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Brian Booth, a founding partner of the Tonkon Torp law firm and a longtime supporter of cultural and environmental causes, died last night at his home after battling brain cancer. He was 75.
A Roseburg native, Booth graduated from the University of Oregon and later Stanford Law. As a lawyer, he represented Nike for more than 20 years, as well as a host of other companies and non-profits.
Booth was an ardent reader and book-collector. In 1986, he founded the Oregon Institute of Literary Arts, which gave grants to authors and sponsors the yearly Oregon Book Awards ceremony.
Booth particularly loved the literature of the Northwest and edited "Wildmen, Wobblies & Whistlepunks: Stewart Holbrook's Lowbrow Northwest" (OSU Press 1992).
Tonkon Torp managing partner Mike Morgan says Booth established a strong culture at the firm.
"Brian was perhaps the most public-spirited citizen I know of," Morgan told WW. "He was also a fantastic lawyer. There are other fantastic lawyers, but not many with the devotion to public causes Brian had."
WWeek 2015