Our People

Mike Lehner

Principal

Mike is one of the few native Oregonians, born and raised in the Portland area. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon where he demonstrated his work ethic by earning All American honors in Track and Field three consecutive years, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He subsequently attended night law school at Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College and graduated fifth in his class in 1974, where he also served as editor in chief of the Environmental Law Review.

Mike began his legal career as a law clerk for Oregon Supreme Court Justice Arno Denecke and has since spent an additional thirty years as a trial and appellate lawyer. His practice is primarily focused on defense of civil litigation and consultation on insurance coverage issues for insurers and insureds. Mike is the founding partner of the firm which initially began as Lehner & Mitchell in 1988 and subsequently became Lehner, Mitchell, Rodrigues & Sears and now Lehner & Rodrigues.

Mike has argued more than 120 appeals in the Courts of Oregon and Washington and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Lewis & Clark College and has conducted continuing education courses for the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel and the National Business Institute.

Mike’s trial practice covers a wide variety of cases, including police misconduct (abuse of force, false arrest, malicious prosecution) municipal liability (negligence, discrimination, wrongful discharge, civil rights) premises liability, automobile and trucking accidents, environmental contamination, construction defect claims, liquor liability and insurance coverage.

Mike has also served as an arbitrator and mediator and has of course represented his clients in ADR. He is AV rated by Martindale – Hubbell and is admitted to practice in Oregon and Washington as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

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