Lisa A. Amato

Direct Dial: 503.517.8101
Direct Fax:  503.273.9135
E-mail: laa@wysekadish.com

Education:
J.D., Willamette University College of Law, 1991
University of Notre Dame Law School, Summer Law Program, 1988
B.S., University of Portland, 1988

Biography:
Lisa maintains a litigation and mediation practice.  She provides counsel and advances her clients interests in litigation, in the areas of employment law and general commercial and business torts.  Her mediation practice is primarily focused on employment, and family and small business disputes.  Click here for more information about Lisa’s mediation practice.

Lisa primarily represents employers and managers, and on occasion represents management level employees.  She advises her clients in a full spectrum of employment law matters, and has litigated claims in federal and state courts, and in federal and state administrative agencies including the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), the U.S. Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

First and foremost, Lisa develops relationships with her clients and seeks an understanding of the nature of their business and their needs so that together they can maximize the effectiveness of the legal services.  She strongly encourages proactive management practices over litigation, and has built a very strong advice and counsel practice.

Emphasis:

  • Employment Counseling and Litigation
  • Wage and Hour Laws
  • Personnel Policies and Practices
  • Workplace Investigations
  • Affirmative Action Plans
  • On-Site Training

Lisa mediates employment, and family and small business disputes.  She sits on the U.S. District Court Mediator panel, the EEOC mediation roster, Multnomah County Circuit Court civil mediation roster, Multnomah County probate roster, and she volunteers through Multnomah County Small Claims Court and the Clackamas County Dispute Resolution Center.

Professional Speaking Engagements:
“Dealing Effectively With Unacceptable Employee Behavior,” BOLI Employment Law Conference, December 2011
“Advanced Strategies for Counsel and Professionalism in Mediating the Employment Case,” Panel Moderator, OSB Labor & Employment Section Annual Meeting and CLE, September 2011
“Hot Topics in Mediation”, Oregon Mediation Association Annual Conference, November 2010
“Legal Considerations in Business Start-up”, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiative, November 2010
“Mediation Styles: Do They Matter?”, Oregon State Bar CLE, October 2010
Negotiation Mechanics and Best Practices, SAIF in-house counsel, 2008

Articles and Publications:
“Building a Mediation Practice,” OWLS AdvanceSheet, Fall 2010

Professional Organizations:
Oregon State Bar: Member of Labor & Employment Section (Member of Executive Committeee) and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (Co-Chair, former Secretary and former Treasurer)
Washington State Bar
American Bar Association: Member of Labor & Employment and Dispute Resolution Sections
Federal Bar Association: Alternative Dispute Resolution Executive Committee, Treasurer
Owen M. Panner Inn of Court, Member
OSB Council on Court Procedures, former committee member
Oregon Mediation Association: Board of Directors; Life Member
Oregon Women Lawyers
Association for Conflict Resolution

Admitted To Practice:
Oregon
Washington
U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington

Community Activities:
Clackamas County Dispute Resolution Center, Advisory Board
Clackamas County Dispute Resolution Center, volunteer mediator
PCC, Management Supervisory and Development Department, Instructor
Laurelhurst School, past-PTA President and Site Council member