Leah Lively is a Shareholder in Buchalter's Portland, San Diego and Seattle offices and a member of the Labor & Employment practice. She is licensed to practice law in CA, OR, WA, ID, and AK. Ms. Lively is an experienced litigator and counselor who has tried more than 40 jury trials in multiple states and jurisdictions during her career. Ms. Lively enjoys taking depositions and is known for her attention to detail and ability to out-maneuver the plaintiff, setting the stage for favorable client outcomes.

Ms. Lively's employment practice centers on defending employers against claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour violations. When employers need to get ahead of potential disputes, Ms. Lively conducts workplace investigations and counsels businesses on employment law compliance, risk, and best practices.

In addition to her single-plaintiff employment claims experience, Ms. Lively has experience defending wage and hour claims, including class actions. She served as lead defense counsel in a putative wage/hour misclassification class action in Oregon and co-managed the defense of a 40,000 putative class-member case for a national restaurant chain in California.

Bar Admissions

• Alaska
• California
• Idaho
• Oregon
• Washington

Education

• Lewis and Clark Law School, J.D., 1996
• California Polytechnic State University, B.S.

• AssuredPartners v. Reese et al.: Defeated a motion for temporary restraining order brought be former employer to enforce a non-compete and alleging trade secrets violations. (D. Or.)
• Christian v. Umpqua Bank*: Obtained complete summary judgment and case dismissal for defendant in this federal case with alleged sexual harassment and retaliation claims. (D. Or.)
• Kouame v. DAL Global Services, LLC:* Obtained complete summary judgment and case dismissal for defendant in this federal case with alleged race and age discrimination and retaliation claims. (W.D. Wash.)
• Chapman v. Progress Rail*: Complete summary judgment granted for Progress Rail in this federal case alleging race discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. (W.D. Wash.)
• Craig v. BNSF*: Obtained complete summary judgment and case dismissal for defendant in this federal case with alleged FMLA interference and retaliation claims. (W.D. Wash.)
• Bustos v. Aldis Manufacturing*: Lead trial lawyer for Aldis in this race/national origin, whistleblower, and retaliation case, resulting in a complete defense verdict. (D. Or.)
• Cedano v. Rite Aid*: Lead defense counsel for Rite Aid in this putative wage/hour class action which alleged misclassification of exempt employees. (D. Or.)
• Hohnbaum v. Brinker*: Defense of putative wage/hour class action alleging missed meal and rest breaks. (Cal. Super.)
• Holman v. Trammell Crow Company*: Trial counsel for Trammell Crow against claims of race and discrimination and retaliation, resulting in a complete defense verdict in a jury trial. (E.D. Pa.)
• McAllister v. Trendwest Resorts*: Represented Trendwest in a jury trial for alleged sexual harassment and discrimination claims, resulting in a complete defense verdict. (D. Or.)
• Wage and hour class action for national retailer*: One of three trial counsel representing a national retailer in wage/hour collective action jury trial involving over 100 testifying plaintiffs and resulting in 25 defense verdicts and actual damages of less than $7,000. (D. Or.)

• Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Labor & Employment (Oregon), 2008-2025
• Named as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Employment Law, 2011-present
• Selected to "Oregon Super Lawyers" in Employment Litigation, Thomson Reuters, 2011-2024
• AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Named "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - Labor and Employment (Oregon) by Best Lawyers, 2015

• Sexual Harassment 2018: It Is Your Business
• 10th Circuit: State's Sexual Harassment Policy Results in Dismissal of Case Against Judge
• New Laws Affecting Oregon Employers in 2010
• The New ADA Amendments: Increasing the Burden on Employers
• Supreme Court Decision Impacts FLSA's Overtime Rules
• Employer Notice: Pregnant Workers Gain Added Protections Under Federal Law
• What Does the EU-US Data Privacy Framework Mean for Your Business?
• California Raises Minimum Wage for Health Care Workers
• Class Action Alert: Pay Transparency Class Actions Are Mounting in Washington
• Valentine's Day 2024 Is No Sweetheart for Employers Who Include Restrictive Covenants in Employee Agreements for Current or Former California Employees
• New Year, New Employment Laws in the Pacific Northwest
• The DOL Issues New Rule on Independent Contractor Classification
• Rounding Time Is No Longer a Safe Bet in Oregon and Washington
• Washington State Imposes Further Restrictions on the Use of Noncompetition Agreements
• The U.S. Supreme Court Rejects "Significant Harm" Standard for Claims of Workplace Discrimination; Adopts More Employee-Friendly "Some Harm" Standard
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Davis Wright Tremaine Webinar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Davis Wright Tremaine Webinar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Davis Wright Tremaine Webinar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Davis Wright Tremaine Webinar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Davis Wright Tremaine Employment Seminar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at American Employment Law Council 25th Annual Conference
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Oregon Association of Corporate Counsel
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Oregon Association of Corporate Counsel
• Leah Lively, Presenter at American Employment Law Council
• Leah Lively, Presenter at The Seminar Group Small Business Employment Law Issues Seminar
• Leah Lively, Presenter at ABA National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity Law
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Oregon Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Oregon Law Institute of Lewis & Clark Law School
• Leah Lively, Presenter at 27th Annual Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries Employment Law Conference
• Leah Lively, Presenter at 26th Annual Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries Employment Law Conference
• Leah Lively, Presenter at Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Annual Conference
• Leah Lively, Speaker at the Washington Association of Corporate Counsel Employment Law Summit
• Buchalter Labor & Employment 2023 Seminar
• Practice Advice for Small and Medium Sized Businesses to Achieve CPRA Compliance
• Class Action Alert-PNW Employers in the Crosshairs for Meal/Rest Period Claims
• Trade Secrets & Employee Mobility Podcast: New Statute Expanding California’s Prohibition of Non-Compete Agreements
• Trade Secrets & Employee Mobility Podcast: Understanding California’s New Employment Law: AB 1076 & Non-Compete Clauses
• A New Year Brings New Laws to Pacific Northwest Employers
• The Oregon Consumer Privacy Act ("OCPA"): What Businesses Need to Know
• A Game of Texas Hold'em: How Texas Stopped Wage Increases for Salaried Exempt Employees Nationwide
• Washington Employment Laws Are Changing: What Employers Must Do To Prepare
• Washington Employers: Prepare Now for Sweeping Changes to State Employment Laws Starting July 2025
• Washington Employers: Prepare Now for Sweeping Changes to State Employment Laws Starting July 2025
• Washington Employment Laws Are Changing: What Employers Must Do To Prepare
• Buchalter’s Labor & Employment 2023 Webinar
• California Expands Protections for Tipped Employees -New Requirements for Employers Begin January 1, 2026