Experience

Jim Shore is a partner of the firm with over 20 years of experience in labor and employment law. His practice encompasses all aspects of labor and employment law, including labor law (dealing with unions), wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, contract negotiations, arbitrations, trade secrets and restrictive covenants, wage and hour law, and business acquisitions and reorganizations. He has represented all types of private and public employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, numerous state human rights commissions and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. He is a member of the Washington, Oregon and California bars.

In addition to his private practice, Jim served as in-house counsel and director of labor relations for a major Northwest corporation. From this perspective, Jim's philosophy is to proactively partner with his clients to most effectively address their business and personnel issues.

Representative Work

• Successfully obtained dismissal of a lawsuit involving the Washington Medical Marijuana Act. The plaintiff had sought to argue that her use of medicinal marijuana protected her from being fired after she failed an employer-mandated drug test.
• Successfully defended an investment advisory firm in a breach of employment contract lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and obtained a six-figure recovery for the client on its counterclaims.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald's Corporation in a sex harassment and negligence lawsuit filed by a former franchisee's minor employee and her family in King County Superior Court. Successfully briefed and argued the case before the Washington Court of Appeals, which unanimously affirmed the trial court's decision.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald's Corporation in a sexual harassment and multiple tort lawsuit filed by an employee in Montana State Court.
• Successfully argued numerous motions for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions prohibiting former employees and client competitors from misappropriating trade secrets or violating noncompetition agreements.
• Successfully defended a major grocery distributor in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by an employee in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a major airline in a disability discrimination cased filed in the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
• Successfully defended a major grocery chain in a sexual harassment case filed by an employee in Humboldt County Superior Court in California.
• Successfully defended numerous public and private sector employers in arbitrations with unions concerning employee discharge and contract interpretation matters.
• Successfully represented a college in an appeal to overturn an arbitrator's award. The published court decision created new law concerning overturning an arbitrator's decision.
• Successfully represented numerous private and public sector employers in EEOC, NLRB and other federal and state labor and employment law agency proceedings.
• Lead labor law attorney on numerous union contract negotiations.
• Lead labor and employment law attorney on numerous national and multinational corporate transactions.

Professional Honors & Activities

• Maintained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for several years, the highest rating in the legal profession for legal ability and ethics
• Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Labor & Employment), 2008-2010
• Selected for inclusion in Washington Super Lawyers, 2009-2010
• Ranked among Washington's top labor and employment lawyers by CEO magazine

Presentations

• "Medical Marijuana: Is an Accommodation Required in the Workplace?" 10th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, WSBA, Nov. 2010
• "Managing the Risks of Social Media in the Workplace," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, Apr. 2010
• "Termination Without Tears," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, Oct. 2008
• "Getting Your Foreign Affairs in Order: An Immigration Enforcement Update," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, Feb. 2008
• "Standing Up to the Competition," 69th Annual Northwest Human Resource Management Association National Conference, 2007
• "Workplace Communication Technology: See, Hear and Speak No Evil," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2007
• "Anatomy of an Effective Employment Contract," The Seminar Group, 2007
• "24: Responding to Employee Off-Duty Conduct," Stoel Rives Employment Law Seminar, Oct. 2006
• "Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law for Hospitals," South Central Washington Healthcare Human Resources Association, 2006
• "Standing Up to the Competition: Protecting Your Workforce, Customer Base and Trade Secrets," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2006
• "'Can I Fire This Employee?' Responding to Your Client's Termination Crises," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2005
• "Sarbanes-Oxley and Whistleblowers," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2004
• "Interviewing and Hiring: Keeping Your Recruitment Strategies Legal," "Documentation and Recording-Keeping: Drafting Lawful Policies and Procedures and Maintaining Personnel Records," The Definitive Guide to Employment Law for HR Professionals in Washington, 2003
• "Termination Without Tears," HR Northwest Breakfast Briefing, 2003
• "Employment Law Update," South King County Chapter of SHRM, 2003
• "Preserving Employer Discretion Through Proactive Policies, Handbooks and Practices," Discharge, Documentation and Employee Handbooks in Washington Seminar, Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Employment Law Update: Practical Training for Current Issues in Washington," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Legal Update," West Sound SHRM Chapter, 2002
• "Effective Planning and Management Layoffs," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Limiting Workplace Violence: Effective Management of Volatile Employees," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Handling Workplace Violence: A Collaborative Approach to Protecting Your Organization from Liability & Your Employees from Harm," Washington Personnel Law Update, 2001
• "What to Do When Performance Issues and Reasonable Accommodation Obligations Collide," Stoel Rives Labor & Employment Seminar, 2001
• "Minimizing the Risk of Employment Litigation," Puget Sound Hospitality Human Resources Association, 2000
• "Employment Law for In-House Counsel and General Practitioners" and "Representing High Technology Companies," King County Bar, 1999 2001, speaker and program chair
• "Top Ten Ways to Get Sued by Your Employees and How to Minimize the Risk," Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, 2000
• "Recruitment Solutions," Washington Bankers Association HR Conference, 2000
• "Investigating Sexual Harassment Complaints and Other Alleged Employee Misconduct," Washington State Bar, 1999
• "Employee Handbooks and Personnel Policies," Washington State Bar, 1999
• "Don't Say You Didn't 'WARN' Them: Analysis of Federal Plant Closing Law," San Francisco Attorney magazine, 1989
• "Attorney or Persuader: Analysis of Attorney Involvement in Combating Union Organizing Campaigns," San Francisco Attorney magazine, 1989

