Background

 

Katelyn has been practicing law for more than twenty years. She has a traditional labor law practice and represents labor unions before arbitrators, state labor boards, and the National Labor Relations Board. She also negotiates labor contracts and advises clients on strategy and changes in the law that may affect their rights or obligations.

 

Katelyn also brings a depth of experience to advising clients on issues concerning disabled employees, fitness for duty tests, medical leave, and other employment-related issues. She provides advice and guidance to labor union entities regarding their obligations under the law to their employees, members, apprentices, and other stakeholders. She has been reviewing and advising on the intersection of disability, worker injury, and family medical leave issues since she began practicing law. Katelyn has assisted dozens of clients with disabilities in achieving reasonable accommodations in the workplace. 

 

She represents clients in the state and federal courts in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, and works on appeals. She defends her labor union clients in court and in administrative actions when the need arises. Katelyn has acted as local counsel for national labor unions.

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In addition to her labor practice, Katelyn represents individuals before professional licensing boards and commissions. She looks for creative opportunities and solutions but will litigate a case when necessary to protect her client's professional reputation and livelihood. She has represented clients before the Department of Public Safety Standards Training, Oregon Medical Board, Oregon Board of Nursing, Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Board of Dentistry, Oregon Board of Licensed Counselors and Therapists, Oregon Government Ethics Commission, the Medical Quality Assurance Commission (in Washington), the Alaska Board of Nursing, and other agencies. Katelyn has experience working with professionals who are seeking help for alcohol and substance abuse problems, or for mental health concerns.

 

Katelyn represents select clients in employment-related matters and civil rights claims. She has litigated claims under Section 1983 (constitutional claims), Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, as well as state law claims and contract disputes, in state and federal courts, before arbitrators and in administrative hearings. She represents federal employees and contractors in administrative proceedings related to employment discipline and whistleblower status.

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Katelyn was previously an equity partner at the Tedesco Law Group. She started her career as an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Judy Snyder. Before becoming a lawyer, Katelyn worked in many industries including as a seasonal forest fire fighter, a claims adjuster for a military shipping company, a library employee working in the "stacks," various roles in non-profit organizations devoted to serving children and families, and for a vegan food company. Having worked with people from different backgrounds and industries allows her to find common ground with clients from all walks of life.

 

When not fighting for workers’ rights, Katelyn enjoys spending time with her family, running with her dog, traveling, camping, and reading.

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Memberships

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Katelyn is a current member of the AFL-CIO Union Lawyers Alliance, the Oregon chapter of the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA), the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) and the National Lawyers Guild. She is a current executive committee member of the Administrative Law Section of the Oregon State Bar. She is a past-chair of the Civil Rights Section of the Oregon State Bar and a past-chair of the Employment Section of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association.  

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Selected Articles and Presentations 

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• "Best Practices, Similarities & Differences in Proceedings before the Office of Administrative Hearings and in Court," Oregon State Bar panel presentation for the Administrative Law Section (September 15, 2023). 

• "Fighting Threats to Academic Freedom in Higher Education Settings" responding to the challenging climate in higher education settings where there are threats to tenure, where contingent staff continue to have fewer protections than other unionized employees, and where the freedom of faculty to research and speak on issues of public interest continue to be threatened. Included presentation around organizing, court litigation, bargaining, shared governance and other strategies before a statewide, higher education association and its affiliates (May 2023). 

• "Fighting Threats to Academic Freedom“ addressing and responding to the challenging climate of book-banning, challenges to curriculum and related issues in the K-12 public education context. Included presentation around bargaining and organizing strategies, law suits, and other technical legal challenges, before a statewide, K-12 education association (March 2023).

• Ongoing training on rights and responsibilities in a unionized workplace and duty of fair representation for representatives and officers in a large, public employee union (2022-2023). 

• Harassment and Bullying Training and policy updates before a trade union organization to remain current with Oregon law and update practices and expectations of workers and supervisors in a unionized work place (2022, 2021).

• Lawfulness of Vaccine Mandates and Bargaining Obligations,” Panel presenter for District Counsel of Trade Unions (DCTU) members who are employees of the City of Portland (2021).

• “The Role of the Union in Investigating Complaints & Identifying Discrimination and Harassment” to client groups (2017).

• "Discipline and Revocation: Working with the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA)," Co-presenter at the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council Annual Conference (2016).

• “The Intersection of the ADA/FMLA/Workers Compensation,” Panel presentation at the Annual Labor & Employment Section of the Oregon State Bar (2015).

• “Job Applicant Screening: A State and Federal Overview of Laws & Enforcement,” Presentation at the Oregon State Bar (2015).

• “Sports Arbitrations,” Panel presentation at the Sports and Entertainment Law Conference, covering dispute resolution and arbitrations for professional sports teams and whether organizing and bargaining protections might extend to college athletes (2014).

• Co-author, “Civil Rights Legislation” in the 2009 Oregon Legislation Highlights, Oregon State Bar. "Two Recent Cases Confirm Supreme Court's Commitment to Protecting Employees from Retaliation," Oregon Civil Rights Newsletter (July 2008).

• Co-author, “Overview of Issues in Institutional Suicide, Wrongful Death, and Sexual Abuse/Assault Injury Cases,” appeared in Section 1983 Cases, published by the Oregon State Bar, (April 2005).

• Comment: The Implications of Echazabal v. Chevron U.S.A., Inc. for Employers and for the Administration of Workers’ Compensation and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 80 Or. L. Rev. 327, Spring, 2001.