Lawrence R. Beck is a partner in Beck & Poorman, LLC, a law firm located in Hayden, Idaho. Mr. Beck graduated from Washington State University in 1981 in Political Science, with an emphasis in Public Administration. He obtained his law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1987, and was a member of the Idaho Law Review and American Bar Association’s Moot Court Team. Mr. Beck has also completed the prestigious litigation-trial skills program conducted by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA).

Mr. Beck practices in the areas of business and municipal entity advice and defense litigation, employment law, general litigation and personal injury law. Mr. Beck has advised various corporate and government groups since 1987. Mr. Beck has also served as retained counsel to the Kootenai County Emergency Medical Services System, and is presently volunteer counsel to the Idaho State Fire Commissioners’ Association. In 2005-2006, Mr. Beck drafted a re-write of the entire Idaho Fire Protection District Act, and helped lobby the bill to the Idaho Legislature. The bill was adopted almost unanimously by both the House and the Senate, and the governor signed the bill into law.

In addition to providing advice and general representation to various business and public entities, Mr. Beck has acted as chief defense counsel in litigated matters for several fire districts and EMS organizations and their sureties, including Fireman’s Fund, Continental Western, The Coregis Group, and VFIS. Those cases resulted in successful dismissals and/or negotiated settlements which were more than acceptable to the employer and surety.

Mr. Beck has lectured on governmental entity and employment law issues at meetings of the Idaho State Bar Association and the Kootenai County Bar Association, and presented the 1996 Employment Law Update at the Idaho State Fire School. In March, 2000, Mr. Beck lectured on How to Avoid Liability under the Sexual Harassment Laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act to the region’s largest private employer, Hagadone Hospitality Corporation. Mr. Beck also lectured on How to Perform Statutory Duties as a Commissioner and reduce Risk of Loss at the May 2000 and November 2003 annual meetings of the Idaho State Fire Commissioners’ Association. Mr. Beck has lectured on risk management and employment law to the North Idaho Fire Chief’s Association, the Idaho State Fire Academy and the Idaho State Bar Association.