Civic Activities

• Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce

Education

• Hastings College of the Law, University of California, J.D., 1987, magna cum laude
  Hastings Law Review, 1985-1987
  Order of the Coif
• New College of University of Florida, B.A., 1983

Admissions

• Washington
• Oregon
• California

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Law Practice

Jim Shore provides the full array of services in public and private sector labor and employment law. Jim has extensive experience in collective bargaining, contract administration and grievance processing, and has represented public entities for more than 15 years. He is trained in, and very experienced with, interest-based bargaining as well as traditional bargaining methods, and has successfully negotiated contracts for a wide variety of public and private sector employers. Jim's practice also includes significant work in representing and advising clients in labor arbitrations, discrimination and harassment matters, personnel policy preparation, and disability law and leave of absence issues. He has represented all types of employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies, including the Public Employment Relations Commission, National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, numerous state human rights commissions and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. Jim also serves as a mediator to assist in resolving labor and employment matters. In addition to his private practice experience, Jim served as an in-house attorney and director of labor relations for a major Northwest corporation.

Representative Work

• Successfully negotiated more than 50 collective bargaining agreements for public and private sector employers.
• Successfully defended numerous public and private sector employers in arbitrations concerning employee discharge, contract interpretation, or management rights matters.
• Successfully represented numerous private and public sector employers in PERC, EEOC, NLRB and other federal and state labor and employment law agency proceedings.
• Successfully represented a college in an appeal to overturn an arbitrator's award reinstating a community college professor who had been convicted of selling drugs. The published court decision created new law in the State of California concerning overturning an arbitrator's decision.
• Successfully defended an investment advisory firm in a breach of employment contract lawsuit in federal court, and obtained a six figure recovery for the client on its counterclaims.
• Successfully defended a major grocery distributor in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by an employee in federal court.
• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a major airline in a disability discrimination cased filed in federal court.
• Successfully defended a major grocery chain in a sexual harassment case filed by an employee in Humboldt County Superior Court in California

Professional Honors & Activities

• Maintained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for several years, the highest rating in the legal profession for legal ability and ethics
• Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Labor & Employment), 2008-2010
• Selected for inclusion in Washington Super Lawyers, 2009-2010
• Ranked among Washington's top labor and employment lawyers by CEO magazine

Professional Activities

• Member, Northwest and National Societies for Human Resource Management (legislative chair of Seattle Chapter, 2001)
• Member, Labor and Employment Law Sections of the Washington State, California State, King County, and American Bar Associations
• Member, Pacific Coast Labor Law Conference Planning Committee
• Member, American Bar Association Litigation Section
• Member, chair, 2002, Employment Law Section of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Association
• Member, Association for Corporate Growth

