About Scott T. Cliff

After clerking three years, while in law school, for Multnomah County's then-presiding Circuit Court Judge, Charles S. Crookham, Scott began his practice in 1987 with Portland's preeminent labor department at the Spears Lubersky law firm (the core group of which later broke away to form Barran Liebman, LLP). Since then, his practice has focused on litigation, arbitration and mediation of labor and employment disputes. Scott has represented numerous employers in state and federal courts, at trial and on appeal.

An accomplished writer, Scott briefed the Oregon Supreme Court on behalf of Associated Oregon Industries and the Association of Defense Counsel in the landmark employment case of Sheets v. Knight, helping to preserve "at-will" employment in Oregon. Scott has contributed his writing talents to various legal treatises, including The Developing Labor Law, 2nd Ed., 5th Supp., 1982-1989 (BNA) and the Oregon State Bar's: Insurance, Evidence and Labor and Employment Law publications. Scott has also taught legal writing at Portland State University and guest-lectured on employment litigation at Lewis & Clark Law School.

Education

University of California, San Diego, 1975-1977
Lewis and Clark College, B.S., 1979
Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College,  J.D., 1987

Admitted to Practice

Oregon Bar
U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
Washington Bar
U.S. District Court, Eastern & Western Districts of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Articles & Presentations

• Author and presenter, “Compensation Issues Under the FLSA and Oregon Law,” Sterling Educational Services (February, 2009)
• Co-Presenter, "Behind the Truth--Two Opposing Sides of a Lawsuit," Portland Human Resource Management Association (April, 2008)
• Presenter, "1099 versus W-2," Annual Convention of the Oregon Association of Mortgage Professionals (September 2005)
• Author and presenter, "Employment Related Records in Oregon," Lorman Educational Services (January 2005)
• Guest Lecturer, "Strategic Human Resources Management," Concordia University MBA Program (March 2003; March 2004)
• Author and presenter, "Payroll Management in Oregon," Lorman Educational Services (October 2003)
• Author and presenter, "Litigation of Wage Claim Cases," Lorman Educational Services (March 2003)
• Author and presenter, "Mandatory Arbitration of Employment Law Claims," Sterling Educational Services (January 2003)
• Author and presenter, "Documentation of Performance, Discipline and Discharge From a Litigator's Perspective," Lorman Educational Services (October 2002)
• Co-Author, "Equal Employment Opportunity: Disabilities," OSB Labor & Employment Law, Private Sector (2002 Revision)
• Author, "Settlement of Wage Claims" and "Overtime Pay," The Oregon Labor Letter  "I've Got a Question" Column (December 2000)
• Author, "Mediation—Just A Fancy Word For Surrender?" Feature Article, The Oregon Labor Letter (November 2000)
• Guest Lecturer, "Litigation of Workplace Torts," Northwestern School of Law (November 1999)
• Co-Presenter, "Effectively Using Mediation to Resolve Employment Disputes: A Mock Mediation," Managing A Work Force In 1999, Sponsored by The Oregon Labor Letter (April 1999)
• Author, "There's Big Money In Not Getting Paid," Feature Article, The Oregon Labor Letter (March 1999)
• Contributor and Quoted Source, "Weighing the risks: The do's and don'ts of hiring, firing," The Business Journal/Work Force Management Edition (August 1993)
• Co-Author, "Standard Provisions & Conditions," Oregon Insurance CLE (1992)
• Author, "Regulation of Agents and Adjusters," Oregon Insurance CLE (1992) 
• Contributing Editor, The Developing Labor Law, 2nd Ed., 5th Supp., (BNA) (1988)
• Contributor, "Admissions," Oregon State Bar Evidence CLE (1984)