Professionals
206.816.1464 
206.464.0125 
Ms. Sandford works with clients from around the world in all stages of establishing, acquiring and operating businesses across borders. She concentrates her practice on representing Japanese companies and individuals in their business activities in the United States and on advising U.S. clients concerning business activities in Japan, Canada and other Pacific Rim countries. In this U.S. - Japan context, for example, Ms. Sandford has worked with clients in the formation, implementation and dissolution stages of joint ventures in industries ranging from livestock-exporting to sports equipment to internet entertainment.
She has helped clients create distribution and sales representative arrangements for toys, automotive parts and agricultural products, as well as manufacturers of log homes, software and microchips. Ms. Sandford has represented high-technology start-up companies, among others, in obtaining and documenting both bank and venture capital financing. Current clients include such prominent Japanese companies as NTT DoCoMo, Kenwood Corporation, UCC Ueshima Coffee Co. Ltd. and Sojitsu Corporation of America.
Ms. Sandford is the Diversity Officer for the ABA/Section of International Law. She has also served many years as a leader of Garvey Schubert Barer's International Group and Business Group, and has served as the firm's Seattle Office managing director. Ms. Sandford was the chair of the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington in 2002-2003 and has served on the organization's board or in an executive capacity for more than fifteen years.
Ms. Sandford worked with the Japanese law firm of Matsuo & Kosugi in 1982 and again from 1986 to 1988. Having also been a Rotary International exchange student to Japan in high school and having conducted research in Japan during college, she speaks, reads and writes Japanese.
By virtue of her work experience and language ability, Ms. Sandford is able to explain complex American and Japanese legal concepts and issues in both Japanese and English. Ms. Sandford combines her corporate and commercial law experience, along with her cultural awareness, to assist clients in developing business strategies that allow foreign clients to transfer necessary personnel to the United States to oversee their investments and projects as well.
Professional Activities
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2006-present
- American Bar Association, Section Officers Conference, Executive Committee and Secretary Class Representative, 2011
- American Bar Association, Section of International Law: Secretary/Operations Officer, 2011; Executive Committee, 2011; Diversity Officer, 2010; Administration Committee, 2010; Council Member, 2006-2008, 2010; Liaison, Commission on Women in the Profession, 2010; Deputy to Section Chair on Task Forces and Special Projects, 2009; Co-Chair, Leadership Retreat, 2008 and 2010; Washington State Bar Association Liaison, 2008-present; Chair, Business Law Division I, 2008; Chair, Corporate Division, 2007; Chair, Africa/Eurasia Division, 2006; Co-Chair, Asia/Pacific Law Committee, 2004-2005; Chair, East Asia and Pacific Law Committee, 2003; International Law News Editorial Board, 2009-2010; Selection Committee for Mayre Rasmussen Award of the Advancement of Women in International Law, 2008-2010
- Guest Lecturer, International Business Transactions course, Seattle University School of Law, 2005, 2006 and 2010
- Guest Lecturer, International Contract Negotiation course, University of Washington School of Law, 2005-2007
- Major Gifts Campaign Ambassador, Northwest Women's Law Center Member
Community Activities
- Chair, Japan-America Society for the State of Washington, 2002-2003; Chair-Elect, 2001-2002; Vice President, 2000-2001; Secretary, 1997-1998; Executive Committee Member, 1997-2005 and 2008-2010; Director 1995-1997, 1998-2000; Board Member, 2003-present
- Member, Japanese Business Association, 2008-present
- Volunteer Attorney, Western Rivers Conservancy, 2001-present
- Volunteer Attorney, Seattle Opera and Seattle Opera Foundation, 1999-present
- Volunteer Attorney, River Network, 1993-2001
- Volunteer Attorney, The Tenants Union of Washington State, 2009-present
Publications
- "Tips for U.S./Canada Cross-Border Business," Garvey Schubert Barer Update, November 2011.
- "Doing Business in Japan," co-editor, Doing Business in Asia, 2010.
- "Conducting Discovery in China & Japan," co-author, The International Litigation Quarterly, Spring/Summer 2006.
- "Taking Sherlock Shopping - International Due Diligence," Garvey Schubert Barer, 2001.
