Ray Etcheverry.

• Position: Brief Article

Parsons Behle & Latimer, rated No. 1 in Utah Business magazine's 1999 rankings of law firms, was founded in 1882 on mining, an industry that fueled Utah's growth for decades. But times have changed. The worldwide mining industry is still part of the firm's broad base of clients, but over the past 15 years, technology -- bio-medical, environmental and telecommunications -- has held court both for PB&L, as well as the rest of the state.

According to Raymond J. Etcheverry, president: "Fifteen years ago we were 45 lawyers. Now we're 125. Back then, 50 percent of revenues generated came from natural resource clients, Now that figure is 15 percent. Businesses from high-tech industries 15 years ago comprised only 1 or 2 percent. Now that number is 25 percent."

Etcheverry left hometown Ogden after graduating from the University of Utah in 1973, not planning to return. He doubted -- with his ambitions to graduate from law school at Duke University specializing in complex business litigation, anti-trust and intellectual property litigation -- that he would find a future in the Intermountain West. He was wrong.

"The issue for lawyers is always the quality of the practice. We are a regional firm with a national practice because of advances in...