Shannon Armstrong

Shannon Armstrong is an accomplished trial lawyer who defends high-stakes class actions and litigates complex business disputes for clients across a variety of industries, including real estate, financial services, retail, manufacturing, sports, healthcare, technology and energy industries.

Described by clients to Chambers as "terrific" and "super detailed, incredibly hard working and very smart," clients rely on her sound judgment, ability to understand and manage complexity, and skilled advocacy in facing their most significant business disputes.

Ms. Armstrong has tried cases in state and federal court and arbitration. She serves as lead trial counsel in significant contract disputes, class actions, shareholder disputes, securities claims, business competition claims and intellectual property disputes. She also advises clients on business-critical state regulatory issues, investigations and administrative proceedings.

In addition, Ms. Armstrong serves on the firm's Directors Committee.

Ms. Armstrong's recent engagements include:

Commercial Litigation

• Co-lead trial counsel defending a multinational dental equipment manufacturer and family shareholders in preliminary injunction and related litigation filed by dissident shareholder seeking control of company in Oregon state court, resulting in favorable settlement
• Co-lead trial counsel representing financial services company in claims by receiver for investment pools alleging breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty arising from alleged Ponzi scheme in Washington state court
• Co-lead trial counsel representing a manufacturing company in $80 million dispute with a supplier resulting in claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment and trade secret misappropriation in a four-week arbitration proceeding
• Obtaining a complete dismissal on behalf of a real estate investment firm of a $100 million claim by investors for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and negligent misrepresentation on a motion for directed verdict at the close of the plaintiffs' case-in-chief in arbitration
• Co-lead trial counsel representing a real estate company in litigation against its former managing member for breach of contract, conversion and breach of fiduciary duty, resulting in an award of punitive damages following a two-week jury trial in Oregon state court
• Lead trial counsel obtaining summary judgment on behalf of a venture capital client on claims for violation of the Oregon Securities Law and fraudulent transfer in Oregon federal court.
• Representing an energy company in $30 million breach of contract and fraud claims arising from failed acquisition in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
• Lead trial counsel representing a Nevada energy company in prosecuting minority shareholder oppression claims seeking $25 million in damages in Oregon state court, U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Nevada state court and international arbitration
• Representing an international technology company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon against petition for discovery to be used in German litigation, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1782, resulting in dismissal of petition

Trade Secrets, False Advertising and Unfair Competition

• Co-lead trial counsel defeating on summary judgment claims alleging $600 million in damages for trade secret misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) on behalf of energy company in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and then defeating alternative claims in motions in limine
• Lead trial counsel obtaining a temporary restraining order and injunction on DTSA and related state law claims in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon on behalf of a national automotive group
• Defending a food and beverage company in class action alleging false advertising and unfair competition in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and parallel state regulatory action arising from wine labeling practices
• Obtaining an order compelling arbitration from U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon on behalf of a retail franchisor in dispute with franchisees alleging claims for trade secret misappropriation and breach of non-competition agreement
• Defending a national beverage company against allegations of false advertising and unfair competition in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

Class Actions

• Co-lead counsel defending a financial services company in securities fraud class action brought by real estate investors alleging violation of the Oregon Securities Law in Oregon state court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, arising from alleged Ponzi scheme
• Defeating class certification on behalf of a company for class action for deceptive practices and unjust enrichment in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
• Defeating on summary judgment class action claims for breach of contract, civil conspiracy, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty and consumer fraud in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona arising from benefits provided under auto insurer's medical payments coverage and defending that victory on appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Lead counsel obtaining a voluntary dismissal of claims against a professional services company in class action alleging sale of unregistered securities in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington arising from cryptocurrency transactions
• Coordinating comprehensive strategy in a high-profile dispute on behalf of a government contractor for related class actions in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado challenging fundamental business practices
• Defending a national healthcare company against Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and related state law claims in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
• Defending a food and beverage company against class action claims alleging violation of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), unfair competition, breach of warranty and unjust enrichment in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Ms. Armstrong began her legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Melvin Brunetti in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and as a law clerk for the Honorable Ancer L. Haggerty of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.