Presentations

• "Medical Marijuana: Is an Accommodation Required in the Workplace?" 10th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, WSBA, Nov. 2010
• "Managing the Risks of Social Media in the Workplace," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar, 2010
• "Termination Without Tears," Stoel Rivew Breakfast Seminar, 2008
• "Standing Up to the Competition," 69th Annual Northwest Human Resource Management Association National Conference, 2007
• "Workplace Communication Technology: See, Hear and Speak No Evil," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2007
• "Anatomy of an Effective Employment Contract," The Seminar Group, 2007
• "Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law for Hospitals," South Central Washington Healthcare Human Resources Association, 2006
• "Standing Up to the Competition: Protecting Your Workforce, Customer Base and Trade Secrets," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2006
• "'Can I Fire This Employee?' Responding to Your Client's Termination Crises," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2005
• "Sarbanes-Oxley and Whistleblowers," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2004
• "Interviewing and Hiring: Keeping Your Recruitment Strategies Legal," "Documentation and Recording-Keeping: Drafting Lawful Policies and Procedures and Maintaining Personnel Records," The Definitive Guide to Employment Law for HR Professionals in Washington, 2003
• "Termination Without Tears," HR Northwest Breakfast Briefing, 2003
• "Employment Law Update," South King County Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, 2003
• "Preserving Employer Discretion Through Proactive Policies, Handbooks and Practices," Discharge, Documentation and Employee Handbooks in Washington Seminar, Lorman Educational Services, 2002
• "Employment Law Update: Practical Training for Current Issues in Washington," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Legal Update" West Sound SHRM Chapter, 2002
• "Effective Planning and Management Layoffs," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Limiting Workplace Violence: Effective management of Volatile Employees," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Handling Workplace Violence: A Collaborative Approach to Protecting Your Organization From Liability & Your Employees From Harm," Washington Personnel Law Update, 2001
• "Minimizing the Risk of Employment Litigation," Puget Sound Hospitality Human Resources Association, 2000
• "Employment Law for In-House Counsel and General Practitioners," King County Bar Association, 1999-2001, speaker and program chair
• "Representing High Technology Companies," King County Bar Association, 1999-2001, speaker and program chair
• "Top Ten Ways to Get Sued by Your Employees and How to Minimize the Risk," Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, 2000
• Best Employment Practices and EPLI Insurance, Sullivan & Curtis, 2000
• "Recruitment Solutions," Washington Bankers Association Human Resources Conference, 2000
• "Investigating Sexual Harassment Complaints and Other Alleged Employee Misconduct," Washington State Bar Association, 1999

Articles

• Don't Say You Didn't 'WARN' Them: Analysis of Federal Plant Closing Law," San Francisco Attorney Magazine, 1989
• "Attorney or Persuader: Analysis of Attorney Involvement in Combating Union Organizing Campaigns," San Francisco Attorney Magazine, 1989.

Jurisdictions

• Washington
• Oregon
• California

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Law Practice

Shore is a partner of the firm with over 22 years of experience assisting Northwest health care employers with all of their business needs related to labor and employment law. His practice encompasses all aspects of labor and employment law, including labor law (dealing with unions), negotiating and preparing employment agreements, ownership disputes, restrictive covenant issues, wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, arbitrations, wage and hour law, and business acquisitions and reorganizations. He has represented all types of health care employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, numerous state human rights commissions and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance.

Jim is listed in current and past editions of Washington Super Lawyers and Chambers and Partners as a leading Washington labor and employment lawyer. Jim was also listed by Washington CEO magazine as one of the top five management (defense) employment lawyers in Washington. For over a decade, Jim has been AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell (highest peer review level for ethics and skill). In addition to his private practice, Jim served as in-house counsel and director of employee relations for a major Northwest corporation. From this perspective, Jim's philosophy is to proactively partner with his clients to most effectively address their business issues.

Representative Work

• Successfully obtained dismissal and victory on appeal concerning a lawsuit involving the Washington Medical Marijuana Act. The plaintiff had sought to argue that her use of medicinal marijuana protected her from being fired after she failed an employer-mandated drug test.
• Successfully advise and represented numerous medical clinics in resolving ownership and competition issues raised by departing physicians.
• Successfully defended an investment advisory firm in a breach of employment contract lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and obtained a six-figure recovery for the client on its counterclaims.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald's Corporation in a sex harassment and negligence lawsuit filed by a former franchisee's minor employee and her family in King County Superior Court. Successfully briefed and argued the case before the Washington Court of Appeals, which unanimously affirmed the trial court's decision.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald's Corporation in a sexual harassment and multiple tort lawsuit filed by an employee in Montana state court.
• Successfully argued numerous motions for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions prohibiting former employees and client competitors from misappropriating trade secrets or violating noncompetition agreements.
• Successfully defended a major grocery distributor in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by an employee in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a major airline in a disability discrimination cased filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
• Successfully defended a major grocery chain in a sexual harassment case filed by an employee in Humboldt County Superior Court in California.
• Successfully defended numerous public and private sector employers in arbitrations with unions concerning employee discharge and contract interpretation matters.
• Successfully represented a college in an appeal to overturn an arbitrator's award. The published court decision created new law concerning overturning an arbitrator's decision.
• Successfully represented numerous private and public sector employers in EEOC, NLRB and other federal and state labor and employment law agency proceedings.
• Lead labor law attorney on numerous union contract negotiations for health care employers.
• Lead labor and employment law attorney on numerous national and multinational corporate transactions.

