Leora Coleman-Fire
Portland, OR
Licensed for 10 years
Law Degree
Awards
Primary Practice Area
Business
Language
English
About
Professional ExperienceLeora Coleman-Fire helps employers to comply with the myriad laws governing the employer-worker relationship. In addition, Ms. Coleman-Fire is experienced in pretrial and trial motions, along with providing legal research and writing memoranda, and document review when litigation arises. Previously, Ms. Coleman-Fire was a summer associate at the firm and clerked for the Oregon Department of Justice, Special Litigation Unit where she worked on high-profile complex litigation issues ranging from defending constitutional challenges to preparing for settlement negotiations. Ms. Coleman-Fire served as the legal extern for the Oregon Medical Board (OMB) where she drafted the administrative rules for the Health Professionals' Services Program and assisted in representing the OMB in administrative hearings and appeals. Prior to entering the legal profession, Ms. Coleman-Fire provided healthcare services to the underserved through AmeriCorps and worked as the manager of a diabetes research group. Professional & Community ActivitiesMs. Coleman-Fire serves on the board of directors of Portland's Q-Center as well as on the Associates Committee for The Campaign for Equal Justice.While in law school, Ms. Coleman-Fire served as an Associate Editor of the Environmental Law Review, was President of the Jewish Legal Society, and a teaching assistant for Contracts I and II. Ms. Coleman-Fire also represented low-income clients in civil cases while participating in the Lewis & Clark Legal Clinic. Awards and Recognition• Gantenbein Scholar (2010-2011)• Davis Wright Tremaine International Law Writing Competition Award Recipient (2010)• Business Law Roundtable Scholar (2010)• Alumni Board Scholar (2009-2010)• Community Service Award Recipient (2009) Admitted to PracticeOregon State CourtsUnited States District Court, District of OregonPublicationsMs. Coleman-Fire is a coauthor of the Oregon Human Resources Manual, published by Associated Oregon Industries. EducationLewis & Clark Law School, Juris Doctor degree, cum laude (2011)Whitman College, Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors (2006) ArticlesPublic Hearing on Portland Sick Leave Ordinance Provides More Questions Than Answers, August 26, 2013 Released for Public Comment: Portland Sick Leave Ordinance Draft Rules Offer Important Clarification and Opportunity to Respond, August 22, 2013 Employers Beware: Portland City Council Passes Sick Leave Mandate, March 20, 2013 New Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") Poster, Forms, and Expanded Leave Take Effect March 8, 2013, March 7, 2013 The Supreme Court Upholds President Obama's Healthcare Law: Is Your Small Business Ready for the Consequences?, August 13, 2012 New Laws for a New Year: What You and Your Employees Must Know, January 6, 2012 Sink or Swim: What Business Leaders and Consumers Should know about Releases from Personal Liability, June 24, 2010
Practices Areas
Business
Employment and labor
Language
English
Contact
1211 SW 5th Ave Ste 1900Portland, OR, 972041211 SW 5th Ave Ste 1900Portland, OR, 97204
Office: N/A
Website: N/AReviews
Years ago when I was first introduced to Leora, the managing partner told me she was a "rock star" and the "best of the best." I figured a good marketing campaign; Leora blew me away. As corporate counsel, I've worked with hundreds of lawyers. Leora brings a rare quality. She is creative in her thinking. She balances business objectives with risk. She ultimately offers so much more than legal advice, so much so the business leaders wanted her on their team for everything. She brought results and I'd hire her again on the spot.
Leora assisted us to defend our company and manager in a lawsuit filed by a very aggressive plaintiff’s lawyer. Unlike other attorneys who we’ve relied on that seem to rack up bills and automatically push their own agenda, Leora crafts a strategy that keeps your concerns in mind. She was always pleasant to talk to and able to explain the law in a way that we could understand. She’s also very available. When it came to facing off with opposing counsel during depositions and mediation, she held her ground and made him admit his mistake and back down. I highly recommend her to anyone facing litigation.
