Robert Carey

Practice Areas

Labor & Employment

Senior Living

Career

Bob is a member of Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. He represents companies, professionals, and executives in employment litigation, and provides counseling on a broad range of employment related issues. He has substantial jury trial experience in Oregon and Washington, defending wrongful discharge, discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour, and whistleblower cases. He also has defended ERISA lawsuits, been on both sides of post-termination cases with non-competition, trade secret and related claims, and has defended numerous labor disputes in arbitration.

Bob has represented companies in labor negotiations, and in election petitions and unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB. He has negotiated compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment contracts for companies, professionals, and executives.

He also serves as a mediator in complex commercial disputes and in employment and ERISA/benefits cases. Before joining the firm, Bob was a partner at Barran Liebman (1998-2006) and an associate and partner at Lane Powell (1993-1998). Before entering private practice, Bob served on active duty as a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corp, at the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, N.J. and the U.S. Army Defense Appellate Division, Falls Church, V.A. (1987-1993). While stationed at Fort Monmouth, Bob was appointed as a Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Bob is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute, and is also designated as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Multnomah Bar Association

Oregon Association of Defense Counsel

Portland Human Resource Management Association

Society for Human Resource Management

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Oregon State Bar

Washington State Bar, Litigation and Labor & Employment Sections

District of Columbia Bar

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

U.S. District Court, District of Oregon

U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Washington

Education

Awards

Work Highlights

Tonkon Torp Litigators Take on One of Oregon’s Largest Commercial Lawsuits

In 2021, Tonkon Torp defended its client Sprinklr, Inc. in one of the largest Oregon-based commercial lawsuits to be filed in recent years. The complex case between Sprinklr and plaintiff Opal Labs began in 2017 and involved the high-end technology of two sophisticated companies offering services in content marketing.

Diverse Team Aids Greenbrier in Joint Venture

Tonkon Torp acted as Oregon corporate counsel for its long-term client The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. in finalizing a 50/50 joint venture with Watco Companies, L.L.C. The venture combines the two companies’ railcar repair, refurbishment and maintenance businesses into a new organization, GBW Railcar Services, LLC.

Contract Claims

Summary judgment granted on perceived disability and contract claims against large paper products company and its union.

Fair Credit Reporting Act

Court granted directed verdict for employer during jury trial where former accounting clerk brought claim under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Federal Court

Numerous summary judgments granted in federal court on a variety of claims, including age, gender, disability and sex discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, whistleblower, wage and hour, and ERISA.

Large Retailer

Summary judgment granted in state court for large retailer where plaintiff had claims for discrimination, wrongful discharge, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault.

Local Newspaper

Small local newspaper won jury verdict against employee suing for wrongful discharge and discrimination.

Manufacturing Company

Manufacturing company recovered on counterclaim against former employee.

Non-Compete Agreement

Won summary judgment to enforce non-compete agreement for the benefit of acquiring company where agreement was signed by seller's employees in anticipation of the sale of the business.

Sexual Harassment & Wrongful Discharge

Obtained a directed verdict during jury trial of claims for sexual harassment and wrongful discharge.

Wage Claims

Washington jury issued defense verdict on wrongful discharge and wage claims against real estate management company. The employer also recovered on counterclaim against plaintiff, and the court awarded attorney fees to our client.

Whistleblower Claims

Obtained defense verdict on wrongful discharge and whistleblower claims before an Oregon jury. Our client also won a counterclaim for breach of fiduciary duty against its former nursing home administrator.

Sale of Pulp Mill

Represented Wayzata Investment Partners, a private equity fund, in connection with a sale of Halsey, Oregon pulp mill.