I lost a good friend and mentor last week. The whole Seattle legal community did.
George Bassett — the first person I was fortunate enough to work with when I joined Graham & Dunn — passed away after a courageous, years-long battle with cancer. I can’t think of a better example of how to practice law, treat others, and live life. George had a zest for it all. He was honest and respectful to a fault. He had so many interests and was so well-read, I doubt he ever got bored. He was a real role model — an embodiment of what to strive for in life.
Here’s what Graham & Dunn had to say when it broke the sad news on Friday:
“Our beloved friend and partner George Bassett passed away on January 19, 2012, peacefully, at home with his family. George grew up in Michigan and moved to Seattle in 1969, after having graduated earlier that year from Michigan Law School. George was an upstanding member of the Washington bar for more than 42 years, practicing first in the state attorney general’s office, then as a founding member of the Bassett & Morrison law firm, and finally as a shareholder at Graham & Dunn since 1991.
“After his family, and maybe fishing, George most enjoyed practicing law, and he was extremely good at it. Known as an astute and skilled litigator who achieved great results for his clients, George also was universally recognized for maintaining the highest standards of civility and professionalism throughout his career. He was always ready with a kind word or sage advice whether he was a colleague or an adversary. A rare man, George will be greatly missed.”
Well said.
George will be greatly missed, indeed. I know I will never forget him.