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Clarence M. Belnavis

Regional Managing Partner


Portland/Seattle

t:503.205.8045/206.693.5075

f:503.242.4263/206.682.7908

Email

Service Focus

  • Counseling and Advice
  • Employment Discrimination and Harassment
  • Wage and Hour
  • Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management

Industry Focus

  • Automotive Dealership
  • Financial Services
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality
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Overview
Insights
Credentials
Recognitions
Affiliations

Overview

Clarence Belnavis is the regional managing partner of Fisher Phillips’ Portland office and a partner in the Seattle office. He is a trial attorney focusing on employment litigation, including disability, racial and gender discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and wrongful discharge. Clarence also represents employers in wage and hour claims, employment class actions, and traditional labor matters.

In addition to his litigation practice, Clarence proactively advises clients with respect to labor and employment matters, including disability and return to work issues, employee handbooks, termination procedures and litigation avoidance.

Clarence also provides client trainings and educational presentations to industry groups and organizations regarding current and developing employment law issues.

He has been listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2006 and The Best Lawyers in America since 2009. He is frequently recognized in Oregon Super Lawyers for his work in labor and employment law.

In 2011, Clarence was honored as a "Convocation on Equality Champion" in recognition of the diversity work that he has been engaged in during his career.

Insights

  • News

    03/20/23

    Fisher Phillips Attorneys Named to Lawyers of Color’s 2023 Power List

    Davis C. Bae, Clarence M. Belnavis, Todd A. Fredrickson, Raymond W. Perez, Regina A. Petty, Michelli Rivera, Pavneet Singh Uppal

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  • Event

    12/07/22

    Paid Medical Leave and an Increase in Minimum Wage: Two Tickets to (Workers’) Paradise

    Clarence M. Belnavis, Dan Schmidt

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  • News

    11/29/22

    12 Fisher Phillips Attorneys Named to Lawyers of Color’s 2022 Law Firm Leaders List

    Adam F. Sloustcher, Clarence M. Belnavis, Davis C. Bae, Kristen J. Nesbit, Michelli Rivera, Pavneet Singh Uppal, Phillip C. Bauknight, Raymond W. Perez, Regina A. Petty, Shanon R. Stevenson, Todd A. Fredrickson, Usama Kahf

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  • News

    06/17/22

    Fisher Phillips Ranked Again Among Top Law Firms in the U.S. by The Legal 500

    Sheldon J. Blumling, Jocelyn Campanaro, Jessica T. Cook, Ralph Hua, David S. Jones, Shanon R. Stevenson, Clarence M. Belnavis, Christopher J. Boman, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Daniel E. Farrington, Lisa A. McClane, Danielle Hultenius Moore, Kristen J. Nesbit, Roger K. Quillen, Stephen Scott, Todd B. Scherwin, Steven M. Bernstein, David B. Dornak, Todd A. Lyon

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  • News

    06/01/22

    Fisher Phillips Recognized Again as a Top Labor and Employment Law Firm by Chambers USA

    Kristin R.B. White, Danielle Hultenius Moore, Jocelyn Campanaro, Micah Dawson, Todd A. Fredrickson, Angelica M. Ochoa, Steven M. Bernstein, Suzanne K. Bogdan, Charles S. Caulkins, Christine E. Howard, Jeffrey E. Mandel, Cathy M. Stutin, Shanon R. Stevenson, Laurel K. Cornell, Raymond C. Haley III, Todd B. Logsdon, Craig P. Siegenthaler, Megan Reese U'Sellis, Michelle I. Anderson, Edward F. Harold, Keith M. Pyburn Jr., Timothy H. Scott, David W. Erb, Daniel E. Farrington, Joseph W. Ambash, William E. Altman, Susan Hartmus Hiser, Gregory V. Murray, Steven R. Cupp, J. Randall Coffey, Brian J. Finucane, David B. Dornak, Scott M. Mahoney, Mark J. Ricciardi, Rosemary S. Gousman, Michael R. Marra, Mason G. Alexander, Richard A. Millisor, Clarence M. Belnavis, Nan Sato, Christopher P. Stief, William D. Wright, Michael D. Carrouth, C. F. W. Manning II, Stephen C. Mitchell, J. Hagood Tighe, David S. Jones, Jeff Weintraub, Arthur V. Lambert, Stephen J. Roppolo, Teresa Valderrama, Theresa M. Connolly, Davis C. Bae, Ralph Hua, Radhika Mehta, Suzanne Kelly Michael

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  • News

    04/07/22

    Portland Partner Receives Multnomah Bar Association’s 2022 Pro Bono Award of Merit

    Stephen Scott, Clarence M. Belnavis

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  • News

    07/01/21

    Fisher Phillips Recognized Among Top Law Firms in U.S. by The Legal 500

    Davis C. Bae, Jessica T. Cook, David S. Jones, Angelica M. Ochoa, Shanon R. Stevenson, Joseph W. Ambash, Michelle I. Anderson, Clarence M. Belnavis, Christopher J. Boman, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Daniel E. Farrington, Jeffrey A. Fritz, Raymond C. Haley III, Danielle Hultenius Moore, Kristen J. Nesbit, Roger K. Quillen, Todd B. Scherwin, Terri R. Stewart, James Sullivan, Teresa Valderrama

    Read more 

  • News

    05/20/21

    Fisher Phillips Stands Out as a Top Labor and Employment Law Firm by Chambers USA