Professional Honors & Activities

• Maintained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for several years, the highest rating in the legal profession for legal ability and ethics
• Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Labor & Employment), 2008-2010
• Selected for inclusion in Washington Super Lawyers, 2009-2010
• Ranked among Washington's top labor and employment lawyers by Washington CEO magazine

Presentations

• "Medical Marijuana: Is an Accommodation Required in the Workplace?" 10th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, WSBA, Nov. 2010
• "Managing the Risks of Social Media in the Workplace," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar, 2010
• "Termination Without Tears," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, Oct. 2008
• "Getting Your Foreign Affairs in Order: An Immigration Enforcement Update," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, Feb. 2008
• "Standing Up to the Competition," 69th Annual Northwest Human Resource Management Association National Conference, 2007
• "Workplace Communication Technology: See, Hear and Speak No Evil," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2007
• "Anatomy of an Effective Employment Contract," The Seminar Group, 2007
• "24: Responding to Employee Off-Duty Conduct," Stoel Rives Employment Law Seminar, Oct. 2006
• "Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law for Hospitals," South Central Washington Healthcare Human Resources Association, 2006
• "Standing Up to the Competition: Protecting Your Workforce, Customer Base and Trade Secrets," Stoel Rives Breakfast Seminar Series, 2006
• "'Can I Fire This Employee?' Responding to Your Client's Termination Crises," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2005
• "Sarbanes-Oxley and Whistleblowers," WSBA Employment Law Institute, 2004
• "Interviewing and Hiring: Keeping Your Recruitment Strategies Legal," "Documentation and Recording-Keeping: Drafting Lawful Policies and Procedures and Maintaining Personnel Records," The Definitive Guide to Employment Law for HR Professionals in Washington, 2003
• "Termination Without Tears," HR Northwest Breakfast Briefing, 2003
• "Employment Law Update," South King County Chapter of SHRM, 2003
• "Preserving Employer Discretion Through Proactive Policies, Handbooks and Practices," Discharge, Documentation and Employee Handbooks in Washington Seminar, Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Employment Law Update: Practical Training for Current Issues in Washington," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Legal Update," West Sound SHRM Chapter, 2002
• "Effective Planning and Management Layoffs," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Limiting Workplace Violence: Effective Management of Volatile Employees," Lorman Seminar Group, 2002
• "Handling Workplace Violence: A Collaborative Approach to Protecting Your Organization from Liability & Your Employees from Harm," Washington Personnel Law Update, 2001
• "What to Do When Performance Issues and Reasonable Accommodation Obligations Collide," Stoel Rives Labor & Employment Seminar, 2001
• "Minimizing the Risk of Employment Litigation," Puget Sound Hospitality Human Resources Association, 2000
• "Employment Law for In-House Counsel and General Practitioners" and "Representing High Technology Companies," King County Bar, 1999 2001, speaker and program chair
• "Top Ten Ways to Get Sued by Your Employees and How to Minimize the Risk," Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, 2000
• "Recruitment Solutions," Washington Bankers Association HR Conference, 2000
• "Investigating Sexual Harassment Complaints and Other Alleged Employee Misconduct," Washington State Bar, 1999
• "Employee Handbooks and Personnel Policies," Washington State Bar, 1999
• "Don't Say You Didn't 'WARN' Them: Analysis of Federal Plant Closing Law," San Francisco Attorney magazine, 1989
• "Attorney or Persuader: Analysis of Attorney Involvement in Combating Union Organizing Campaigns," San Francisco Attorney magazine, 1989

Civic Activities

• Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce

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