Rich Meneghello is a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Taskforce, a cross-disciplinary team of attorneys dedicated to advising employers on the many workplace law aspects of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Rich Meneghello is probably writing something as you’re reading this. As the firm’s Senior Director of Content, Rich focuses much of his time developing legal alerts, web articles, newsletter features, and blog posts for the Fisher Phillips website – in fact, he has published more than 225 such pieces in the last two years alone, and has edited hundreds of others written by the firm’s wide collection of talented writers.

His writing has gotten noticed. In each of the past four years, he was named as a JD Supra Top Author in the JD Supra’s Readers’ Choice Awards due to the high level of visibility and engagement he attained with readers on the subject of workplace law. In 2020, he was one of only 235 authors in the country selected for this honor from among over 50,000 considered.

Some of his favorite (and most popular) recent publications include his “Magic 8-Ball” prediction for incoming Supreme Court justices, his annual May 4 blog posts on whether the government would classify Star Wars characters as independent contractors or employees, and his Die Hard survival guide to office holiday parties (which received the 2018 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award from The Burton Awards).

Rich has also been named as the Top Author in the country on the emerging topic of the Gig Economy. He edits the firm’s Gig Economy blog, which has been nominated by The Expert Institute for a Best Legal Blog award. He’s become recognized as one of the country’s foremost authorities on the gig economy, having been quoted on the subject in The New York Times, U.S. News, Bloomberg, The Los Angeles Times, Wired, Yahoo! Finance, New York Magazine, Employment Law 360, National Law Journal, SHRM.org, Law.com, Legal Times, Business Insurance Magazine, Legal NewsLine, A.M. Best, and The Recorder in the recent past, and appeared on National Public Radio to discuss the topic.

Rich is also an accomplished litigator. So far, the highlight of his 24-year career is winning a unanimous decision before the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Albertsons v. Kirkingburg, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) case. He’s won cases for clients at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, and the Oregon Court of Appeals; he’s also won trial victories in both state and federal courts.

He also runs the popular twitter account @pdxLaborLawyer, where he not only shares his own writing but also provides regular updates on a variety of workplace law topics. He has served on the firm’s Development Committee since 2015, and worked as the Regional Managing Partner of the Portland (OR) office from 2009 to 2013.

Reported Cases

• Earned a summary judgment dismissal of a retaliation claim filed by a terminated employee in Oregon state court, upheld by both the Oregon Court of Appeals and the Oregon Supreme Court (Cramer v. Sky Lakes Medical Center, 2014).
• Secured a victory for an employer that terminated an individual after he was arrested for DUII while operating a company vehicle, defeating an ADA disability claim alleging alcoholism discrimination at summary judgment in Oregon federal district court (Servo v. Junginger, 2014).
• Received a full defense verdict in a wage and hour trial in Oregon state court, defeating a claim by a former worker that she was improperly classified as an independent contractor and owed more than $100,000 in back wages (Foster v. North House Enterprises, 2010).
• Won a unanimous jury defense verdict in Oregon's federal district court on behalf of Indian Head Industries in a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by a terminated employee (Stein v. Indian Head, 2009).
• Albertsons, Inc. v. Kirkingburg, 557 U.S. 555 (1999) - unanimous decision in favor of employer on ADA case before United States Supreme Court.
• Cornwall v. Electra Central Credit Union, 439 F.3d 1018 (9th Cir. 2006) - appellate victory at 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of employer and CEO in discrimination claim.
• Mott v. Office Depot, 390 Fed.Appx. 658 (9th Cir. 2010) - successful defense of appeal at 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after securing dismissal of harassment and family leave discrimination lawsuit.
• Martin v. DHL Express, 234 P.3d 997 (Or. App. 2010) - Oregon Court of Appeals victory on breach of contract matter after successful trial court decision.
• Foster v. North House Industries, 260 P.3d 856 (Or.App. 2011), rev. denied, 271 P.3d 115 (Or. 2011) - Oregon Court of Appeals victory on independent contractor misclassification matter after successful trial court decision, upheld by Oregon Supreme Court.
• Cramer v. Sky Lakes Medical Center, Inc., 263 Or. App. 714 (2014), 365 Or. ___ (2014) – Oregon Court of Appeals and Oregon Supreme Court decisions affirming summary judgment victory in retaliation claim filed by terminated employee.
• Servo v. Junginger, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 108722 (D. Or. Aug. 6, 2014) – U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon victory on ADA disability discrimination claim at summary judgment, defeating claims of alcoholism discrimination.

Representative Work

Honors & Awards

• Recognized in JD Supra’s 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards as a JD Supra Top Author on the subject of Employer Liability.
• Received the Burton Awards program Law 360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award for “The Die Hard Survival Guide to This Year’s Office Holiday Party” in 2018.
• Listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2007, in Oregon Super Lawyers since 2009, and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2010.
• Recognized in JD Supra’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards as a JD Supra Top Author on the subject of Employer Liability and the topic of the Gig Economy.
• Named one of Oregon's "Top 40 Under 40" by the Portland Business Journal, an award honoring local business leaders, in 2006.
• Selected as a "Rising Star" in the national employment law community by Employment Law360.com in 2011.
• "AV" Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 2004.

Professional Activities

• Has served on Associated Oregon Industries' (AOI) Labor and Employment Practice Steering Committee since 2008.

• Served on Oregon State Bar Labor and Employment Law Executive Committee from 2008 to 2011.

• Elected to serve on Oregon State Bar's Board of Bar Examiners, 2006 to 2009; also served as a Special Prosecutor for the Board from 2015 to 2017.

• Testified before the Oregon State Legislature on impact of disability discrimination laws on employers, 2006.

• Elected Chairperson of the Oregon State Bar Disability Law Executive Committee in 2001 and served on that committee from 1998 to 2003.

Community Activities

• Currently serves as legal advisor to Greater Portland Soccer District's Board of Directors (2009 to present)

• VP of Student Involvement, Greater Portland Syracuse University Alumni Club (2015 to present)

• St. John Fisher School Advisory Committee (2010 to 2013)

• Past Co-Chair of St. John Fisher School Parent-Teacher Club (2008 to 2010)

• Mock trial organizer and coach: Madison High School (1999 to 2000), St. John Fisher School (2015)

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

• Presented at Oregon Restaurant Association's Leadership Conference
  2007, 2009
• Washington Lodging Association's Annual Conference
  2010
• The Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Conference
  2005
• Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries' Annual Conference for Employers
  1998 to present
• Guest lecturer at law school labor and employment classes
  Lewis & Clark Law School Portland, OR
• Willamette University School of Law
  Salem, OR

Articles

Blog Posts

Legal Alerts

Newsletter Articles