Gorton & Logue

Partner Bios

James E. Gorton, Jr.

James Gorton founded the law firm of Gorton & Oberly, now Gorton & Logue in 1983. Since founding the firm, Mr. Gorton has specialized exclusively in the area of criminal defense. Prior to founding the law firm, Mr. Gorton clerked for Alaska Superior Court Judge Justin Ripley, and was employed by the law firm of Lynch, Forney & Crosby, specializing in criminal and civil litigation. Mr. Gorton grew up in a small town in Batavia, New York. He attended Bowling Green University, graduating cum laude in 1975. Mr. Gorton attended the University of San Diego School of Law, graduating in 1978. Mr. Gorton is a member of the California, Texas, and Alaska Bar Associations. He is a member of the National Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Alaska Trial Lawyers Association, as well as the Alaska Criminal Rules Committee and the Alaska Mental Health Task Force.

Michael B. Logue

Michael Logue has over twenty years experience defending clients in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases throughout Alaska. He has extensive trial experience, successfully defending clients charged with a variety of charges. Mr. Logue has successfully defended clients throughout the state in DUI//OUI cases. In addition to his defense work, he has lectured regularly at the Anchorage Police Department Police Academy, at continuing legal education seminars, and public forums on the subject, on issues involving police procedure, field sobriety testing, and breath testing. Mr. Logue has been with Gorton & Logue for nineteen years, having been a partner for ten years. Prior to that he was an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York. He is a graduate of Villanova University School of Law, and is licensed in Alaska and New York.

Michael H.T. Graper

Mike Graper joined Gorton & Logue as an associate in 2006.  He graduated from Michigan State University with High Honors, receiving a B.A. in Political Science Pre-Law in 1998.  He received a Juris Doctorate degree graduating from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2001.  While in law school he interned for the City of Denver in the prosecutor’s office, worked as a Rothgerber Teaching Fellow for the law school, and served as a Constitutional Law Research Assistant.  He is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in Alaska and Colorado.  Prior to joining the firm, he worked in general practice for Ross & Miner, P.C., in Anchorage, Alaska from 2002 through 2006.  While at Ross & Miner, Mr. Graper handled criminal, personal injury, family law, collections, wills and trusts, Fish & Game, and property law matters.

Max Holmquist

Max Holmquist started with Gorton & Logue in 2010. Prior to joining the firm, he was a law clerk for Alaska District Court, where he did legal research and writing projects on a variety of criminal and civil cases for Anchorage’s 10 District Court judges. Mr. Holmquist grew up in Anchorage and graduated from Service High School. He graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota with a B.A. in 2005. He received a Juris Doctorate degree in 2008 from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Holmquist is admitted to practice law in Alaska and Colorado. He specializes in criminal defense law. 

Justin A. Tapp

Justin Tapp started with Gorton & Logue in 2011. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as a bail attorney for the Office of Public Advocacy in Anchorage, Alaska. Mr. Tapp grew up in Paris, Texas, and graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2004 and a Master of Public Administration degree in 2006. Prior to enrolling in law school, Mr. Tapp worked in the District office of U.S. Representative Paul W. Hodes in Nashua, New Hampshire.  He received a Juris Doctorate degree in 2010 from Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas. Mr. Tapp is admitted to practice law in Texas. He specializes in criminal defense law.