Nick McGuffin Civil Rights Lawsuit – Complaint & Press Release

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner Firm News

December 8, 2016

Due to the inclement weather in the Portland-area, MLR will be closed beginning at noon on Thurs, Dec. 8th.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

October 10, 2014

MLR is happy to share its print advertisements formally announcing the addition of attorneys Janis Puracal and Scott MacLaren to the team.  The advertisements are appearing the October 2014 issue of the Oregon State Bar Bulletin.  Janis and Scott have proven to be valuable additions and we are excited to have them as part of the team.

October 7, 2014

The Oregon Innocence Project announced today that Oregon’s former federal public defender, Steve Wax, has become its new legal director.  More information can be found about Steve’s new role can be found on the Oregon Innocence Project website.

MLR’s Janis Puracal is a co-founder of the Oregon Innocence Project and heads its amicus efforts in the Oregon appellate courts.  MLR a proud supporter of OIP.

July 23, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner is proud to announce the addition of attorney Scott A. MacLaren to the team.  Scott is an insurance coverage attorney that has experience advising clients on a variety of matters, including special investigations unit (SIU) claims and extra-contractual “bad faith” litigation involving property and automobile insurance policies.  Prior to joining MLR, Scott worked at a large insurance defense firm in Portland where he gained valuable experience handling insurance coverage issues.  We are confident that Scott’s knowledge and qualifications will be a valuable addition to MLR.

July 17, 2014

We would like to congratulate attorney Nick Thede, who has been selected by Oregon Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star” in Insurance Coverage.  This is Nick’s second consecutive selection as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.

July 3-4, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday weekend.  In observance of the holiday, our offices are closing at noon on July 3rd through the weekend.

We would also like to share a “save the date” from the Oregon Innocence Project, which is hosting its First Annual OIP Picnic, which will be held at Sellwood Park on August 2, 2014 from 2-5 p.m.  More information to come.

June 12, 2014

Lisa Roberts became Oregon’s ninth exoneree on May 28, 2014, when she was released after serving nearly twelve years in prison for a crime she did not commit.  U.S. District Judge Malcolm Marsh found that Roberts established a “colorable showing of actual innocence” through DNA evidence and the results of her team’s investigation into faulty forensic science.  Roberts’ habeas challenge to her conviction was led by Assistant Federal Public Defender Alison Clark and Federal Public Defender Steve Wax, who is slated to become the Legal Director for the Oregon Innocence Project in October of this year.  A complete summary of Lisa Roberts’ case is available on the Oregon Innocence Project website.

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner attorney Janis Puracal is a co-founder of the Oregon Innocence Project and heads its amicus efforts in the Oregon appellate courts.  MLR is a proud supporter of OIP and its efforts to obtain justice for the wrongfully convicted.

June 10-11, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner attorneys Kyle Sturm and Nick Thede are attending the 2014 PLRB Western Region Adjusters Conference in Bellevue, Washington.  Nick is co-presenting with Billie Baker of Oregon Mutual Ins. Co. on “Recent Property Case Highlights,” which focuses on recent case decisions from the west region addressing property insurance issues.

June 4, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner is proud to announces that Janis C. Puracal has joined the firm in the role of Of Counsel.  Janis is an experienced insurance coverage attorney that specializes in appeals in federal and state courts throughout Oregon and Washington, and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  In addition to handling appeals, Janis has substantial trial experience handling a variety of insurance coverage issues.  As a result of her excellent insurance coverage work, Janis has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Washington Super Lawyers magazine from 2010-2014.  Her knowledge, experience, and impeccable qualifications will prove to be a valuable addition to the MLR team.

While she joins MLR, Janis will also continue in her role as co-founder of the Oregon Innocence Project, which works to free wrongfully convicted prisoners throughout the State of Oregon.  Janis serves as the co-chair and leads the Project’s amicus appellate work.  Her dedication to innocence work stems from her work to free her brother, Jason Puracal, from a Nicaraguan prison where he was held for two years after being wrongfully convicted.  Jason was ultimately released in 2012 due in large part to Janis’ tireless work.  Since securing Jason’s release, Janis has continued her work to promote social justice and has been recognized for her pro bono work by the American Bar Association.

May 21, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner attorney Nick Thede will be presenting at the 2014 PLRB Western Region Adjusters Conference in Bellevue, Washington, on June 10-11, 2014.  Nick will be co-presenting with Billie Baker of Oregon Mutual Insurance Company on “Recent Property Loss Case Highlights.”  The presentation will focus on recent case decisions involving property loss insurance claims.

May 15, 2014

Attorneys Nick Thede and F.J. Maloney attended the 7th Annual Litigation Reception hosted by the litigation practice group at Miller Nash.  The event included a number of private practice litigators throughout the Portland and Vancouver area and local, state and federal judges.

April 26, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner attorney Nick Thede attended the 4th Annual Vernon Auction, which supports the Vernon PTA and benefits Northeast Portland’s Vernon School.  During the auction MLR proudly purchased two of the many wonderful classroom art projects created by Vernon students.  The two artworks, created by Mr. Smith’s 4th grade class and Ms. Maloney’s 1st grade class, now hang in MLR’s offices.

April 24-26,2014

F.J. Maloney and Kyle Sturm attended the American Bar Association (ABA) Tort Trial & Insurance Practice section 2014 Property Insurance Law Committee Spring Meeting: Resolution of Property Insurance Claims in the Modern Age-Appraisal, Mediation and Arbitration, which was held in Carlsbad, California.