Leora has helped our company on a number of legal issues, but what sicks out in particular is her incredile knowledge of the Portland Sick Time Ordinance. The mandatory sick time laws are complex, but not for Leora. She also not only knows the law, she actually advocates for employes at the City....and she's made real positive changes for employers. How cool is that? It's great to have a lawyer that not only knows the law better than anyone else, but takes her own time to make it better. Leora is also an attorney who can see the forest. When you ask her questions, she takes into account not jus the law but also the business side and the psychology of working with people. For example, I asked her for a policy that said employees could not have piercings larger than 2 mm or any facial piercings. Rather than just sending me the policy and letting me later realize it was a terrible idea in application, she asked me what I was ultimately trying to solve, gave me clear scenarios for why I wouldn't want the policy exactly as I had suggested (hello, ruler to employee's face to measure piercings!) and then sent me a policy that really works.
Years ago when I was first introduced to Leora, the managing partner told me she was a "rock star" and the "best of the best." I figured a good marketing campaign; Leora blew me away. As corporate counsel, I've worked with hundreds of lawyers. Leora brings a rare quality. She is creative in her thinking. She balances business objectives with risk. She ultimately offers so much more than legal advice, so much so the business leaders wanted her on their team for everything. She brought results and I'd hire her again on the spot.
Leora assisted us to defend our company and manager in a lawsuit filed by a very aggressive plaintiff’s lawyer. Unlike other attorneys who we’ve relied on that seem to rack up bills and automatically push their own agenda, Leora crafts a strategy that keeps your concerns in mind. She was always pleasant to talk to and able to explain the law in a way that we could understand. She’s also very available. When it came to facing off with opposing counsel during depositions and mediation, she held her ground and made him admit his mistake and back down. I highly recommend her to anyone facing litigation.
Leora has helped our company on a number of legal issues, but what sicks out in particular is her incredile knowledge of the Portland Sick Time Ordinance. The mandatory sick time laws are complex, but not for Leora. She also not only knows the law, she actually advocates for employes at the City....and she's made real positive changes for employers. How cool is that? It's great to have a lawyer that not only knows the law better than anyone else, but takes her own time to make it better. Leora is also an attorney who can see the forest. When you ask her questions, she takes into account not jus the law but also the business side and the psychology of working with people. For example, I asked her for a policy that said employees could not have piercings larger than 2 mm or any facial piercings. Rather than just sending me the policy and letting me later realize it was a terrible idea in application, she asked me what I was ultimately trying to solve, gave me clear scenarios for why I wouldn't want the policy exactly as I had suggested (hello, ruler to employee's face to measure piercings!) and then sent me a policy that really works.
Years ago when I was first introduced to Leora, the managing partner told me she was a "rock star" and the "best of the best." I figured a good marketing campaign; Leora blew me away. As corporate counsel, I've worked with hundreds of lawyers. Leora brings a rare quality. She is creative in her thinking. She balances business objectives with risk. She ultimately offers so much more than legal advice, so much so the business leaders wanted her on their team for everything. She brought results and I'd hire her again on the spot.
Leora assisted us to defend our company and manager in a lawsuit filed by a very aggressive plaintiff’s lawyer. Unlike other attorneys who we’ve relied on that seem to rack up bills and automatically push their own agenda, Leora crafts a strategy that keeps your concerns in mind. She was always pleasant to talk to and able to explain the law in a way that we could understand. She’s also very available. When it came to facing off with opposing counsel during depositions and mediation, she held her ground and made him admit his mistake and back down. I highly recommend her to anyone facing litigation.
Leora has helped our company on a number of legal issues, but what sicks out in particular is her incredile knowledge of the Portland Sick Time Ordinance. The mandatory sick time laws are complex, but not for Leora. She also not only knows the law, she actually advocates for employes at the City....and she's made real positive changes for employers. How cool is that? It's great to have a lawyer that not only knows the law better than anyone else, but takes her own time to make it better. Leora is also an attorney who can see the forest. When you ask her questions, she takes into account not jus the law but also the business side and the psychology of working with people. For example, I asked her for a policy that said employees could not have piercings larger than 2 mm or any facial piercings. Rather than just sending me the policy and letting me later realize it was a terrible idea in application, she asked me what I was ultimately trying to solve, gave me clear scenarios for why I wouldn't want the policy exactly as I had suggested (hello, ruler to employee's face to measure piercings!) and then sent me a policy that really works.