Fisher Phillips Transitions Managing Partner in Portland to Richard Meneghello

PORTLAND, OR (June 1, 2009) - The national labor and employment law firm of Fisher Phillips announced that Richard Meneghello has begun his term as Managing Partner in the firm's Portland office as part of a planned leadership transition. Fisher Phillips has a management succession plan for the office that allows for a new office leader every two years. Clarence Belnavis has been the managing partner for the past two years and will continue to help grow the office.

Mr. Meneghello has been instrumental in building the firm's practice in the Northwest. He has been recognized as an Oregon Super Lawyer, has been named to Portland's "Top Forty Under 40", and has been listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2007. He is admitted to the Bars of Oregon and Washington. Mr. Meneghello is a regular contributor to area media on labor and employment topics and is a frequent speaker before business organizations.

Firm Chairman Roger Quillen said, "We are fortunate to have both Clarence and Rich in our Portland, Oregon office. Rich is a natural leader who has contributed greatly to the success of the office. He has excellent business development skills, provides outstanding service to clients, and serves as a mentor to younger attorneys. He and Clarence have worked together to rapidly build our office. Now they are ensuring that we have a seamless transition in the leadership role in Portland. Clarence did a tremendous job of leading the office during his term as managing partner. Now, he will continue his exemplary service to clients while continuing to build the office."

Mr. Meneghello said, "This is an exciting time for labor and employer attorneys as we face one of the most challenging economic and political environments employers have ever faced. I look forward to serving my colleagues and our clients in the same selfless manner that Clarence did over the past two years."

Mr. Meneghello focuses much of his practice on disability discrimination defense issues. He was the lead associate attorney before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1999 case of Albertsons v. Kirkingburg, a decision interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act in favor of employers. Besides disability discrimination matters, he commonly appears in court defending claims of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, workers compensation discrimination, public accommodation, race discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and family and medical leave discrimination. Mr. Meneghello also regularly represents employers in labor grievance arbitrations.

He earned his law degree, cum laude, in 1996 from Georgia State University College of Law and an A.B. from Syracuse University in 1993.