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Law school: Willamette University Law School

Career highlight: Howsley brought the first Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act claim to be heard by the Washington Court of Appeals Division II.

Noteworthy: Howsley was involved in getting land use approval for the first new hospital to be built in 30 years in Washington state.

James Howsley didn鈥檛 have to look very far when it came to finding an example of how to serve the greater good of the public. Before his father, Richard, established himself as one of the area鈥檚 top land use and real estate lawyers, he spent time working in a public service capacity, including a stint as executive director of Clark County鈥檚 Regional Planning Council.

For his part, Jamie Howsley started out earning an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of San Diego. He then headed to Washington, D.C., where he earned a master鈥檚 degree in political science from American University and attended the school鈥檚 specialized campaign management and lobbying institute. During that time, he also worked on Capitol Hill in both the House and the Senate.

He returned to Oregon, where he earned a law degree from Willamette University Law School. Although his background was in politics, he was inspired by his father to focus on land use and real estate law.

鈥淔ew things are more political than land,鈥� Howsley said.聽 鈥淚 saw it as an opportunity that gave me choices.鈥�

Now considered an expert on land use and real estate, Howlsey has been recognized as a Washington Super Lawyer. He has written and published more than a dozen pertinent papers on land-related legal issues in the past two years, and is frequently called upon to lecture and make presentations on land and real estate issues.

His college experience at Sigma Chi fraternity taught him the value of service above self.聽 He is a member of the Vancouver Rotary Club, a Board Member of Columbia River Mental Health Services and is active with the Democratic Party.

In his free time, Howsley said he enjoys fast-paced recreational challenges and is an avid snow skier, snow boarder and whitewater rafter.聽 He sees the pace and demand of those sports as being not that far removed from the demands of his practice.

鈥淚鈥檝e been in the thick of a changing legal environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淟and use and real estate law is getting more complicated.聽Environmental issues and responsibility to my clients and the public all have to be considered at the same time.聽It commands constant attention.鈥� 鈥� Rick Arnett