Congratulations to Larkins Vacura Kayser partner Tania Manners who has been elected to serve on the Multnomah Bar Association’s Board of Directors for a three-year term, which begins on June 1st. Tania joined the MBA Board after service as Chair of the MBA Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The MBA Board of Directors is the policy-making body of the organization. Read more on the MBA website. An experienced trial attorney, Tania’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation, commercial business and contract disputes, real property actions and health care litigation.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that several of its attorneys have joined or become officers of executive committees of Oregon State Bar practice sections in 2023. Tania Manners was elected to join the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Health Law Section as a member-at-large. John Rake was elected as the Treasurer of the Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section. Cody Hoesly was elected as the Chair of the Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section and the Secretary of the Oregon State Bar Business Litigation Section. Cody also continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Litigation Section as a member-at-large.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Julie Vacura recently began a two-year term as chair of the State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The ACTL is recognized as the preeminent organization of trial lawyers in North America, dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics and the administration of justice.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorneys Tom Bode and Aly Sneider assisted the Animal Legal Defense Fund in petitioning the Oregon Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeals opinion affirming the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Justice, a horse who was a victim of animal cruelty. The petition argues that animals who have been subjected to cruelty have legal rights with standing to sue for damages, in keeping with Oregon courts’ established recognition that animals should be considered individual victims for sentencing purposes in cruelty cases.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that it was again recognized in the 2023 Edition of Best Law Firms in Oregon. The firm was again named as a Tier 1 Best Law Firm in Commercial Litigation, Banking & Finance Litigation, and Antitrust Litigation, a Tier 2 Best Law Firm in Securities Litigation and Appellate Practice, and a Tier 3 Best Law Firm in Environmental Litigation and Real Estate Litigation. The rankings are based on peer selection.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Cody Hoesly prevailed before the Oregon Court of Appeals in Floor Solutions, Inc. v. Johnson, 322 Or App 417 (2022). After our client obtained confirmation of a $3 million arbitration award against his former employer for violation of Oregon’s wage statutes, the employer appealed, arguing that the arbitrators had exceeded their powers by manifestly disregarding the law. The appellate court affirmed, holding that “manifest disregard” is not a cognizable basis for challenging an arbitration award under Oregon law.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Cody Hoesly prevailed before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Moutal v. Exel, Inc., 2022 WL 3031580 (Aug. 1, 2022). Affirming a $9 million jury verdict in favor of our clients, the Ninth Circuit held that the jury properly awarded $4 million in punitive damages where the defendant’s employee drove an 18-wheel semi-truck into our clients as they rode their bicycles. The driver was speeding down a winding road widely known and well-marked as a bicycle route while repeatedly crossing the fog line and jerking back into his lane over the course of two miles. The Oregonian covered the ruling here.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that Aly Sneider has joined our firm. Aly graduated summa cum laude from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2020 and served as a law clerk to the Hon. Robyn Ridler Aoyagi at the Oregon Court of Appeals until August 2022. She has significant legal writing and research experience. Prior to law school, Aly worked in politics and the non-profit sector, and she cares deeply about her community. Aly brings a collaborative ethos, a keen intellect, and a can-do attitude to all that she does, and we’re excited for her to join our commercial litigation team.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that Heather Cavanaugh, Cody Hoesly, Chris Kayser, John Rake, and Julie Vacura were recognized as Best Lawyers in Oregon in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers and that Brett Applegate, Kelsey Benedick, Tom Bode, Hopi Costello Ruplin, and Dave Samuels were recognized as Ones to Watch. The rankings are based on peer selection. Heather Cavanaugh has been ranked a Best Lawyer since 2021 and is recognized in the field of Commercial Litigation Cody Hoesly has been ranked a Best Lawyer since 2018 and is recognized in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Banking & Finance Litigation, and Appellate Practice Chris Kayser has been ranked a Best Lawyer since 2015 and is recognized in the fields of Commercial …

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to share that Tania Manners has been appointed as Chair of the Multnomah Bar Association’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The mission of the MBA Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee is to foster and expand diversity, inclusion and equality in the MBA and greater Multnomah County legal community, and to create and strengthen a relationship of mutual support between the MBA and diverse bar organizations. The committee is responsible for a number of initiatives including the LSAT scholarship program and the MBA Diversity Award nomination and selection process.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that Julie Vacura was again recognized as one of the Top 50 lawyers and one of the Top 25 women lawyers in the 2022 issue of Oregon Super Lawyers. The firm is also pleased to announce that Cody Hoesly, Chris Kayser, and John Rake were again recognized as Super Lawyers, signifying their place in the top 5% of all lawyers in Oregon. Finally, the firm is pleased to announce that Brett Applegate and Kelsey Benedick were again recognized as Rising Stars, signifying their place in the top 2.5% of all Oregon litigators under 40 or in their first 10 years of practice. The rankings are based on peer selection and an independent evaluation. Cody …

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has recognized LVK in its 2022 Chambers USA Guide. LVK was ranked among the top firms in Oregon for Litigation: General Commercial. Additionally, LVK attorneys Julie Vacura and Chris Kayser were ranked among the top lawyers in Oregon for Litigation: General Commercial. The Chambers USA Guide ranks the top attorneys and law firms throughout the United States based on in-depth market analysis and independent research. Since its inception in 1990, Chambers and Partners has been known in the legal profession as “the gold standard” when it comes to finding the best lawyers and law firms around the world.

