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Pilar

Pilar C. French

ShareholderCommercial Litigation Team Co-Chair Financial Institutions Litigation Team Co-Chair

Pilar French is a diligent yet tenacious advocate for her clients, representing clients in complex commercial litigation and counseling them on crisis management and emergency remedies. During her 25-year law practice, Pilar has litigated high-stakes matters for a variety of clients including software providers, retailers, manufacturers, accountants, product distributors, and financial institutions.

In addition to having significant experience in defending against government enforcement actions, Pilar has extensive experience in matters involving the financial and banking industry and has received annual recognition for her work by The Best Lawyers in America© since 2013. She was named “Portland Lawyer of the Year” for banking and finance litigation by Best Lawyers® in 2022 and is also recognized in Chambers® USA’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Super Lawyers Magazine.

Pilar brings project management skills to complex consumer, real estate and government enforcement litigation and is a Lean Sigma Yellow Belt®.

Before joining Lane Powell in 1999, Pilar worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the Oregon Department of Justice. While there, she represented the state in national and local cases involving enforcement of Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practice Act, Oregon’s Public Records Law, and matters concerning civil rights violations or claims of discrimination. Since leaving the Oregon Department of Justice, she has continued representing clients in these areas pro bono.

Experience

Multi-National Government Enforcement Litigation
Defended multi-national pharmaceutical and health care product distributor in government-led consumer protection and public nuisance actions in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Pilar has defended manufacturers, servicers, and financial institutions in similar high-stakes litigation pursued by government plaintiffs.
Banking Litigation
Representing banks in class action and single plaintiff trials in federal and state consumer law litigation concerning credit cards, deposit accounts, ACH, and/or loans.
Real Estate Litigation
Representing developers, and commercial lessees and lessors, in complex litigation.
Product Liability Litigation
Representing product manufacturers in single plaintiff and class actions concerning alleged false advertising, regulatory noncompliance, and/or product defect claims.
National Mortgage Servicer Litigation
Defended national mortgage servicer in a Washington Consumer Protection Act Claim; case settled after plantiffs’ key witness was held in contempt.Assisted a California-based national lender in setting aside a $750,000 default judgment levied against it.
FinTech Compliance
Assisted retail installment contract creditor with consumer credit compliance issues in its Mobile Credit App.
Shareholder Disputes
Representing shareholders in both acquisitions and dissolution disputes in arbitrations and court and through resolution.
Motor Vehicle and Department of Transportation Enforcement Actions
Assisted national cargo van rental company in navigating enforcement and compliance concerns by Oregon Motor Vehicle Regulators.
International Cryptocurrency Litigation
Assisted investor in cryptocurrency recover currency in international arbitration based in Malta.
Rosenblum v. Oracle America Inc.
Representing Oracle America in a series of lawsuits in Oregon state and federal courts between Oracle and the state of Oregon arising out of Oregon’s attempts to create and manage a state health insurance exchange (HIX) under the Federal Affordable Care Act.
Henry G. Luken III v. Christensen Group Incorporated, et al.
Successfully resolved a complex commercial dispute on behalf of a ship building business investor.

Professional Experience

Lane Powell PC (1999-Present)

Co-Chair Portland Litigation Department (2022 to present)
Co-Chair Financial Institutions Litigation Team (2017 to present)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Member (2020-2022)
Talent Acquisition Committee, Co-Chair (2020-Present)
Advancement Committee
- Co-Chair (2019-2020)
- Member (2018-2020)

Oregon Department of Justice, Assistant Attorney General (1996-1999)

Areas of Practice: Unlawful trade practice enforcement, civil rights litigation and appellate advocacy

Community Involvement

Multnomah Bar Foundation, Board Member (2023-Present)

COVID-19 Medical Habeas, Team Member (2020-2021)

Oregon League of Minority Voters, Board Member (2018-2019)

Oregon Women Lawyers, Member (2017-Present)

Artichoke Community Music, Board Member (2015-2016)

Rock N' Roll Camp for Girls, Board Member (2007)

Portland Business Alliance

Member
Leadership Portland, Participant (Class of 2005)

American Inn of Court

Indianapolis Chapter (1995-1996)
Portland Chapter (1999-2005, 2017-2020)

Multnomah Bar Association

Member
CourtCare Advisory Board, Board Member (2004)

American Bar Association, Member

National Institute of Trial Lawyers, Trial Advocacy Course (2000)

Sellers of Travel Legislative Committee, Co-Chairperson (1997-1998)

