Chad Colton

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Intellectual Property Litigation

Trust & Estates Litigation

Class Actions

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Technology Litigation

Professional Memberships

Board of Directors, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel; Chair, Commercial Litigation Section

Personal

In addition to his litigation practice, Chad spends extensive time serving his community. He is currently a member of the board of directors for The Classroom Law Project, which provides civics education and mock trial programs to students. Chad is fluent in Spanish and serves as the chair of the board for Quechua Benefit, a non-profit that runs a school and creates health initiatives for children in the Peruvian highlands. He also serves as a board member and the president of Up & Out, which provides housing and living services for adults with developmental disabilities.

Career

Chad Colton handles high-stakes business litigation, with a particular focus on the sports, entertainment, and video game sectors. He has taken 30 cases to trial nationwide and is frequently brought into late-stage trial engagements. Chambers USA describes Chad as a “go-to lawyer for bet-the-company commercial litigation,” with market sources calling him a “skillful litigator who is not afraid to go in and try cases” and noting his ability to “unpack the most complex cases and adapt his trial strategy to any jury.”

Chad serves as lead counsel in commercial litigation involving contracts, fiduciary duties, trade secrets, IP matters, shareholder and partnership disputes, endorsement deals, and high-value tort claims. He represents clients across a range of industries and has substantial experience in matters involving athletes, celebrities, and sportswear companies.

Drawing on 20 years of courtroom experience and the study of trial techniques, Chad shares insights on trial work, depositions, and oral advocacy through seminars, articles, and instructional videos.