Attorney Profiles
Walter F. Bugden, Jr.
Tara L. Isaacson
John W. Anderson
Kelly N. Schaeffer-Bullock
Walter F. Bugden, Jr.
Walter F. Bugden, Jr. is a partner with Bugden & Isaacson, LLC. Mr. Bugden focuses his practice in the area of criminal law. He handles all types of criminal matters including drug crimes, sex offenses, DUI, murder/manslaughter, and white collar cases. He is a seasoned criminal trial attorney with over 33 years of experience, including having tried over 220 criminal jury trials. Between 2000 and 2010, Mr. Bugden obtained 25 acquittals in jury trials involving such charges as manslaughter, rape, negligent homicide, forcible sexual abuse, assault, drunk driving, and aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
Mr. Bugden was an adjunct law professor at the University of Utah College of Law for over five years. He has served on the Utah Sentencing Commission and on the Utah Supreme Court's Task Force on Improving the Jury System. In October 2005, Mr. Bugden was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. In addition, he has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the national directory of lawyers. This is the highest possible rating at attorney can receive, indicating preeminent legal ability and the utmost ethical standards.
In 2008, Super Lawyers magazine featured Mr. Bugden in an article entitled "The Unpopular Defense." He was selected for the Mountain States Super Lawyers in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Utah Business magazine named Mr. Bugden as one of the Legal Elite in Utah.
Mr. Bugden earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Utah since 1977. Email him at wally@bilaw.net.
Tara L. Isaacson
Tara L. Isaacson is a partner with Bugden & Isaacson, LLC. Ms. Isaacson focuses her practice in the area of criminal defense. She has represented clients accused of violent offenses, drug possession and trafficking, DUI, domestic violence and white-collar offenses. She has been a criminal trial attorney for over 15 years and has won acquittals in 29 jury trials. In the last year, Ms. Isaacson won 4 out of 5 DUI jury trials. She has argued cases before the Utah Supreme Court and the Utah Court of Appeals.
In 2008, Super Lawyers magazine featured Ms. Isaacson in an article entitled "The Unpopular Defense." She was selected as a Rising Star for the Mountain States Super Lawyers in 2008 and 2009. Utah Business magazine named Ms. Isaacson as one of the Legal Elite in Utah.
Ms. Isaacson served as a Utah State Bar Examiner from 1998 to 2005. She has also served on the Utah Sentencing Commission's DUI Subcommittee and on the Board of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Ms. Isaacson earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Utah since 1996. Email her at tara@bilaw.net.
John W. Anderson
John W. Anderson joined Bugden & Isaacson, LLC in 2008. Mr. Anderson focuses his practice in the areas of criminal defense, family law, civil litigation (contracts, business law, construction litigation, property disputes, etc.), and appellate litigation. He was selected as a Rising Star for the Mountain States Super Lawyers in 2010.
Mr. Anderson earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law with high distinction and was inducted into the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. He served as a judicial clerk for Judge Gregory K. Orme, of the Utah Court of Appeals, from 2007 to 2008, and for Judges Flowers and Colborn in the Lancaster County District Court in Lincoln, Nebraska, from 2005 to 2007.
Mr. Anderson speaks fluent Japanese. He is on the Board of Directors of the Utah Japanese Language School and is an active member of the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce. Email him at john@bilaw.net.
Kelly N. Schaeffer-Bullock
Kelly N. Schaeffer-Bullock recently joined Bugden & Isaacson in August 2011. Ms. Schaeffer-Bullock focuses her practice in the areas of family law and civil litigation.
Ms. Schaeffer-Bullock brings a plethora of experience as a victim advocate for the Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic and a prosecutor for the City of Salt Lake. As a prosecutor, she represented the City in hundreds of trials and motion hearings, with an exceptionally high success rate. Her experience and perspective make her an enormous asset to the firm as to the handling of both criminal cases and civil matters.
Ms. Schaeffer-Bullock earned her Juris Doctorate from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in 2008. Her academic success and research abilities led to her being chosen to work on the Legal Series of the Joseph Smith Papers Project, during which time she has worked with many notable legal minds.
