Jeanne F. Loftis

Shareholder, Portland Office, Seattle Office

Direct Dial: 503.499.4601
Fax: 503.295.0915
jeanne.loftis@bullivant.com

Practice Areas

Industries

Bar/Court Admissions

Admitted to Oregon Bar, 1991
Admitted to U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, 1991
Admitted to California Bar, 1992
Admitted to Washington Bar, 2004
Admitted to U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2007

Education

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law - J.D., 1991,
Inns of Court, Pacific Law Review, Executive Editor and Published Author, 21 Pacific L. Journal 995 (1990)
University of California, Davis - B.S., 1985, Physiology

Experience Representative Work Professional and Civic Involvement Awards and Honors Press Coverage Publications and Presentations Outside the Firm

Practice Experience

Jeanne Loftis' practice includes representing companies in the Pacific Northwest in a wide variety of commercial and casualty cases, with an emphasis on asbestos product liability claims and other mass tort litigation. She has represented businesses in many sectors, including construction, manufacturing, retail, food service, publishing and professional services. Her cases have involved product liability, insurance coverage, premises liability, enforcement of non-competition agreements, construction injury and defect, investor mismanagement and fraud, environmental cleanup, and high exposure vehicular casualty cases.

Jeanne is chair of Bullivant Houser Bailey's Product Litigation and Regulation practice group. Her product liability expertise focuses on the defense of mass tort cases, particularly asbestos and silica products and medical drugs and devices. She has represented defendants in hundreds of products cases on a local, regional, and national basis, and is a member of a national trial team defending asbestos cases in venues throughout the country. As a result of her vigorous defense and proven track record at trial, the majority of her asbestos clients are facing no current asbestos litigation in the Pacific Northwest. Jeanne has successfully defended restaurants in alleged tampered and adulterated food products, "hot coffee" type cases, and premises liability matters. In addition, she has assisted clients in a variety of commercial disputes and represented investment professionals in the National Associates of Securities Dealers Forum.

As regional counsel, Jeanne has participated as a chair and speaker in several local counsel training seminars. Jeanne has tried as First Chair over 25 cases to verdict.

Additionally, Jeanne is chair of Bullivant Houser Bailey PC's asbestos practice group.

Representative Work

Professional and Civic Involvement

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (President, 2011; President-Elect, 2010; Board of Directors, 2004-present; Governmental Affairs Committee, 2009-present; Political Action Committee, 2009-present)
Oregon Supreme Court, Civil Law Advisory Committee to Chief Justice (2009)
Oregon State Bar Board of Bar Examiners (Chair, 2004-2005; Board Member, 2002-2005)
Oregon State Bar Association, Executive Committee of Diversity Section (Chair 2003-2004; Executive Board Member, November 2002-present; Founding Member, 2002-2009)
Oregon State Bar, Diversity Section Subcommittee on Employment and Advancement (Founding Member, 2009-2010)
Oregon State Bar Association, New Lawyers Division (Co-Chair CLE Committee 1993-1994)
Editor in Chief, OADC Quarterly Periodical "The Verdict" (2001–present)
Multnomah County Bar Association (Public Service Committee 1991-1993)
Oregon Women Lawyers (Mentor Program, 1992-1993)
Defense Research Institute (DRI)
Washington State Bar Association
Washington Defense Trial Lawyers
The State Bar of California
Chair, Bullivant Houser Bailey Product Litigation and Regulation Practice Group (2009-present)
Hearings Officer, Multnomah County Animal Control (1993-present)
Volunteer Attorney, St. Andrews Legal Clinic (1992-2006)
Volunteer Attorney, Education Advocacy Program (1993-1995)
Washington County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, District 2 Representative
(1993-1998)
Instructor, Oregon Legal Aid (2002–2005)
Volunteer, St. Thomas More School (2000–present)
Merit Badge Counselor, Boy Scouts of America (2008-present)
Board Member, West Slope NAC (2001–2005)

Awards and Honors

AV^®Preeminent™, Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Selected for inclusion in Oregon Super Lawyers (2011, 2010, 2009 — Personal Injury Defense: Products)
Selected by Oregon Super Lawyers as one of the Top 25 Women in the state (2011)
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (2012, 2011 — Product Liability Litigation; 2012 — Commercial Litigation)

Firm News

Advisories and Insights

Oregon Court of Appeals limits wrongful death claims

Publications and Presentations

Speaker, "Disproving Plaintiff's Exposure: Sequencing on Land and Sea," DRI Asbestos Medicine Seminar (November 2010)
Speaker, "How Not to Make an Opening Statement," OADC Defense Practice Academy (2010)
Moderator, First-year Law Student Orientation, University of Oregon Law School (2009)
Author and Speaker, "Depositions of Product Identification Witnesses in Asbestos Cases," HarrisMartin's Asbestos Conference (2009)
Author, Speaker and Moderator, "Discovery: Reducing the Cost and Burden of Overly Broad and Voluminous Requests to Avoid Coercive Settlements," ACI Asbestos Claims Conference (2009)
Author and Speaker, "Opening Statements in Asbestos Cases: What to Include and What to Avoid," HarrisMartin's Asbestos Conference (2008)
Author, Speaker and Moderator, "Emerging Torts: Diesel Exhaust, Food Additives [diacetyl, olestra, aspartame, trans fat] and By-Products [benzene, acrylamide]," Washington Defense Lawyers Annual Tort Law Update (2007)
Moderator, Opportunities for Lawyers in Oregon [OLIO] Annual Retreat (2006, 2007)
Co-Chair, Annual Convention, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (2007)
Author and Speaker, "Diesel Fumes – Is it the Next Asbestos Litigation?" DRI Product Liability Conference (2007)
Co-Author, "New Wave of Asbestos Claims: Update on Federal Asbestos Litigation," ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, 12th Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Midyear Program (2004)
Speaker, "Trial Tips: Three Sure-Fire Ways to Reduce Judgments," DRI Products Liability Conference (2003)
Speaker, ACI Drug and Medical Device Litigation Conference (2002)
Co-Author, "Successful Strategies for Vaccine Litigation," ACI Drug and Medical Device Litigation Conference (2002)
Speaker, Bullivant Houser Bailey PC Annual Meetings (2001, 2003)
Author, "Various Case Notes," OADC Newsletter (2000–2001)
Speaker, "Training Program for Local Counsel," Dow Chemical (1996)
Author, "Directors and Officers' Liability for Environmental Cleanup Costs," 24 Tort & Insurance Law Journal (Winter 1993)
Co-Author, "Oregon DEQ New Site Discovery Rules," Oregon State Bar Environmental and Natural Resources Law News (February 1991)

Additional Representative Cases

Resolved silica exposure case for nuisance value settlement on behalf of a large California property developer.
Successfully defended bulk supplier in approximately 1000 cases involving alleged defective product.
Represented heavy equipment manufacturers in wide variety of serious casualty cases.
Successfully defended manufacturers, ship owners, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and subcontractors against claims of asbestos exposure. Industries include automotive, industrial machinery, construction, safety suppliers, component manufacturers, home repair suppliers.
Successfully defended pharmaceutical chain in claim for mislabeling of prescription drug.
Obtained summary judgment in "hot chocolate" case involving serious injury to young child.
Successfully represented numerous general contractors and subcontractors in Employer Liability Act cases.
Panel counsel for, among others, Bondex International, Inc.; The Dow Chemical Company; Farmers Home Group; HB Fuller; Mitsui Sumitomo; and Yum! Brands, Inc., including Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut.