Elizabeth Schleuning helps clients comply with the ever-changing laws governing employment and defends them vigorously at trial when needed. Drawing on 30 years of trial experience, Elizabeth provides legal advice that helps clients either avoid litigation altogether or build strong defenses in case litigation ensues. Clients appreciate her strategic, practical advice and friendly and timely responsiveness. She has been described as a lawyer who “impresses with her deep subject matter knowledge,” and “thinks outside the box and is able to deal with complex matters in ways that actually work.”

Elizabeth has a particular focus on healthcare and technology clients.  She works with numerous medical and dental groups including small and large single-specialty groups, individual physicians, multi-specialty groups and hospitals. She assists with everything from contracting and litigation, to enforcement of non-competes and general legal advice.  Elizabeth’s many technology clients value her straightforward advice and her significant enforcing their non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality/nda agreements.

Working with Schwabe’s nationally ranked Forest Products team, Elizabeth also represents natural resource industry. She regularly assists these companies in litigation, administrative agency complaint responses and policy development.

Elizabeth also handles wage and hour class action lawsuits as both lead counsel and local counsel for a variety of industries, including retail and banking.

Experience

• Won a defense verdict in a cutting-edge case against a senior living company involving claims of breast-feeding discrimination. Handled a three-week trial in King County, Washington, and successfully defended the case up through the Washington Supreme Court (2013).
• Tried a multi-million dollar case against a dental group in Lane County, Oregon to a 10-1 defense verdict (2014).
• Advised a healthcare client in a manner that successfully avoided a qui tam claim threat by a C-level employee.
• Obtained a unanimous defense verdict on behalf of a solo healthcare provider in a multi-million dollar lawsuit in Clatsop County, Oregon (2015).
• Successfully enforced a non-compete against a departing physician from a single specialty group.
• Negotiated a separation agreement for a C-level executive resulting in over $1 million payout.
• Advised a financial institution on a significant and complex downsizing resulting from a merger.

Memberships

• Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow (past member)
• U.S. News Best Lawyers in America award, Employment Law-Management, Litigation-Labor and Employment (2012-2020)
• Durfee Foundation’s American/Chinese Adventure Capital Program, recipient of a yearlong grant to explore alternative dispute resolution in the People’s Republic of China (1989)
• Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Member
• Oregon State Bar Association, Member

• Litigation Counsel of America, Member

Awards

• Best Lawyers in America Award, Lawyer of the Year, Portland Employment Law - Management (2022)
• Best Lawyers in America Award, Employment Law - Management & Litigation - Labor and Employment (2012-2023)
• Oregon Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor (2016-2022)
• Ranked for Labor and Employment Lawyers in Oregon, Chambers USA (2018-2022)

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

OASCA Annual Conference: Updates in Employment Law
Ambridge Event Center - Portland, OR
August 11-12, 2016 

Publications

Multimedia

Community Activities

• New Avenues for Youth, Board Chair
• University Club of Portland, Vice President

Services