Dennis, Elliott T.

Background and Experience

I grew up in a logging family in Southeast Alaska where hard work and getting the job done right were core principles. After my first year of college in Fairbanks, Alaska where the temperature reached 70 below zero, I enrolled at Fresno State College in Fresno, California for the remainder of my undergraduate education, graduating in 1973 with a B.A. in Business Administration. The University of North Dakota Law School, in Grand Forks, provided me with a legal education and prepared me for practicing law in Alaska. In 1976, my wife and I and our two daughters settled in Anchorage where we have resided since.

Over the years I have worked with several litigation oriented law firms before opening my own office on January 1, 2001. Since being admitted to the Alaska Bar in 1976, my practice has focused primarily on tort litigation, representing plaintiffs and defendants before state and federal trial and appellate courts. Growing up in the logging industry in Southeast Alaska exposed me to the human follies, mechanical defects, and environmental issues which frequently are combined to cause injuries that result in litigation. My cases have covered the whole gamut from a collision between a landing Boeing 747 and a pickup truck to mid-air collisions, vehicular accidents of all kinds, maritime claims, insurance law claims, slip and fall injuries, to professional errors and omissions and construction site accidents. The experience I have gained in representing both plaintiffs and defendants has benefitted all of my clients and their insurers.

Philosophical Statements

I see the litigation process as one of several tools for resolving disputes. Mediation and other alternative dispute resolution processes are also important tools which should be employed in appropriate cases. Too often attorneys over-litigate issues, winning the battles but losing the war because the resolution took too long and cost too much, all to the client's detriment.

Though most cases should be resolved through the use of a strong litigation posture, tempered by a reasonable willingness to explore compromise, some cases should only be resolved through trial. Those cases should be identified early and legal resources necessary to win at trial should be allocated and used appropriately.

I believe that effective representation occurs when the client and counsel work closely together to bring about the best possible result given the facts and the law. There are three critical elements to effective representation: 1) communication, 2) cost control, and 3) results. My goals in each case are to establish and maintain appropriate communication between counsel and client, to minimize costs by pursing the most cost effective plan for concluding the litigation, and to always remain focused on getting the best possible results for the client.