Sam Baker is a partner in the law firm of Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker LLP, with offices in Seattle, Anchorage, and Oakland.  He earned an undergraduate degree in Construction Management from the University of Washington and a J.D. from the University of Montana.  He was a founding member of the University of Washington Contractor Industry Advisory Council, and for 15 years has been a director of the Western Washington University Foundation Board.  Currently he serves as Chairman of the Seattle Police Foundation Board of Directors.

Sam's practice focuses primarily in representing construction contractors in evaluating and resolving construction disputes which often involve complex, multi-party cases. While he takes pride in national recognition with success in partnering, he has gained outstanding results before state and federal courts throughout the Western United States and Alaska. Sam has also prosecuted claims before several boards of contract appeals and the United States Claims Court in cases involving the federal government.  Additionally, he participates extensively in arbitration proceedings. 

Sam is the only attorney to have been inducted in the University of Washington Construction Hall of Fame and holds the same distinction of serving as an Honorary Director of the Beavers and Trustee of its Charitable Trust.  In 2012, Sam was awarded the coveted Golden Beaver Award for Service.

Presentations

• "The Teambuilding Approach to Preparing, Pricing and Prosecuting Requests for Compensation," OMRB Alaska Construction Law and Government Contracting Seminar (2012)
• "How to Deal With the Stigma of ‘Claims'," OMRB Construction and Public Contract Law Seminar (2008)
• "Terminations – The Course of Last Resort," OMRB Construction and Public Contract Law Seminar (2005)
• "Litigation Strategy – How the Parties Should Approach the Process," OMRB Construction and Public Contract Law Seminar (2004)

Professional and Civic Involvement

Washington State Bar Association
King County Bar Association, Construction Law Section
Montana State Bar Association
Trustee, The Beavers Charitable Trust
Member, University of Washington Contractor Industry Advisory Council
Director, Western Washington University Foundation
President, Washington Athletic Club 101 Club
Director, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Seattle Chapter)
Member, Seattle Police Foundation
Phi Delta Phi Legal Honorary

Courts

Washington State Courts
U.S. District Court, Eastern District, Washington
U.S. District Court, Western District, Washington
U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Education

J.D., University of Montana, 1971
B.S., University of Washington, Construction Management, 1968

Notable

The Beavers Association Golden Beaver Awardee (2012)
Selected as a "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics Magazine (2003-present)