D. Jeffrey Courser
Experience
Jeff Courser is a partner in the Trial Group. His practice focuses on construction and
design, real estate and commercial disputes in state and federal courts. Jeff has more
than 29 years experience representing clients in all aspects of the litigation process,
including arbitration, trial and appeal. He represents owners, developers and
contractors across a wide range of industries. Jeff has extensive experience working
with experts at trial, including architects, engineers, accountants, economists,
surveyors and real property appraisers. Recent cases include a construction defect
dispute concerning a multi-family elder care facility and construction of an industrial
plant based upon a design-build contract.
Representative Work
Construction

Member of litigation team for $30 million dispute concerning design/build project
involving glass bottle manufacturing plant addressing claims including breach of
Partner
Portland, OR
(503) 294-9828 direct
(503) 220-2480 fax
contract, mechanics lien validity and priority, and indemnity.

Co-counsel prosecuting $11 million construction defect arbitration involving a
184-unit senior and assisted living center, including breach of contract, breach of
express and implied warranties, contractual indemnity and negligence.

jeffrey.courser@stoel.com
Education

1985, magna cum laude
Lead trial counsel on dispute involving validity and priority of bonded mechanic's
Am Jur Award Ethics
lien over purchase money lender's deeds of trust giving rise to issue of first
Am Jur Award Agency and Partnership
impression under Washington law.

Outstanding Oral Advocate, First Year
Moot Court
Resolved lien priority dispute involving over $500,000 disbursed as alleged future
advances on commercial construction project, alleged advances claiming lien
priority over commercial bank's $2.4 million construction loan.
Lewis and Clark Law School, J.D.,

Reed College, B.A., 1980
Admissions
Real Estate

Defeated $19.5 million developer breach of contract claim against Port District to
develop 65 acres of public and private waterfront property based upon alleged
breach of Option Agreement.

Oregon

Washington

U.S. District Court for Oregon and
the Eastern and Western Districts of
Washington
Prosecuted multiple lawsuits between same developers on a series of
development projects, including $1.5 million in claims involving breach of
contract, rights and obligations between co-tenants and judicial foreclosure.


Resolved lawsuit on right of first refusal allegedly arising on sale of an industrial
park to purchase multimillion-dollar barge slip on the Columbia River.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit
D. Jeffrey Courser

Prosecuted private condemnation lawsuit for right-of-way to landlocked timberland resulting in easement agreement with
adjoining neighbors.

Resolved lawsuit involving sale of 50-lot subdivision arising when corporate seller alleged to be unauthorized to convey title
after developer had commenced improvements and sale of lots.
Commercial

Litigated governance and control disputes on matters between partners, shareholders and limited liability company members to
resolve claims and wind up business entities holding real estate and commercial assets.

Enjoined and resolved attempted termination of multimillion-dollar distribution and service business covering several western
states invoking breach of contract and state franchise law.

Lead trial counsel on termination for cause of senior executive and call on executive's member units in limited liability
manufacturing company.

Lead trial counsel on valuation of shares of closely held corporation on court decreed forced sale due to director and
shareholder deadlock involving equipment manufacturing company.
Professional Honors and Activities

Former member, Board of Trustees, Clark County Bar Association

Past Chair, Superior Court Bench/Bar Committee

Past Chair, Bench/Bar Subcommittee Civil Docket Congestion

Past Chair, Bench/Bar Subcommittee on Indigent Defense Standards

Oregon State Bar House of Delegates

Litigation Sections, Washington and Oregon State Bar Associations

Multnomah Bar Association

Clark County Bar Association
Publications

"Dispossession of Personal Property" (coauthor), Oregon State Bar CLE Damages, 1990, including 1993 and 1995 supplements.
Civic Activities

Homeless Court advocate, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program

Homeless Advice Clinic, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program

Served as Volunteer Mediator, Community Mediation Services

Past Board Member, Southwest Washington Independent Forward Thrust

Past President, Columbia Arts Center, Board of Directors
D. Jeffrey Courser

Rater, Clark County High School Mock Trial Competition