience to achieve effective and efficient outcomes for her clients. Siena’s dispute resolution
experience includes complex consumer class actions, commercial litigation, international arbitration, and
regulatory compliance. Siena works with companies, including Alaska Native Corporations, in the mining,
tourism, and natural resources industries, among others, to solve problems at every stage of the corporate
lifecycle: from starting or growing their business through mergers and acquisitions, to navigating Alaska’s
regulatory environment, to enforcing their rights through mediation, arbitration or litigation.
Siena also works closely with city leaders in several cities across Alaska to implement tailored legal solutions to
address specific social issues including public health, employment, minor offenses, and levying and collecting
taxes, among others.

Prior to joining Dorsey, Siena was a Southern California litigation associate at a Missouri-based law firm, and is
still currently licensed to practice in the state of California. She also clerked for both the Alaska Supreme Court
and Alaska Superior Court. During law school, Siena worked as a summer associate in the International Dispute
Resolution department of a large Chinese-Australian law firm in Beijing, China. She also competed in the
Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration moot court competition in Vienna, Austria, was a teaching
assistant for the legal research and writing program, and served as an extern for the Honorable Judge Yvonne
Gonzalez Rogers on the United States District Court, Northern District of California.

Admissions
• Alaska
• California
• U.S. District Court, District of Alaska
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California

Honors
• Named "Anchorage Ones to Watch" in Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers®, 2021
• Dorsey & Whitney’s Beacon of Justice Award (2020) for pro bono asylum work at a women and children
detention facility in Dilley, Texas

Education
• University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall) (J.D., 2015),
• Boalt Hall Fellow: merit-based tuition award (2012-15)

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 19

 • Ms. JD Fellow (2014-15)
• Decanal Grant: to work as a Boalt Hall ambassador in Beijing, China (2013)
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (B.A., International Development; Minor in Mandarin, 2011),
cum laude
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Westwind Research Competition: History of Women’s Property Rights in Singapore

Professional Activities
• Alaska Bar Association, Co-Chair of the Corporate Counsel Section (2019 – present)
• Anchorage Women Lawyers Association, Board Member (2019 – present)
• Federal Bar Association of Alaska, Board Member (2020 – present)
• Orange County Women Lawyers

Civic and Community Activities

• Girl Scouts of Alaska, Board Member (2019 – present)
• Volunteer tax preparer for Alaska Business Development Center, providing federal tax assistance to rural
communities (2017-18)
• Coach for University High School mock trial team, Irvine, California (2016-17)
• Volunteer at Federal Pro Se Legal Clinic, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana, California
• Mediator for Alaska court system small claims mediation program (2015-16)

Select Presentations
• Presenter, Minor Offenses Jeopardy, Alaska Municipal Association Annual Meeting (Nov. 19, 2019).
• Presenter, “Look Ma, No Hands!” The Road Ahead for Autonomous and Connected Technologies, Update of
the Law CLE, Kansas City, Missouri (June 22, 2017).

Articles
• Court Enters Judgment Totaling More Than $32 Million on Mississippi Jury’s $10.8 Million Verdict,
Demonstrating Risks for Defendants Found Guilty of False Claims Act Violations at Trial, June 01, 2020
• Disaster Suspension Continues-COVID-19 Corporate Issues in Alaska, April 14, 2020
• Does My Business Qualify for Federal Funding under the CARES Act?, April 1, 2020
• Escobar in Action: Physician-owners’ fraud claims against hospital defeated in Fifth Circuit appeal for lack of
materiality, December 10, 2019
• $34 Million Reversal: First Circuit Overturns Its Precedent and Redirects Relator’s FCA Award to Another,
May 21, 2019

Legal Writings
• New Year’s Resolution – Ninth Circuit Trims Down Class Certification Requirements in Briseno v. ConAgra
Foods, 844 F.3d 1121 (9th Cir. 2017), Orange County Federal Bar Association Newsletter (Spring/Summer
2017).
• Autonomous and Connected Vehicles Update, Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.’s Autonomous and Connected
Technologies Practice Group Monthly Client Update (April – October 2017).

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 20

• Doug Robinson & Siena Caruso, Autonomous Vehicles Year in Review, American Bar Association Products
Liability Newsletter (Spring 2017).
• Doug Robinson & Siena Caruso, Autonomous Vehicles: How Safe is Safe Enough? American Bar Association
Products Liability Litigation Sound Advice Podcast (Spring 2017).
• New York Adopts the UBE, American Bar Association International Law Section Year in Review (2016).

Languages
• Spanish, Mandarin (basic conversational proficiency)

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 21

 Michele Rupp
Senior Paralegal
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
1031 West Fourth Avenue
Suite 600
Anchorage, AK 99501-5907
P (907) 257-7808
rupp.michele@dorsey.com

MICHELE STRIVES TO HELP CLIENTS ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS WHILE PROVIDING EFFICIENT HIGH
QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES.

Michele is a Certified Paralegal in Dorsey’s Anchorage office. She has over 25 years of experience in the Alaska
legal market, providing key support in a broad range of areas. Her primary focus is business transactional work
involving the organization of corporations and limited liability companies, corporate maintenance work, and
the review and preparation of transactional documents in conjunction with the purchase and sale of company
assets or stock. She also regularly assists in complex bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations, and in civil
and criminal litigation.

Education
• Charter College, Anchorage, Alaska (Paralegal Certificate, 1990)

Professional Activities
• Alaska Legal Services – Pro Bono Volunteer

Dorsey & Whitney LLP | January 2021 22