Paul Buchanan has almost twenty years of experience litigating employment cases and providing employment law services in Oregon, Washington and California. He was formerly a partner at Stoel Rives, and for more than five years served as the Chair of that firm's multi-office Labor & Employment Group. He also served as Stoel Rives' in-house employment lawyer from 2000 to 2005. From 1990 to 1993, Paul practiced in the Labor & Employment Group at Heller Ehrman in San Francisco, California. Paul is an active member of the Oregon, Washington and California bars. He has litigated numerous employment cases through trial where he has received numerous jury verdicts for his clients. Paul's articles on employment law issues have been published nationally by the American Bar Association, American Lawyer Media, and the Society for Human Resource Management, and by numerous regional publications. He is also a member of the National Employment Law Institute ("NELI") faculty where he has given advanced-level presentations for employment lawyers and human resource professionals throughout the country on topics such as: alternative dispute resolution, the Americans With Disabilities Act, settlement and severance agreements, damages in employment cases, defamation, and retaliation. In addition to his litigation and counseling practice, Paul has an active mediation practice. He is one of three Portland-area mediators selected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") to mediate employment discrimination charges filed with that agency. Paul is listed in Best Lawyers in America and numerous other rating publications as a top employment lawyer in Oregon.

Prior Experience

Paul was a partner at Stoel Rives for ten years. From 1990 to 1993, Paul practiced in San Francisco at Heller Ehrman LLP in that firm's Litigation and Labor and Employment departments.

Education

Paul received his law degree from Boston College Law School (J.D. 1990) where he was Articles Editor for the Boston College Law Review. He received his bachelor’Äôs degree from Vassar College (B.A. 1986).

Professional Activities

Paul is a national speaker and writer on employment law issues. His articles have been published in a variety of publications, including American Lawyer Media, and the American Bar Association ("ABA"). (See list of publications below). Paul is also a member of National Employment Law Institute ("NELI") faculty. He has recently given presentations for NELI on retaliation, alternative dispute resolution, settlement agreements, damages, and defamation. He has given a nationally telecast presentation for the ABA on dealings with workplace romance, and was interviewed for an internationally broadcast interview on the same subject by the British Broadcast Company (the "BBC"). In addition, he has given numerous presentations locally including a presentation with U.S. District Court Chief Judge Haggerty and one with U.S. District Court Judge King on effective motions for summary judgment. He has also given a presentation in 2005 with U.S. District Court Judge Brown on drafting jury instructions.

Articles

Paul's articles on employment law issues have been published by American Lawyer Media, the ABA, SHRM, and The Oregonian, among others. His published articles include:

"Have a Plan, Be Direct," published in the November/December 2003 issue of the ABA's Business Law Today magazine.

"Love, or Harassment," published as the cover story of the fall 2001 issue of the ABA's Business Law Today magazine, republished nationally by the Society for Human Resources Management, and by American Lawyer Media.

"Is it Against The Law to be A Jerk?" published by American Lawyer Media, as well as the Washington State Bar Journal and the Oregon Law Journal.

"The Evolving Understanding of Workplace Harassment and Employer Liability: Implications of Recent Supreme Court Decisions Under Title VII," published in the April 1999 Wake Forest Law Review.

"Embracing the Reality of Workplace Romance," The Oregonian, March 2005.

Recent Litigation Results

• Leal v. Union Bank of California, State law employment claims. Summary judgment for defendant on all claims, May 2007.
• Kolar v. Unified Western Grocers, Oregon Family Leave Act and wrongful discharge claims. Summary judgment for defendant on all claims. Affirmed on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, May 2007.
• Herron v. Wells Fargo Financial, claims for breach of contract, fraud and discrimination. Summary judgment for defendant on all claims, August 2006 (currently on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals).
• Harrison v. Health Net Health Plans of Oregon, disability, discrimination and tort claims all dismissed one month before trial on defendant motion, March 2005.
• Killinger v. A-dec Corporation, retaliation and tort claims. Jury verdict for defense on all claims, April 2004.
• Travis, et al. v. Knappenberger, multi plaintiff retaliation, wage penalty, ERISA, and tort claims. Jury verdict for defense, affirmed by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, December 2003.
• Tchir v. Unified Western Grocers, retaliation, breach of contract, negligence. Summary judgment for defense on all claims, affirmed by the Ninth Circuit, October 2003.
• Benward v. The Vancouver Clinic, disability, contract and wage claims. Arbitration decision for defense on all claims, February 2003.
• Sam v. Rockwell Collins, discrimination and contract claims. Summary judgment for defense on all claims, affirmed by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, July 2002.
• Farzad v. Rockwell Collins, discrimination and contract claims. Summary judgment for defense on all claims, affirmed by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, July 2002.
• Merritt v. McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, discrimination and related claims. Summary judgment for defense on all claims, January 2001.
• Delair v. PacifiCorp, discrimination and wrongful discharge claims. Summary judgment for defense on all claims, 2000.

Jurisdictions

State bars of California, Oregon, Washington

U.S. District Court for the Districts of Oregon; Western and Eastern Districts of Washington; Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of California

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Contact

Direct Dial: 503-974-5020
e: paul@baaslaw.com