Nicole Rhoades

shareholder | portland | LICENSED IN Oregon & Washington

(503) 222-4422 LinkedIn Email (503) 222-4428 vCard

“My clients often thank me for making them feel comfortable during a difficult time.”

Putting the Golden Rule to use

Nicole Rhoades has been a litigator all of her career. She has tried and arbitrated numerous cases in Oregon and Washington ranging in value from a few thousand dollars to more than twenty million dollars. She has also resolved more than a hundred cases through motion practice.

Her personal approach to her job is to work hard, be creative, and treat others as she would like to be treated. She appreciates the collegial work environment offered by Davis Rothwell and being surrounded by ethical, hardworking lawyers.

When not at the office you can find Nicole spending time with family and friends, kayaking, and enjoying all things related to the arts.

RECOGNITION:

Education

Willamette University College of Law – J.D., 1999
Willamette University College of Law – Certificate in Dispute Resolution, 1999
Oregon State University – B.S., B.S., magna cum laude, 1996

While in law school, Nicole was a member of the Willamette Law Review (1997-98), Articles Editor (1998-99), and authored The Constitutional Shaping of Oregon’s Trade Secret Law: State ex rel Sports Management News v. Nachtigal, Willamette Law Review, Vol. 35, No. 2 (1999).

Blog Entries

The Reptile Theory – June 15, 2016

Bar / Court Admissions

Oregon State Bar, 1999
United States District Court for the District of Oregon, 1999
Washington State Bar, 2003

Professional & Civic Involvement

Oregon Association of Defense Counsel
Multnomah County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Claims & Litigation Management Alliance member
Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation Board (former board member)
Queen’s Bench Board (former board member)
Community Law Week Volunteer, Veterans’ Hospital
Selected for inclusion on the Oregon Super Lawyers® Rising Stars List
Authored The Claims & Litigation Management Alliance’s (CLM’s) Oregon Law Summary, aka the “Claims Handling Resource Guide“
CLM Professional Liability Committee member (2013-present)
National Youth Protection Symposium (2013; 2016; 2017)
President and founding member: CLM Oregon Chapter (2014-present)
Speaker at CLM Professional Liability & eDiscovery Conference: Developments in Employment Practices: What Now? (2014)
Speaker at CLM Pacific Northwest Conference: Diversity in the Pacific Northwest: Impacts on Claims, Settlements and Trial (2015)
Speaker at CLM Annual Conference: Diversity Considerations in Case Handling (2015)
Speaker at CLM Pacific Northwest Conference: Reptile Theory (2016)
Speaker at CLM Professional Liability Conference: Religious Freedom and Expression in Employment (2016)

Representative Cases

(Detailed Summary of Cases)

Employment

Dismissal of employment claim: Sexual orientation discrimination
Motion for summary judgment granted: Age discrimination
Dismissal of employment claims: Race discrimination/sexual harassment/whistleblowing/retaliation
Dismissal of claims: Intentional interference with economic relations/”aiding and abetting”/retaliation for taking leave protected by the Oregon Family Leave Act
Dismissal of employment claims: Sexual harassment/retaliation
Dismissal of employment claims: Retaliation/whistleblowing
Dismissal of employment claim: Retaliation
Dismissal of employment claim: Harassment/retaliation
Dismissal of employment claims: Sexual harassment/retaliation
Race discrimination claim: Settled for nuisance value

Medical Malpractice/Medical Intensive Cases

Week-long trial of neck injury/surgery case results in verdict over $900,000 less than plaintiff’s last demand
Dismissal: Department of Health complaint against therapist
Dismissal: Nursing board complaint
Dismissal: $2.5 million medical malpractice/wrongful death case
Defense verdict: Brain injury/personal injury claim
Dismissal: Nursing board complaint
Dismissal: Department of Health complaint against physician
Medical malpractice/wrongful death/sexual assault claims: Settled for nuisance value
Medical malpractice/wrongful death: Settled for nuisance value
Medical negligence/sexual battery: Settled for nuisance value
Medical malpractice/wrongful death claims: Dismissed on motion for summary judgment
Dismissal: Department of Health complaint against physician

Sex Abuse/Vulnerable Person Claims

Dismissal: $1 million sex abuse/negligence case
Pending motion for summary judgment in sex abuse case results in nuisance value settlement
Six-week sex abuse trial: Insured found only 15 percent liable and no punitive damages awarded
Motion for summary judgment granted: Abuse of vulnerable person claims/negligent supervision and retention
Sex abuse case: Settled for nuisance value
Abuse of vulnerable person claim: Defense analysis lead to no contribution being offered toward settlement by carrier and no suit filed against insured

Liquor Liability/Professional Liability/Product Liability

Affirmance in Oregon Supreme Court on liquor liability claims
Dismissal: $8 million personal injury/negligence case
Motion for summary judgment granted: $10 million liquor liability case
Attorney malpractice pre-suit claims: Work resulted in no suit filed and no settlement paid
Spoliation of evidence sanction against plaintiff in products liability case leads to nuisance value settlement
Defense verdict: Personal injury arbitration
Punitive damages motion for summary judgment granted
Product liability claim: Settled for nuisance value

Firm News

2009 Oregon Super Lawyers® Rising Stars