James M. Hillas, Partner

Jim Hillas is a litigation partner at Dunn Carney.  He represents businesses and individuals in state and federal court as well as arbitration and mediation.  His practice includes debt collection and creditors’ rights work in and out of bankruptcy court, as well as working with employers and employees to enforce or interpret noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements.  Jim’s broad experience includes construction litigation, employment law, real property disputes and insurance coverage claims and enables him to devise creative solutions to difficult problems.   Jim offers his clients a common sense perspective and works proactively to resolve disputes quickly and economically, often through alternative dispute processes.  In addition to litigation, he also advises small businesses to help manage risks by using cost-effective legal strategies.  
 

Bar Admissions:

• Oregon, 1994
• U.S. District Court District of Oregon, 1998
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1998
• Washington, 2009
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2009
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington, 2009

Education:

• Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D.
  Environmental Law Review, Member, 1992-1993
  Environmental Law Review, Student Materials Editor, 1993-1994
• Hampshire College, B.A., Journalism, 1989
• Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Published Works:

• "Written Contracts Save Time, Money and Aggravation," The Daily Journal of Commerce, February 28, 2003
• "What you Don't Know can Hurt You: Eight Ways to Limit Your Liability on Construction Jobs," The Daily Journal of Commerce, December 13, 2004 and Bancorp Insurance Agency Newsletter, June/July 2005 issue. Link to article
• "Document Retention: What Every Business Needs to Know," Dunn Carney E-News, January 2006
• "The Event's Off: Negotiating Hotel Cancellation Clauses," The Business Journal of Portland,  March 31, 2006. Link to article
• "How to Avoid Piercing the Corporate Veil," Dunn Carney E-News, April 2006
• "How to Protect the Business Traveler's Expensive Electronics," The Business Journal of Portland, June 9, 2006

Representative Clients:

• West Coast Container, Inc.
• Westview Construction, Inc.
• Frazier-Hunnicutt Financial, LLC

Classes/Seminars Taught:

• Adjunct Faculty, Construction Law, Portland Community College, 2002-2008
• Overview of Oregon’s Law for Insurance Agents/Brokers' and Agents and Brokers Errors & Omissions Insurance Coverage, Independent Agents and Brokers of Oregon (IIABO)

Honors and Awards:

• National Registry of Who's Who, 2000-Present

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Oregon State Bar, Member
• Multnomah Bar Association, Member
• Federal Bar Association, Member
• Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Member
• University Club, Member
• Pinnacle Condominiums Owners Association, Board of Directors
• YMCA Annual Campaign, 1996-Present