Ivan M. Karmel

Ivan Karmel began his career as a certified law student for the Washington County Public Defenders Office 37 years ago, gaining substantial jury experience before Washington County juries before even graduating law school. Following that stint, Ivan worked for a top notch civil litigator specializing in complex tort litigation. While there, Ivan worked on cases involving the wrongful death and injury of persons due to aviation, maritime accidents, as well as persons injured by defective products. Ivans product liability experience includes successful results against bicycle manufactures and machinery manufacturers. Two years out of law school, Ivan co-counseled a scuba diving wrongful death case to a six figure verdict that withstood appeal. Ivan has considerable experience dealing with the complexities of insurance and coverage issues. Ivan has been named as a top Oregon litigator by Super Lawyers for five consecutive years. Ivan has been a panel attorney for the Western Conference of Teamsters for 27 years, counseling members in various practice areas. Ivan is admitted to practice in both Oregon and Washington and is admitted to the Federal courts in both jurisdictions. Ivan has been named as a preferred attorney by the National Organization of Women by the Lambda Legal network and is one of the few Oregon attorneys with experience dealing with transgender parenting issues. As a family law litigator, Ivans goal is to have a solid foundation with each client to better help navigate the divorce process. Ivan believes that open and authentic communication is essential for working together to develop a strategic plan. Ivan is adept at handling contentious family law matters and intricate financial issues in cases involving complicated marital estates. He works closely with a network of experts who are highly regarded in their fields, from custody evaluators, forensic accounting experts, business valuation experts to parenting time coordinators. Ivan takes the tough cases and is highly experienced in all forms of resolution from simple settlements to mediated and litigated resolutions. Ivan has been a featured speaker before the Oregon State Bar Family Law Section sharing his considerable experience in obtaining monetary compensation for battered women and other the victims of abuse. With 35 years of trial and civil litigation practice, Ivan has obtained millions of dollars of compensation for his clients. As examples, Ivan obtained the largest slander jury verdict in Oregon history for a nonpublic figure, the largest slip and fall jury verdict in Multnomah County history, and has settled numerous cases on behalf of persons injured in vehicle accidents, persons injured on premises, the victims of medical and legal malpractice and domestic violence. Examples include a recent six figure settlement against a downtown Portland dance club for injuries inflicted on a young woman by another patron, a six figure settlement against a hospital for a young man involuntarily sterilized by a physician, another six figure settlement for a young migrant worker injured by a defective ATV, and a six figure settlement for the widower of an elderly woman who fell and died as a result of hospital negligence. Ivan has developed a network of experts in various fields who he can readily call upon to assist him in pursuing compensation and justice for victims of negligence and wrongful conduct. Ivan also has considerable experience in the litigation and settlement of contested probate matters, including obtaining a $2.0 M verdict in Multnomah County for the victim of financial elder abuse, contested guardianship proceedings, litigation to contest wills that are the product of undue influence and recovery of funds from dishonest trust administrators. Ivan is of counsel to a number of successful Oregon and Washington business enterprises and in that connection employs a preventative approach designed to keep businesses out of harms way. Ivans business clients include real estate developers, construction firms, environmental service companies, medical and dental practices, electrical contractors, nursing homes, restaurateurs, and hoteliers. Ivan has considerable experience in dealing with employment related issues, and has counseled business regarding severance agreements and claims of discrimination or harassment made by employees. Ivan also has considerable experience dealing with the regulation of nursing and adult homes and has represented clients before various administrative agencies, including the Oregon Medical Board, the Oregon State Board of Nursing, the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and the Oregon Lottery Commission. Ivan has represented both employee and employer before the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, and appeared before various professional boards defending the licenses of the professional. Ivan has a commitment to serve the community he lives and works in. Ivan has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Transition projects, as President of the Sun Creek Little League, and as a board member of Trans Active, an advocacy group for transgendered youth. Ivan has coached youth sports for 17 years on a volunteer basis through the Tualatin Hills Park and recreation district and little league. Ivan is married and the proud father of two adult children. In what little spare time he has, Ivan enjoys hiking, cooking, traveling and cave diving which he is certified for by multiple agencies.