    Danielle Hultenius Moore, Jocelyn Campanaro, Todd A. Fredrickson, Angelica M. Ochoa, Steven M. Bernstein, Suzanne K. Bogdan, Christine E. Howard, Charles S. Caulkins, Jeffrey E. Mandel, Laurel K. Cornell, Raymond C. Haley III, Todd B. Logsdon, Craig P. Siegenthaler, Edward F. Harold, Keith M. Pyburn Jr., Timothy H. Scott, Daniel E. Farrington, Joseph W. Ambash, William E. Altman, Susan Hartmus Hiser, Gregory V. Murray, Steven R. Cupp, J. Randall Coffey, Brian J. Finucane, David B. Dornak, Scott M. Mahoney, Mark J. Ricciardi, Rosemary S. Gousman, Cynthia M. Jacob, Mason G. Alexander, Richard A. Millisor, Clarence M. Belnavis, Christopher P. Stief, William D. Wright, Michael D. Carrouth, C. F. W. Manning II, Stephen C. Mitchell, J. Hagood Tighe, Jeff Weintraub, Stephen J. Roppolo, Teresa Valderrama, Theresa M. Connolly, Davis C. Bae, Radhika Mehta

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  • Podcasts

    04/07/21

    Tracking Hours Worked for Salaried Exempt Employees

    J. Hagood Tighe, Clarence M. Belnavis

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  • News

    08/20/20

    Fisher Phillips Attorneys Receive Top Honors in Best Lawyers in America©

    Michael V. Abcarian, Mason G. Alexander, Stephanie R. Alexander, William E. Altman, Christopher Alvarez, Joseph W. Ambash, Craig R. Annunziata, Davis C. Bae, Andrew J. Baer, Gregory D. Ballew, Kelsey E. Schiappacasse, Cheryl L. Behymer, Clarence M. Belnavis, Steven M. Bernstein, Suzanne K. Bogdan, D. Albert Brannen, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Jocelyn Campanaro, Christopher J. Capone, Michael D. Carrouth, Charles S. Caulkins, Lyle M. Chan, J. Randall Coffey, Theresa M. Connolly, Laurel K. Cornell, Steven R. Cupp, Kevin J. Dalton, J. Micah Dickie, Burton F. Dodd, David B. Dornak, Benjamin Dudek, Todd Alan Ewan, Daniel E. Farrington, Brian J. Finucane, Todd A. Fredrickson, Andrew Froman, Joseph W. Gagnon, Brian J. Gershengorn, Lauren G. Goetzl, Rosemary S. Gousman, LaLonnie Villa Gray, Michael R. Greco, Paul Greco, Rick Grimaldi, Greg Grisham, Lori A. Guner, Raymond C. Haley III, Edward F. Harold, Lariza Pruneda Hebert, JonVieve D. Hill, Susan Hartmus Hiser, Christopher C. Hoffman, James R. Holland II, Christine E. Howard, Cynthia M. Jacob, Clyde H. Jacob III, David S. Jones, Matthew R. Korn, Danielle Krauthamer, Edwina C. Kye, Arthur V. Lambert, Terry E. Lardakis, Aymara Ledezma, Courtney Leyes, Karl R. Lindegren, Steven M. Loewengart, Reyburn W. Lominack III, Nathan K. Low, Darin L. Mackender, Scott M. Mahoney, Jeffrey E. Mandel, C. F. W. Manning II, Howard A. Mavity, James J. McDonald Jr., Phillips L. McWilliams, Richard A. Millisor, Stephen C. Mitchell, Danielle Hultenius Moore, R. Henry Moore, Timothy J. Murphy, Gregory V. Murray, Warren L. Nelson, Steven M. Nobil, Daniel P. O'Brien, James Patrick, Jonathan P. Pearson, Regina A. Petty, Ann Margaret Pointer, James C. Polkinghorn, John M. Polson, Keith M. Pyburn Jr., Roger K. Quillen, Melody L. Rayl, Thomas Paul Rebel, Mark J. Ricciardi, Ashton M. Riley, Michelli Rivera, Stephen J. Roppolo, Jeffrey A. Savarise, Susan M. Schaecher, Cheryl L. Schreck, David E. Schreiner, Stephen Scott, Timothy H. Scott, Joseph P. Shelton, Craig P. Siegenthaler, Jeffrey D. Smith, John W. Stapleton, Shanon R. Stevenson, Terri R. Stewart, Christopher P. Stief, Cathy M. Stutin, Douglas R. Sullenberger, James Sullivan, Martin F. Thompson, Megan Reese U'Sellis, Pavneet Singh Uppal, Teresa Valderrama, Joshua H. Viau, Timothy J. Weatherholt, Jeff Weintraub, Alexander A. Wheatley, Benton N. Wood, Robert Yonowitz, George D. Adams, Richard R. Meneghello, Hannah Sweiss, Robert M. Robenalt, Todd A. Lyon, Todd B. Logsdon, J. Hagood Tighe, Danielle S. Urban, Sheila M. Willis, Kristin R.B. White, Michelle I. Anderson

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Credentials

Education

  • J.D., 1994, Howard University School of Law
  • B.A., 1991, Florida Atlantic University

Bar Admissions

  • Oregon
  • Washington

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

Recognitions

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2009 - 2023)
  • Chambers USA, Labor & Employment (2006 – 2023)
  • Listed in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers (2021 - 2022)
  • Recommended as a leading practitioner for Labor and Employment Disputes: Defense by The Legal 500 United States (2021 - 2022)
  • Oregon Super Lawyers (2006 - 2008, 2012 - Present)

Affiliations

Professional Activities

  • President, Oregon Chapter of the National Bar Association
  • President, Association of Oregon Black Lawyers
  • Member, Owen M. Panner Chapter of the American Inns of Court
  • Former Coach, Jefferson High School (Portland, OR) Mock Trial Team

Community Activities

  • Board Member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Columbia Northwest

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