Cathy is a member of the firm’s appellate and mediation practice groups. She began her career with Hawley Troxell in 1984 and became partner in 1988. From 1989 to 1990 she was Associate General Counsel of Morrison Knudsen. In 1990 Cathy was appointed by Governor Cecil D. Andrus as the first woman judge on the Idaho Court of Appeals. She was appointed in 1993 to the Idaho Supreme Court and became the Court’s Vice-Chief Justice in 1997. She served on the Supreme Court until 2000, and in 2001 she resumed her partnership with Hawley Troxell. After serving as the Founding Dean of Concordia University School of Law, Idaho from 2008-2016, Cathy became Concordia University’s Vice President of Community Engagement, and in 2017 returned to Hawley Troxell once again as Of Counsel.
Cathy has practiced law in California and Washington D.C., and was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. She also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Idaho.
Cathy serves as Pro Bono Counsel for Hawley Troxell.
Community Activities
Idaho Women Lawyers, member
Boise Art Museum, Board of Trustees, Secretary, 2020–2021
International Women’s Forum of Idaho, Board of Directors, 2020–Present
Boise State University, Master of Public Administrative Program, Adjunct faculty member
Concordia University of Law, Idaho; Founding Dean, 2008–2016, Vice President of Community Engagement, 2016-2017
Idaho Community Foundation, President and CEO, 2004–2008
Idaho Supreme Court Appellate Settlement Program, Settlement Justice, 1993–2000
Idaho Supreme Court Justice, 1993–2000
Idaho Court of Appeals Judge, 1990–1993
The Learning Lab, Past President and founding Board member
Education
LAW SCHOOL: University of California at Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 1976
University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1995
GRADUATE: Harvard University, M.A., City Planning, 1973
UNDERGRADUATE: New York University, B.A., Sociology and
French Literature, 1971
