PORTLAND, Ore. — Stoel Rives LLP is pleased to announce that Best Lawyers® selected three of its attorneys as the “most accomplished female attorneys in corporate-facing practice areas” for its 2019 “Women in the Law” Business Edition.
Environmental and natural resources law partner Joan P. Snyder, healthcare law senior counsel Barbara L. Nay, and labor & employment law partner Karen L. O’Connor are among 39 accomplished female attorneys nationwide who “have demonstrated exceptional skill within their fields.” The magazine, which can be found online, also recognizes the 30 Stoel Rives women attorneys who have been included in the 2019 Best Lawyers in America© directory.
The three highlighted attorneys are:
Joan Snyder, who concentrates her practice in the areas of environmental law, natural resources law, environmental and natural resources insurance coverage, and health and safety law. Snyder was named by Best Lawyers as Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland for 2010, 2017 and 2019.
Asked by Best Lawyers what makes an attorney succeed within her competitive practice area, Snyder said: “I’m proud of my reputation as a valuable problem-solver, both on internal teams and when I am reaching across the table to find resolution. I know the environmental area, but I also know to listen to the needs and expertise of others, which has allowed me to foster productive relationships with business people, regulators, engineers, consultants, and environmental stakeholders.”
Barbara Nay, who focuses her practice in healthcare and hospital law, and general business practice, and works with hospitals, physician groups, managed care organizations, diagnostic facilities, practice management companies and other health care entities. She was named Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland for 2011, 2017 and 2019.
When asked what makes an attorney succeed within her practice area, Nay said: “More than many years of practice, health law requires substantial industry knowledge, such as familiarity with the variety of payment mechanisms for health care services. … It is very easy for a general corporate or real estate lawyer to get a health care client into significant trouble if he or she relies on logic and general legal principles without taking health care laws into account.”
Karen O’Connor, who focuses her practice in counseling and litigation on complex employment issues including leave laws, workplace harassment and discrimination, discipline and documentation, and drug and alcohol issues. She represents clients before Oregon and Washington state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings. O’Connor was named Employment Law Management – “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland for 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Best Lawyers ranks attorneys using a peer-review method in which leading lawyers are surveyed to obtain an accurate consensus opinion as to the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Only one lawyer each year for a specific practice area and geographic region receives the “Lawyer of the Year” recognition as the individual with the highest overall peer feedback.