Kate Watkinson Wright is an associate with the firm’s labor and employment group and her practice focuses on employment advice and litigation. Kate enjoys counseling businesses and governments and playing a role in their success. Kate protects the interests of private and public employers in all matters employment related, dealing with everything from day-to-day personnel issues, wage and hour claims, FMLA and OFLA leave, employee discipline, dispute resolution, discrimination and harassment complaints, employment and noncompetition agreements, employee handbooks and trainings, terminations, and related litigation. She also defends employers in federal and state agency investigations conducted by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Kate regularly speaks and writes articles on employment law topics.
Memberships/Affiliations
Kate has been included in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of employment law-management for 2013 and was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers®-Rising Stars Edition 2012. She is admitted to the Oregon State Bar and to the Tribal Court for the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.
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Kate is also very active in the community, providing service to many local organizations. Kate is a public member and former Vice Chair of the Oregon State Board of Architect Examiners. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Early Start, an organization dedicated to serving the interests of underprivileged students in arts and sciences. In addition, she donates her time to various University of Oregon law school activities, such as Moot Court competitions, practicing law and bar preparation panels and she actively mentors law students and young lawyers.
Education
Kate earned her J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of Oregon School of Law. She received a B.S. from Stanford University and during her undergraduate years spent time studying in Moscow, Russia.
Presentations
- "2011 Oregon and Federal Legislative Update," HLGR Breakfast Briefing and Webinar, Eugene OR (November 8, 2011)
- "Employment Law from A to Z: Workplace Investigations," CLE, Lorman Education Services, Eugene OR (June 30, 2011)
- "Workplace Investigations: Practical and Legal Issues," Public Risk Management Association 2011 Annual Conference, Portland OR (June 7, 2011)
- "The Intersection of Labor & Employment Law," CLE, Multnomah County Bar Association Employment Law Series (April 21, 2011)
- "2010 Labor and Employment Seminar: Supreme Court Case Law Update," CLE, The Seminar Group, Portland OR (September 22, 2010)
- Harassment and Discrimination Trainings (2010 – present)
- HLGR Breakfast Briefings, Various Topics (2009 – present)
Publications
- "Ask a Legal Expert: Independent Contractor Q&A," Portland Business Journal (June 2011)
- Harrang Long Gary Rudnick Employment Law Alerts and Quarterly Bulletin (2009 – present)
- Oregon State Bar CLE Publication, “Residency and Transfer Requirements for Public Employees,” Labor and Employment: Public Sector, Chapter 17 (2010 Supplement)
Portland Office
1001 SW Fifth Avenue16th Floor
Portland, OR 97204-1116
Tel: 503.242.0000
Fax: 503.241.1458
Practice Emphasis