Chrys A. Martin
Partner
Chrys helps clients stay out of trouble by providing daily advice and counseling on employment law and employee-benefits issues based on prior hands-on management and human resources experience. Clients know she can get them out of trouble creatively and efficiently with more than 35 years of handling complex employment and ERISA litigation, including class actions. That depth of knowledge is applied to counseling employers and creating unique training programs for employees and supervisors in HR best practices, including respectful workplaces and #MeToo issues. Clients say they appreciate her practical approach to problem-solving. To keep her work exciting, she serves employers of all sizes - from startups to multinational corporations - in all industries across the country.
Clients team with Chrys on sexual harassment prevention; employee handbooks; new pay equity, paid leave and predictive scheduling laws; emerging issues such as COVID-19; workplace implicit bias and racism, NLRB issues; wage-and-hour laws; union negotiations and arbitrations; early incentive retirement/RIF programs; OFCCP, EEOC, DOL, and BOLI complaints and audits; and Service Contract Act matters. She is regularly asked to perform or direct complex personnel investigations. Chrys developed a unique manager training series and an employment practices audit to help clients proactively identify problem areas and implement HR best practices. Chrys also serves as an AAA arbitrator and is a frequent local and national speaker, which also keeps her skills sharp on new HR developments.
Practice Highlights
Strategic counseling
Employment and benefits litigation
Pre-litigation and agency charges
Admitted to Practice
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Oregon, 1981
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U.S. District Court District of Oregon, 1981
Education
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J.D., Lewis & Clark Law School, 1981, cum laude
- Cornelius Honor Society
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B.A., Oregon State University, 1975, with honors
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Memberships & Affiliations
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- Portland Human Resources Management Association, Member, 2003-present; prior General Counsel
- American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Fellow, 2001-present
- Defense Research Institute, Former Chair, Employment Law Committee, Board of Directors, 1997-2000; Chair, Law Institute Committee, 2006-2008
- Oregon State Bar Association, Former Chair, Civil Rights Section; Former Chair, Affirmative Action Committee
- Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Board of Directors, 1994-1999; past President; Member, 1981-present
- Portland Center Stage, Board of Directors, 2008-2014; Executive Committee, 2012-2014
- Riverside Golf & Country Club, Board of Directors, 2012-2014; President, 2014
- Cascade AIDS Project, Inc., Board of Directors, 2005-2008
Professional Recognition
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- Named one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in Labor & Employment (Oregon) by Chambers USA, 2005-2020
- Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Achievement Award, DRI, 2012
- Awarded AV rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory since 1994
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Labor and Employment Law by Best Lawyers since 2007
- Selected to "Oregon Super Lawyers" in Employment Law, Thomson Reuters, 2006-2020
- Selected to "Oregon's Top 25 Women Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2008-2017