April 9, 2014

We are a proud sponsor of the Oregon Innocence Project.  Several members of MLR will be attending the OIP Launch and Benefit Party tonight.  We strongly urge you to support the organization.  You can find more information about the organization at the Oregon Innocence Project website.

April 8, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner is looking for an associate attorney with 1-3 years of legal experience.  Applicants must be admitted to the Oregon State Bar, and admission to the Washington State Bar is preferred.  Qualified applicants should have experience in first-party insurance coverage litigation.  Please submit a cover letter, resume, references, and writing sample by mail only to Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner, 117 SW Taylor Street, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97204.  Please do not call or submit materials via e-mail.

Here is a link to the posting in the Oregon State Bar Bulletin.

March 31, 2014

MLR is happy to share its first print advertisement, which is appearing in this year’s version of the Clark County Bar Association member directory.  We would like to thank Jeff Gough of the Gough Creative Group for assisting us in creating the advertisement.

February 6-7, 2014

Due to the inclement weather in the Portland-area, MLR will be closed beginning at noon on Thurs, Feb. 6th and all day Fri., Feb. 7th.

February 6, 2014

Maloney Lauersdorf Reiner attorneys F.J. Maloney and Kyle Sturm are scheduled to present at the American Bar Association (ABA) national CLE program titled “Rub ‘O the Green: Litigation, Ethics and the Rules,” which is being sponsored by the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the ABA.  The program is being held in Tucson, Arizona, from March 20-22, 2014.  F.J. and Kyle are scheduled to present alongside Dan Markowitz of MDD Forensic Accounting in Los Angeles.  The one-and-a-half hour presentation is titled “Insurance: Additional Coverages Lying in the Rough” and will focus on less familiar forms of insurance coverage, including business income loss, extra expense, building ordinance or law, securities, valuable papers, and electronic data.

December 24-25, 2013

MLR would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.  The office will be closed on December 24th and 25th in order to observe the Christmas holiday.  In addition, our office will be closed on December 31st and January 1st to celebrate the New Year.

December 10, 2013

Attorney Andy Lauersdorf is attending the DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium in New York this week.  The seminar is one of the leading professional education events on the subject of insurance coverage and insurance claims.  The faculty includes some of the leading practitioners in the field of insurance coverage and claims and they will provide insightful education and practice tips on important issues.

Tomorrow, attorneys Nick Thede and F.J. Maloney will be making a presentation at the Clark County Bar Association “Nuts and Bolts” CLE series.  The presentation is titled “Beyond the Insurance Contract” and will focus on extra-contractual insurance litigation in Washington, including claims for insurance bad faith, negligent practice of law, and violations of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA).

December 6, 2013

MLR celebrated at its annual holiday party.  We want to take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.  In order to celebrate with our families, MLR will be closed on December 24th and 25th, and January 1, 2014.

November 28, 2013

MLR would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.  Our office will be closed Thurs., Nov. 28th and Fri., Nov. 29th to celebrate the holiday.

November 18, 2013

MLR attorneys are slated to make continuing legal education (CLE) presentations in the coming weeks.  F.J. Maloney will be presenting this Friday, November 22, 2013, at the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC)  2013 Fall Seminar at the Hilton in Downtown Portland.  F.J. and attorney Brian Williams of Hitt Hiller Monfils Williams, LLP will present “Tort Liability or Extra-Contractual Damages for Not Paying UIM Benefits?”  The presentation will focus on litigating tort liability claims, including claims for extra-contractual damages, in the context of Oregon UM/UIM insurance coverage disputes.

On Wed., December 11, 2013, F.J. and Nick Thede will be making a presentation as part of the Clark County Bar Association (CCBA) “Nuts and Bolts Lecture Series” at the Red Lion Inn at the Quay in Vancouver, Washington.  The lecture is entitled “Beyond Breach of the Insurance Contract: Bad Faith, CPA, and IFCA Claims Against Insurance Companies.”  It will focus on the “nuts and bolts” of extra-contractual litigation in Washington.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions about these presentations.  We hope you’re able to attend.

November 11, 2013

In honor of Veterans Day, MLR would like to acknowledge and express gratitude for the efforts and sacrifice of all of the veterans, including our own Rob Williams.

November 7, 2013

Attorney Andy Lauersdorf and paralegal Rob Williams attended the Oregon Innocence Project Benefit and Cocktail Hour, which was hosted by Janis Puracal, Aliza Kaplan, and Bobbin Singh at Bullivant Houser Bailey, PC in Portland.  The Oregon Innocence Project (OIP), which is a joint project of the Metropolitan Public Defender Service and the Oregon Justice Resource Center, is a new organization that will work to exonerate innocent individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned in Oregon.  OIP is currently raising funds in an effort to launch in April 2014 and continue its long-term success.

MLR is happy to support the efforts to launch the Oregon Innocence Project (OIC) and wishes them continued success.  We encourage everyone to visit the OIC website (www.oregoninnocence.org) to learn more and support the cause.

October 25, 2013

MLR attorneys Andy Lauersdorf, Kyle Sturm, and Nick Thede attended the Oregon Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) 2013 Annual Insurance Fraud Conference & Expo.  The conference was held at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon.  MLR was one of the proud sponsors of the event.

In addition, MLR assistants Cher Vasquez and Esther Melin attended the Oregon Paralegal Association fall seminar held in Wilsonville, Oregon.