Firm Formally Launches Wildfire Litigation Practice with Patty Hewes as Chair

Holdsworth & Inkwell announced today the formal launch of its Wildfire Litigation Practice, consolidating the firm's multi-state wildfire defense and federal compensation work into a dedicated practice group. Patty Hewes, who has led the firm's wildfire matter portfolio across the Western United States, will serve as the inaugural Chair.

The Wildfire Litigation Practice covers the firm's full wildfire defense footprint, including utility wildfire defense in California, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington; federal wildfire compensation work under the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act and similar federal compensation frameworks; insurance carrier coordination in multi-county subrogation proceedings; and the regulatory and legislative engagement that supports utility wildfire defense in Western states.

Practice Leadership

Patty Hewes is a Partner in the firm's Sacramento office. Her recent matter work includes the firm's California inverse condemnation defense for utility wildfire subrogation, the Colorado Marshall Fire subrogation defense, the Arizona Mogollon Rim multi-county defense, and the New Mexico Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act work coordinated with FEMA. She will lead the new practice's strategic direction and continue to handle major wildfire defense matters.

Practice Capacity

The Wildfire Litigation Practice draws on attorneys across the firm's offices, with Patty Hewes leading from Sacramento and supporting attorneys including Howard Hamlin (Denver, insurance recovery coordination) and Lucca Quinn (Atlanta, federal compensation matters). Senior paralegal Erin Brockovich anchors the practice's case management operations from the Denver office.

The formal practice launch follows the firm's sustained matter growth in wildfire defense over the past several years. The dedicated practice structure positions the firm to continue serving utilities, energy entities, and wildfire-affected stakeholders across the Western United States with the integrated multi-state defense capabilities that the recent matter portfolio requires.