Witherspoon Kelley buys law firm

Spokane law firm Witherspoon Kelley announced Wednesday that it has acquired the Yakima firm, Lyon, Weigand & Gustafson, PS., which will take the Witherspoon Kelley name.

The purchase gives Witherspoon Kelley, which now has 48 attorneys in offices in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and Yakima, a larger geographical reach for the state’s oldest law firm, president Christopher Varallo said.

The four attorneys and seven staff members at the Yakima firm were all retained as part of the transaction. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It’s important to us that they retain their identity in Yakima and continue serving the Yakima Valley,” Varallo said. “It’s exciting to have a Spokane firm expand in that direction.”

OPEC to increase oil production

FRANKFURT, Germany – The OPEC oil producers’ cartel and allied non-member countries led by Russia signed off Wednesday on gradually increasing production as the global economy and demand for fuel continue to recover from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The group fended off pressure from the U.S. to move faster in restoring production cuts made during the pandemic and potentially ease costs at the pump for American drivers.

The group, known as OPEC+, agreed at an online meeting to stick with earlier plans to add 400,000 barrels per day from Oct. 1.

The cartel and its allies are gingerly restoring deep cuts made last year, when lockdowns and travel restrictions caused demand for fuel and prices to crater.

From staff and wire reports