PHONE: (503) 412-3522
EMAIL: jonathanr@mcewengisvold.com
PRACTICE AREAS: Jonathan is a litigation and appellate attorney; his areas of expertise include real estate, title and escrow litigation, legal malpractice (repair and defense) and commercial and business law.
Jonathan joined McEwen Gisvold as an associate in 1992 and became a partner in 2000.
I decided I wanted to be a lawyer before I had entered high school; as a law student, I loved to engage with fellow students outside of class, about the things we were learning inside class. That love of learning about new ideas and industries keeps the law fresh and interesting to me. Most of my clients are relatively-sophisticated in litigation, but I also enjoy helping a client who has never dealt with lawsuits and lawyers, work through the process of dispute resolution.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
The National Law Center, George Washington University (J.D. with high honors, 1992), Moot Court Board, Order of the Coif
Willamette University (B.A., political science, math/computer science, 1988), Top Ten Senior Award, Thomas Autzen Award, Chiles Foundation Scholar, Mortar Board
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Member: Multnomah County and Oregon Bar Associations
Executive Board, Oregon State Bar Business Litigation Section (1999-2006)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Fortissimo of the Oregon Symphony (1994-1997)
Willamette University Alumni Board (1994-2006) and President (2003-2005)
Willamette University Board of Trustees (2003-2005)
City Club of Portland Research Board (2008-2011)
Central City Concern Board of Directors (2008-present)
Portland Symphonic Choir (2015-2017)
Cleveland High School Constitution Team (2016-present)
BAR ADMISSIONS / ADMITTED TO PRACTICE:
Oregon State Bar (1992)
United States District Court, District of Oregon (1993)
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2001)
United States Supreme Court (2005)
REPRESENTATIVE WORK:
Jonathan represented Mt. Hood Meadows in a lengthy dispute and settlement conference, involving an exchange of real property with Hood River County, and subsequent efforts by several public interest groups to reverse the land exchange. After winning two lawsuits in the trial court, and handling both cases pending in the Oregon Court of Appeals, the parties reached a settlement over the course of six days of settlement conferences, which settlement requires legislative approval of another exchange of property with the U.S. Forest Service.
Jonathan has represented the Oregon School Activities Association in a variety of issues of first impression, including successfully defending the OSAA’s plan to re-classify all 287 member high schools in the State of Oregon.
Jonathan regularly represents title insurance companies and escrow companies in defense of claims, and has become one of the foremost lawyers in Oregon with respect to issues of escrow and/or title insurance negligence claims, having handled five cases through the Oregon Court of Appeals on this subject, which cases have defined the nature of title and escrow law in Oregon.
