Leah Lively

Practice Areas

Labor & Employment

Litigation

Trade Secrets & Employee Mobility

Equine Law

Career

Leah Lively is Chair of the Firm’s Portland Litigation Practice Group, a Partner in Buchalter’s Portland office, and a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group. Leah has represented over 150 employers in state and federal courts across multiple states, defending against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour violations, including multiple class action lawsuit. Leah tailors her defense to meet each client’s objectives—whether that is a quick and efficient class action settlement, conducting targeted discovery to assess risk before motion practice or settlement, or taking a case to trial. With a rare combination of experience and skill, Leah consistently delivers results for her clients.

Leah regularly represents employers in Oregon, Washington, and California. A highly experienced employer-side litigator, Leah’s favorite part of litigation is deposing the plaintiff. Leah is known for her quick thinking and attention to detail, positioning the her clients for the strongest possible outcomes. Leah’s effectiveness comes from her decades of experience as a subject matter expert and litigator. She has successfully obtained summary judgment and defense verdicts for employers at trial, and is among the few attorneys nationwide to successfully defended a wage and hour collective action through jury trial.

Leah provides strategic guidance and court-tested solutions for disputes involving non-competition agreements, trade secrets, and/or breach of contract claims. She has defeated claims for injunctive relief and obtained summary judgment in these cases.

Leah is also proactive in helping employers minimize risk through workplace training and investigations, internal compliance audits, and providing guidance on thorny employment decisions. Leah regularly publishes Insights to keep employers updated on new laws and common liability pitfalls, and is a regular expert contributor to Law360 for class action employment news and analysis.

An avid equestrian, Leah is a member of Buchalter’s Equine Law Industry Group. She drafts boarding and sales contracts, and represents clients in equine litigation.