Practice Areas

Banking & Finance
Employment
Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Practice Summary

Clients trust Kelly to guide and provide smart business advice relating to all employment law issues. Kelly’s experience ranges from advising businesses on day to day employee issues to successfully defending her clients in trial and this has led her to be the Chair of the firm’s Employment Practice Group.

Kelly strives to align business needs with best legal practices for businesses of all sizes. Her practice includes advice and litigation regarding the following: hiring, negotiating and drafting of contracts, protection of trade secrets, discipline, civil rights, and wage and hour and leave laws. While employees and related problems can appear to be unique, our firm’s command of the laws and regulations will help our clients efficiently and effectively find resolution.
 
Prior to practicing law, Kelly traveled extensively and lived abroad and across the United States. Her work experiences, which vary from bartender, laborer, care giver, social worker at a homeless clinic and teaching former gang members, helped her develop unique insight about the workplace and a straight forward approach with her clients and in court. 

Representative Matters

Prevailed with motion for summary judgment to dismiss former bank CEO's claim of breach of contract and defamation. 

Successfully defended software company against BOLI claims of workers compensation discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation claims of former employee.

Successfully defended vineyard against multi-plaintiff OSHA retaliation, race discrimination, and retaliation claims filed with EEOC.

Obtained favorable settlement for moving company against joint employee claims of wage and hour violations and race discrimination.

Successfully defended three joint defendants against claims of breach of noncompete, nonsolicitation agreement, Uniform Trade Secrets Act in NASD arbitration.

Prevailed with foreclosure of construction lien at trial and on appeal for construction company. Also, obtained attorneys fee award for client.

Education

Willamette University College of Law (J.D. 2001)
Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA (A.B. French and Art History, cum laude, 1993)
Universite de Paris IV, Le Sorbonne in Paris, France (1990-1991)

Admissions

Oregon State Bar
Washington State Bar
U.S. District Court

Associations

ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee
Oregon Women Lawyers
Multnomah Bar Association
Friends Committee Member of the National Association of Women Judges
Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association

Speaking Engagements

Kelly frequently conducts seminars and training sessions on employment and litigation issues for the GoWest Credit Union Association (fka Northwest Credit Union Association), Oregon Bankers Association, other financial service providers, trade associations, and business clients.