Boise, ID – January 1, 2021. Hawley Troxell is pleased to announce attorneys, Mindy Muller, Ben Ritchie, Marvin K. Smith, and Brent R. Wilson have been elected as equity partners in the Firm, effective January 1, 2021.
‘These are outstanding attorneys and represent the future of Hawley Troxell. I commend our equity partners for their collective wisdom to advance lawyers into partnership ranks so that our Firm will continue to grow and sustain itself for the benefit of our clients and communities in all parts of Idaho that we serve.” said Nick Miller, Hawley Troxell’s Managing Partner.
Mindy Muller (Boise Office) is a defense attorney representing clients against all varieties of negligence claims for personal injury and economic loss, including premise liability, professional malpractice, and general failure to exercise care. She also represents clients in matters involving contract disputes.
Mindy has helped obtain orders dismissing claims and has helped settle numerous other cases. She understands how to value claims, how to reduce liability exposure with experts, and how to efficiently get legal matters resolved. She also understands how to read and interpret medical records, insurance policies, and contracts.
Mindy served on Launch Ministries, Inc. Board of Directors from 2010–2015, as well as a volunteer from 2008–2015 for the First Baptist Church Refugee Ministry. She is a graduate of Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Boise class of 2013–2015. She serves as a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) attorney representing abused and neglected children.
Mindy received her J.D. from University of Idaho College of Law and her B.A. summa cum laude from Biola University.
Ben Ritchie (Idaho Falls Office) is a litigator specializing in insurance and liability defense and employment law. He is experienced in providing coverage analysis for insurance companies; defending insurance companies against claims of breach of contract and bad faith; defending employers against claims under the ADA, FMLA, and other employment laws; defending trucking companies in truck accident litigation; defending product manufacturers for claims relating to asbestos exposure and other product liability claims; and defending landowners against claims for premises liability. In addition to his litigation experience, Ben also advises employers on various employment matters, including paid time off, workplace harassment, drug policies, and termination issues. He also advises trucking companies on human resource issues, regulatory compliance, and freight brokerage issues.
Ben is on the Habitat for Humanity Idaho Falls Board of Directors and serves as President of the Idaho Association of Defense Counsel. He is a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) attorney in the Seventh District Court representing abused and neglected children. Ben is also a pro bono attorney for the Idaho Suicide Prevention Association and is a Youth Baseball Coach. Ben served on the Idaho State Bar Litigation Section Governing Council from 2014–2017. He is a graduate of the Idaho Academy of Leadership for lawyers, class of 2011–2012, inaugural class.
Ben received his J.D. from University of Idaho College of Law and his B.A. from Idaho State University.
Marvin K. Smith (Idaho Falls Office) is a native of Idaho Falls and concentrates his practice in the areas of medical malpractice, hospital law, collections, personal injury, employment law, and wrongful death. He has significant experience defending hospitals and physicians through the pre-litigation and litigation stages of a medical malpractice action.
Marvin has litigation experience in both federal and state courts as well as representing clients before the Idaho Human Rights Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Mr. Smith has written several appellate briefs to both the Idaho Supreme Court and U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and has appeared multiple times before the Idaho Supreme Court where he has argued successfully for his clients.
Marvin is on the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is an Assistant Boy Scout Master for the Boys Scouts of America. He also coaches youth basketball and baseball.
Marvin received his J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law and was on the Board of Editors and the Idaho Law Review. He received his B.A. cum laude in English Literature from Boise State University.
Brent R. Wilson (Boise Office) concentrates his practice in the areas of bankruptcy and finance. Brent has experience representing secured and unsecured creditors in all phases of the chapter 7, chapter 11, chapter 12, and chapter 13 process, in defending creditor proof of claims, in representing creditors in various adversary proceedings, and in representing creditors in exception to discharge and objection to discharge cases.
Brent also represents a chapter 7 trustee in adversary proceedings and other matters.
In addition to creditor and trustee experience, Brent has represented both individual and business debtors in chapter 7 liquidation proceedings and chapter 11 reorganizations. Among other successes in representing debtors, Brent, as lead counsel, has confirmed two complex, individual chapter 11 plans over the objection of creditors in the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Brent represents a wide variety of lenders in the documentation and due diligence necessary for securitized lending, compliance with Idaho’s commercial lending laws and regulations, loan documentation, and collection. In addition, Brent has experience in perfecting security interests pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Brent received his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School cum laude and was on the Editorial Board, Student Publications Editor, and the John Marshall Law Review. He received his B.A. from Indiana University.