Dana Sullivan

Dana Sullivan is one of the most highly-regarded lawyers in Oregon representing individuals in employment and civil rights litigation.  She regularly tries discrimination cases in both federal and state court and also devotes a significant part of her practice to advising executives in the negotiation of employment contracts or separation agreements.  Dana has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers has listed her among the top 25 women lawyers in Oregon and among Oregon’s top 50 lawyers.  Dana is a past president of both the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and the Multnomah Bar Association.

Dana earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Princeton University and went on to earn a law degree at New York University School of Law. Dana’s many volunteer activities include service on the Legal Committee of Legal Voice, a Seattle-based organization devoted to advancing the rights of women, and Dana also serves on the Board of Governors of Girls Inc. of Northwest Oregon. Dana is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs and has served as a guest lecturer for classes at Portland State University and Lewis & Clark Law School.  Recent topics include family leave and disability laws, sexual harassment claims, the basics of litigating an employment case, proving damages, and issues surrounding expert witness testimony.

• Oregon State Bar

• Multnomah Bar Association

• Oregon Trial Lawyers Association

• Oregon Women Lawyers

• National Employment Lawyers Association

• Association of Trial Lawyers of America

• Legal Voice Intake Committee Member (2006-present)

• Gus J. Solomon American Inns of Court (1998-2005)

• Member of the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest

• Merrill v. MITCH Charter School Tigard: Court awarded $60,000 to charter school teacher after finding that the school discharged her in retaliation for her assertion of a wage claim.

• Steele v. Snowline Manufacturing: Obtained award of compensatory and punitive damages for a woman who was wrongfully discharged by her employer for obtaining and enforcing a restraining order against a male coworker.

• Wright v. City of Willamina: $165,000 awarded to former City Recorder based upon jury’s finding that the plaintiff was discharged for filing a complaint with the Government Standards and Practices Commission against city councilors.

• Tinker v. Singh: Obtained jury award for the plaintiff for discrimination based upon sexual orientation and wrongful termination for complaints about the employer's violation of wage and hour laws regulating tobacco and alcohol sales.

• Shimer v. Fraternal Order of Eagles, 202 Or. App. 123, 121 P.3d 671 (2005), rev. denied, 341 Or. 80, 136 P3d 1123 (2006): After bench trial, court ruled that the Fraternal Order of Eagles' exclusion of women as members violated the Oregon Public Accommodations Act.

• Huson v. City of Forest Grove: Federal jury awarded the plaintiff $390,000 in damages and $112,000 in attorneys' fees and costs based upon finding that her former employer unlawfully discharged her after she complained of gender discrimination in the workplace.

• Marsh v. Henderson: Federal jury awarded plaintiff $90,000 in compensatory damages, plus attorneys' fees and costs, based upon finding that the plaintiff had been unlawfully denied employment with the U.S. Postal Service due to her pregnancy.

• Oregon State Bar

• Oregon Trial Lawyers Association

• Federal Bar Association

• Multnomah Bar Association

• National Business Institute

• Oregon Law Institute