Southeast Legal Clinic, Volunteer

Thought Leadership

August 15, 2024News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2025 Recognizes 128 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
July 24, 2024News
Nineteen Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers in Oregon for 2024
Awards & Honors
June 6, 2024News
Lane Powell Ranked Again Among Top Firms in 2024 Chambers® USA
Awards & Honors
August 17, 2023News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2024 Recognizes 123 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
August 9, 2023News
Pilar French Represents Corey Christensen in Pro Bono Case Seeking Independent Investigation into Brother's Death
Firm Announcement
July 24, 2023News
Nineteen Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers in Oregon for 2023
Awards & Honors
July 2023Event / CLE
How to Get Hired
MBA Fellows Mentoring
June 1, 2023News
Lane Powell Again Ranked Among Top Firms in 2023 Chambers® USA
Awards & Honors
October 2022Event / CLE
Daubert, Frye and 104 Hearings
Presenter
August 18, 2022News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2023 Recognizes 90 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
July 12, 2022Event / CLE
How to Get Hired
MBA Fellows Mentoring
July 1, 2022News
Fifteen Lane Powell Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers in Oregon for 2022
Awards & Honors
June 1, 2022News
Lane Powell Again Ranked Among Top Firms in 2022 Chambers® USA
Awards & Honors
August 19, 2021News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2022 Recognizes 90 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
August 20, 2020News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 Recognizes 92 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
April 27, 2020Publication
Will Congressional Amendments to the CARES Act Actually Help 'Mom and Pop' -Sized, and Women and Minority-Owned, Small Businesses?
COVID-19 Resource
April 23, 2020Publication
Potential Lender Liability Under the CARES Act
COVID-19 Resource
March 30, 2020Publication
Congress Also CARES About Self-Employed Individuals
COVID-19 Resource
March 28, 2020Publication
Why Everyone CARES About SBA Loans: Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Relief for ‘Small’ Businesses
COVID-19 Resource
March 23, 2020Publication
Small Businesses in Oregon and Washington May Be Eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans Due to COVID-19
COVID-19 Resource
October 2019Publication
Residential Foreclosures (Judicial) (OR)
Westlaw Practice Note
Summer 2019Publication
Join the Jetsons: Make Technology Work for Your Legal Practice
American Bar Association’s The Woman Advocate
August 15, 2019News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 Recognizes 63 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
August 8, 2019Event / CLE
Bank Fraud and Other Litigation Trends
Oregon Banker’s Association | Salem, Oregon
December 11, 2018Event / CLE
Overcoming Adversity Through Community
Oregon Women Lawyers | Portland, Oregon
August 15, 2018News
The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 Recognizes 62 Lane Powell Attorneys
Awards & Honors
2018Event / CLE
Women In Leadership Symposium
National Diversity Council | Portland, Oregon
August 15, 2017News
Fifty-nine Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers® in America 2018
Awards & Honors
May 10, 2017Event / CLE
Rainmaking & Career Development Mentoring Circle
Oregon Women Lawyers
August 17, 2016News
Fifty-one Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017
Awards & Honors
August 17, 2015News
Forty-eight Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016
Awards & Honors
October 22, 2014News
French and Poplawski Author Chapters in Oregon Statutory Time Limitations Legal Guide
August 18, 2014News
Fifty-One Lane Powell Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015
Awards & Honors
August 2014Publication
Residential Trust Deeds and Mortgages; Foreclosure
Oregon State Bar’s Oregon Statutory Time Limitations Guide
June 15, 2012Event / CLE
Foreclosure Mediation: Complying With SB 1552
Oregon Bankers Association | Salem, Oregon
2012Event / CLE
The Latest in Foreclosure and Foreclosure Mediation
Oregon State Bar | Portland, Oregon
2012Event / CLE
Handling a Foreclosure Case
Oregon State Bar | Portland, Oregon
2011Event / CLE
Enforcing Oregon’s Trust Deed Act
Multnomah Bar Association | Portland, Oregon

Practices & Industries

Commercial Litigation
Electronic Discovery, Technology & Strategy
Financial Institutions Litigation & Investigations

Education

Indiana University, J.D., 1996 (Robert H. McKinney School of Law)
Northwestern University, B.A., with honors, 1992

Accreditation

Legal Lean Sigma® and Project Management Yellow Belt Certification

Admissions

Oregon
Washington
U.S. District Court, Oregon
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Washington
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Oregon
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Language

French

Honors

“Portland Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers®, Banking and Finance Litigation (2022)

Chambers® USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation: General Commercial (2022-2024)

"Oregon Super Lawyer," Thomson Reuters, Civil Litigation: Defense (2022-2024)

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