Other LanguagesOLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the appointment of Antoinette (Toni) Ursich as the successor to longtime Spokane Division Chief Larry Briney. Ursich is currently the Washington State University Division Chief.
“Larry has a tremendous reputation as the leader of the Attorney General’s Office in Spokane, and it certainly isn’t easy to imagine our Spokane office without him,” McKenna said. “That’s why I am so pleased Toni Ursich was interested in taking on this new leadership role. She is decisive, but approachable, and understands the role of a servant leader.
"The WSU division has been blessed with her leadership for 12 years and I know our Spokane division will enjoy working with her as well," McKenna added.
Ursich joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1989 as an assistant attorney general for the Yakima Regional Services Division, advising the state departments of Social and Health Services, Labor and Industries and Licensing.
She moved to the Education Division of the Seattle Office in 1991 and advised Washington community colleges. She was promoted to section chief in 1993. In 1997, she took a six-month assignment as interim division chief at the WSU Division. She was named WSU Division Chief in 1998 and took on the added responsibility of AGO General Business Counsel in 2006.
Ursich graduated from the University of Washington and earned her law degree from the UW School of Law.
“I am excited about taking on this new challenge and starting a new phase of my career,” Ursich said. “At the same time, I will miss a great deal about WSU. I was one of those people who planned to be a short-timer here, but like so many others I fell in love with this university and this town. Pullman has been my home and WSU my client for nearly 12 years, and I've been grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the university and to have worked with and learned from so many great people.”
Ursich will assume her new role as Spokane Division Chief on Sept. 1, 2009. Briney’s last day as Division Chief will be August 31.
“Our Spokane Division is a leader in the practice of public law,” McKenna said. “Toni will inherit a great team with a strong presence in the Spokane community. This is exciting news all around.”
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Contacts:
Janelle Guthrie, AGO Communications Director, (360) 586-0725