Caroline Harris Crowne

Practice Areas

Accountant & Professional Liability

Contract & Commercial Disputes

Corporate & Business Owner Disputes

Administrative & Regulatory Law

Government Law & Disputes

Shareholder Disputes & Governance

Professional Services

Real Estate Litigation

Environmental Litigation

Career

Caroline is Co-Chair of Tonkon Torp’s Litigation Department. In her 21 years at the firm, Caroline has taken more than thirty cases to trial or final hearing and has resolved many more through motions and settlement. Caroline excels at presenting complex concepts in a way that makes sense to judges, juries, arbitrators, and other decision makers. She regularly handles matters in state and federal courts, in private arbitration, and in regulatory proceedings.

Caroline’s litigation practice focuses on disputes over business transactions and relationships. She is well versed in commercial contracts and accounting concepts. She has a special interest in matters relating to the ownership, governance, and sale of businesses. She has handled numerous cases involving claims for breaches of fiduciary duty, disputes over stock and asset purchase agreements, and indemnification claims. She also regularly represents clients in federal and state administrative proceedings, involving the regulation of utilities, financial institutions, and the practice of accounting.

Through the course of her career, Caroline has developed deep expertise in arbitration and mediation procedure. She trained in mediation while a college student in Houston and then volunteered as a mediator during law school in New York, resolving dozens of cases in civil court, in small claims court, and at a neighborhood mediation center. She has published several articles and given presentations on topics of arbitration procedure under federal and state law.

Before joining Tonkon Torp, Caroline clerked for the Honorable Charles S. Haight in the Southern District of New York.

Languages Spoken

English

French

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Multnomah Bar Association

Oregon Women Lawyers

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Oregon State Bar

Washington State Bar Association

U.S. District Court, District of Oregon

U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington

Work Highlights

Tonkon Torp Celebrates Final Victory for Former Bank of Oswego CEO

The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon recently dismissed the last criminal charges lingering against Dan Heine, former Bank of Oswego CEO. In 2015, Mr. Heine and Diana Yates, the Bank’s former CFO, were indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and making false bank entries during the time they served as officers for the Bank. They both denied any wrongdoing.

Tonkon Torp Wins Arbitration Victory for Technology Company and Patent Law Firm

Tonkon Torp achieved a significant arbitration win involving two clients, a California-based technology company and its patent litigation law firm. Tonkon Torp was originally retained to represent the tech company in obtaining declaratory and injunctive relief against a litigation finance company that had been engaged to fund the client’s patent enforcement litigation.

Tonkon Torp Leads Moda Health Through Corporate Restructure and $155 Million Sale

Tonkon Torp led client Moda Health through its high-profile corporate restructure and $155 million stock sale to Delta Dental of California.

Tonkon Torp Guides Unique Renewable Energy Project Through Key Phases

Tonkon Torp has worked on the project at key stages throughout its lifespan. Led by David Petersen, the firm first helped the original developer obtain land rights and evaluate title issues. In 2013, the developer and Tonkon Torp began a four-year process to secure the project’s site certificate from the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council.

Tonkon Torp Completes Successful Arbitration for Owners of Closely Held Business

In December 2015, Tonkon Torp closed a swift and successful arbitration to enforce payment owed to its clients, family members who founded and grew a successful business in the Northwest. In 2012, the clients had worked with Tonkon Torp to sell the company to a large, billion-dollar national entity.

Education

Awards