Overview
Kimberly Cullen is a litigator with trial and appellate experience representing healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in complex civil litigation. She works with clients at every stage of dispute resolution—from early case strategy and motions practice through trial—helping them assess risk, define objectives, and position matters for efficient resolution or success at trial.
Drawing on her experience as a federal public defender and federal judicial clerk, Kimberly brings a practical and trial-ready perspective to each matter. She is known for her detail‑oriented analysis, clear and persuasive advocacy, and close collaboration with clients to develop strategies aligned with their business and institutional goals.
Kimberly maintains an active pro bono practice focused on expanding access to justice. She regularly partners with community organizations and legal services providers to support underserved populations throughout Oregon. Kimberly also serves as a member of the Oregon State Bar’s Civil Jury Instruction Committee.
Before joining Stoel Rives, Kimberly served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon. She clerked for the Honorable Jane L. Kelly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the Honorable Robert W. Pratt, Senior U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa. Prior to law school, she gained experience in employment litigation, workers’ compensation, and corporate law.
Education
University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2021, with distinction; Senior Note & Comment Editor, Iowa Law Review; Research Assistant to Professor Emily Hughes
University of Iowa, studies toward Master’s in Social Work (M.S.W.), 2011–2012
University of Iowa, B.A., English Literature/B.A., French/Arabic Studies, 2011, with distinction and honors
Admissions
Oregon
Iowa
U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Experience
- Defended healthcare providers in negligence, antitrust, and defamation matters in state and federal court
- Successfully litigated anti-SLAPP motions for healthcare clients
- Prepared and defended corporate depositions and managed discovery in complex civil litigation
- Drafted dispositive and pretrial motions in state and federal courts
Insights
Insights & Presentations
- “State-Sponsored Surveillance and Punishment: How Municipal Crime-Free Ordinances Exacerbate the Carceral Continuum,” 31 U. PUB. INT. L.J. 47 (2022)
- “Ethical Dilemmas for In-House Counsel During the Pre-Litigation Employment Practices Liability Insurance Audit,” 106 IOWA L. REV. 1363 (2021)
- “Promoting Diversity on the Federal Bench and in Practice,” Federal Practice Seminar, Iowa State Bar Association, December 11, 2020
- “Advancing Diversity in the Workplace,” 2020 Corporate Counsel & Trade Regulation Seminar, Iowa State Bar Association, September 18, 2020
Recognition
- Philip G. Hubbard Human Rights Award, University of Iowa
- Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Clinical Law Programs (highest grade)
- Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in Public Health Law (highest grade in seminar)
- Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in Housing Law & Policy
- Antonia D. Miller Award (outstanding Black Iowa law student)
Affiliations
Professional
- American Bar Association
- Multnomah Bar Association
- Oregon Bar Association
- Iowa State Bar Association