Larkins Vacura Kayser is pleased to announce that Tania Manners has joined our firm. An experienced trial attorney, Tania has represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation for nearly two decades. She is passionate about helping her clients navigate through the legal process to obtain a favorable resolution of their matter. She has a reputation for conducting skillful depositions and negotiations and will aggressively seek pre-trial resolution when appropriate, while relishing opportunities to achieve victory for the client in the courtroom. We’re excited to have her join our commercial litigation team.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Sydney Duong Holmes was recently appointed Chair of the Governance Committee for the Board of Directors at Word is Bond PDX (WIB), a regional nonprofit dedicated to rewriting the narrative between young Black men and law enforcement. As part of that mission, WIB serves young Black men ages 16-21 in the Portland metro area by providing paid internships, leadership development, and opportunities to redefine community safety through critical dialogue with local officials, public speaking, and storytelling. With the help of Governance Committee members Andrew Campbell, a development consultant at Multnomah County Health Department, and Keith Wilson, President and CEO of TITAN Freight Systems, as well as community member Geoffrey Ivaska, an attorney specializing in corporate agreements, …

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Kelsey Benedick was recently selected to join the board for The U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society, which is dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. District Court of Oregon and the Oregon legal community. As part of that effort, the Society takes and transcribes the oral histories of judges, attorneys, litigants, and other persons involved in the court’s history. Additionally, the Society hosts an annual picnic and annual awards dinner, and publishes a newsletter with articles based on oral histories, past and current court events, and the Society’s activities, among other things.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Cody Hoesly presented three CLEs on February 24 and March 3, 2022. On February 24, he presented about summary judgment for the Multnomah Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. On March 3, Hoesly presented about recent significant appellate decisions for the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association. That same day, Hoesly also presented about whether Oregon’s general statute of ultimate repose applies to state securities law claims for the Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section.

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Cody Hoesly prevailed before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Miller v. Watson, 2021 WL 5905722 (Dec. 14, 2021). Reversing the trial court’s grant of summary judgment against our client, the plaintiff, the Court of Appeals held that under Oregon law a statutory whistleblower retaliation claim alleging wrongful discharge does not accrue until the actual discharge occurs, even if the employee receives advance notice of their impending discharge. The court contrasted that rule with the rule governing similar federal claims, under which the claim accrues when the employee receives the notice.

Larkins Vacura Kayser founding partner Bill Larkins has retired, effective December 31, 2021. Over the course of his 40 years in practice, Bill handled all kinds of business disputes for national, regional and local clients. His expertise in representing financial institutions in embezzlement, fraud, foreclosure, and mortgage securitization cases was so widely recognized that in 2018 he was named Lawyer of the Year in Banking and Finance Litigation in Oregon by Best Lawyers. Clients appreciated Bill’s focus on providing exceptional service, as well as his deliberative approach. We have appreciated Bill’s collaborative leadership and nurturing mentorship, his steady hand and the purpose-driven vision he brought to decision-making at the firm, and his sense of humor. We will miss working with …

Larkins Vacura Kayser has proudly made a donation to the World Scholarship Initiative to fund its important work. WSI is an international development organization that funds education for bright Kenyan students with financial need. LVK attorney Tom Bode is WSI’s founder and president. Since 2013, WSI has sponsored students in high school, technical college, and university. Its goal is to help individuals, especially young women, to achieve their full potential through education, and along the way to fight ignorance, increase health, and reduce social and economic inequality. For example, in 2021, a young woman graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry after nine years of support from WSI. LVK is proud to support WSI in …

Larkins Vacura Kayser attorney Kelsey Benedick obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a pro bono client in a Section 1983 civil rights matter. The client, an adult in custody (AIC) at an Oregon prison, represented himself pro se in claims against various Oregon Department of Corrections officials alleging violation of his Eighth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights, among other claims. The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon appointed Ms. Benedick as pro bono counsel to conduct additional fact discovery and summary judgment briefing, and to potentially take the case to trial. The parties reached a settlement of the dispute during a judicial settlement conference, which resulted in significant monetary compensation to the client, increased access to exercise …