Larry Sokol

Sokol, Larry

Larry N. Sokol, 78, of Lake Oswego, died suddenly in his beloved home of 50 years on February 1, 2025. For his wide-ranging network of close family, friends, and esteemed colleagues, the loss of him is deeply felt. "He never let anyone out of his orbit once they entered," his partner Martha Spinhirne reflected.

Born September 28, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio to Mr. And Mrs. Boris Sokol, Larry went on to attend The University of Pennsylvania, where he joined the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and graduated in 1968. Later, while attending Case Western Reserve law school, at a party, on a whim, Larry booked a plane ride that same night to Portland, Oregon.

After landing, he purchased professional attire and then brought a freshly hand-typed resume to Salem, where a series of judges rejected him for courtship positions, including the then-chief, who crumpled the document and tossed it at him. Fortunately, he smoothed out the paper and headed downstairs, where he peeked into the office of Hon. Herbert Schwab, chief justice for the Oregon Court of Appeals. As it happened, the two shared a love of tennis, which proved helpful; a few weeks later, Larry learned he'd been hired. In 1971, Larry earned his J.D.

He discovered his true calling in the law and went on to have a formidable career spanning many decades, ending only a month before his passing. Early in his practice, he litigated high-profile environmental cases, helping block harmful pesticide and herbicide spraying. Later, he established himself as a skilled, compassionate medical malpractice and personal injury attorney who worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients. He was known for the warm relationships he formed with them, along with the defense bar, the plaintiff's bar, and countless medical professionals. Larry was inducted into the acclaimed American College of Trial Lawyers in 2010, became a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Lewis & Clark Law School, and was nominated to Super Lawyers.

One of his favorite places were the ocean waters of Hawaii, where he snorkeled alongside pods of turtles and schools of fish. At home in Oregon, he enjoyed playing with his beloved O-scale trains and coached dozens of kids' teams in baseball and soccer, making a point of drafting players who needed extra help with their skills. With each bit of progress his children made, with every hit and successful kick, Larry shared in their joy, and he carried those memories for the rest of his days.

For all who loved him, it's difficult to imagine a world without Larry's geniality and humor. In the opening scene of his favorite book, The Wind in the Willows, with spring arriving, Mole cleans furiously until compelled, finally, to clamber out of his underground home. "Up we go!" The tiny creature declares, who then "scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrolled" until he "found himself in the warm grass of the great meadow." Better for having known Larry, we must tunnel upward, carrying his goodness with us, making our way toward the light, just as he would want it. Up we go.

Larry is survived by his partner, Martha Spinhirne, children, Maxwell Sokol and Addie Hahn, grandsons, Oslo and Ansel Hahn, son-in-law Andrew Hahn, sister Nora Newsock, brother-in-law Bob Newsock, niece Amy Newsock, and nephew-in-law Adam Oakley. Memorial donations may be made to the Anti-Defamation League, Clackamas County Little League, and St. Jude’s Hospital.