Cosgrave Vergeer Kester LLP
attorneys

Thomas W. Brown

Thomas W. Brown

Partner

Law Practice

Thom Brown joined CVK in 1981.  He was its managing partner from 1994 to 2010 and remains chair of CVK's commercial litigation practice group.  Thom's practice focuses on civil appeals in state and federal courts, insurance coverage opinions and litigation, and professional liability defense. He is an approved arbitrator for the Arbitration Service of Portland and an approved mediator for the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Education & Bar Admissions

Thom received his bachelor's degree in Radio/Television/Film from the University of Texas in 1974, and his law degree from the night school program at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College in 1980.  Before joining CVK, Thom clerked for the Honorable William Richardson of the Oregon Court of Appeals (1980-81).

Thom was admitted to the Oregon State Bar, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and United States District Court for the District of Oregon in 1980. He was admitted to the United States Supreme Court in 1989, the Washington State Bar in 2002, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in 2007.

Professional Activities

Thom is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America.  He is a member of the United States District Court of Oregon Historical Society, and the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC).  Thom has held many committee positions in both the Oregon State Bar (OSB) and the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA).  He serves on the boards of the OSB Appellate Practice Section Executive Committee (CLE Subcommittee Chair, 1997-98; Secretary, 1998-99; Chair-Elect, 2000-01; Chair, 2001-02), and the MBA (Secretary, 2005-06; President-Elect, 2006-07; President, 2007-08; and Past President, 2008-09).  Thom was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America in the specialties of Appellate Law (2006-10) and Insurance Law (2010), and as an "Oregon Super Lawyer," Appellate Practice, in 2006-2009.  Since 1985, he has been AV rated (highest rating) by the Martindale-Hubbell National Law Directory's peer review for his ethical standards and legal ability. 

On appointment by the Oregon Supreme Court, Thom served as a pro tem judge in Multnomah County Circuit Court from 1997 to 2000 handling summary judgment motions.

Thom frequently speaks and writes on topics related to his practice areas, law practice management, and professionalism.  He participated as one of about 70 invited attorneys in the 2005 National Conference on Appellate Justice in Washington DC and was a speaker at the 2005-2007 ALFA International's annual business meeting on "Bridging the Gap:Retaining Gen X Attorneys," at the 2005 OSB Products Liability Section program on "Recent Appellate Cases," at the 2006 OADC Fall Meeting on "Recent Appellate Cases," at the Oregon Law Institute's 2006 seminar on "Attorney (and Other Professional) Liability to Non-Clients in Oregon," at the 2007 Professional Liability Fund Defense Panel conference on "Attorney Liability to Non-Clients," and at the 2008 OSB Futures of the Profession symposium on "Managing Generational Diversity in Law Firms." 

Thom is a member of the Board of Directors of ALFA International, the oldest and largest network of domestic and international law firms. He is a past member of the ALFA Finance Committee, and a current member of its Strategic Planning Committee, Insurance Law Practice Group, Law Firm Management Practice Group (Chair, 2005-07), and Professional Liability Practice Group.

 

Community Activities and Interests

Thom is the past-Chair of the Classroom Law Project (CLP) Board of Directors.  CLP, located in Portland, Oregon, is a nonprofit organization of educators, lawyers, and civic leaders. CLP helps students at all grade levels learn to be informed and active citizens who can foster, sustain, and preserve a free democratic society.

Among his other volunteer activities, Thom works for local school foundations, various election campaigns, and the Oregon Repertory Singers.  Other interests include playing the guitar, cooking, golf (which he loves most of the time), and his family (two daughters and a wife who is a "recovering attorney").

Speaking Engagements and Seminars

  • “Collaborative Law and the Vanishing Jury Trial”
    Panelist, Multnomah Bar Association debate, April, 2010
  • “Punitive Damages”
    Panelist, Chartis Insurance Company Defense Panel Program, June, 2010
  • “Bridging the Generations ”
    Oregon State Bar's Future of the Profession Symposium, September, 2008
  • “Attorney Liability for Client's Breach of Fiduciary Duty after Reynolds v. Schrock”
    Professional Liability Fund Panel Conference, 2007
  • “E-Discovery Strategies and Document Retention- Panel”
    ALFA International NW Regional Seminar, 2007
  • “Learning the Ropes”
    Panelist on professionalism for the PLF's annual 3-day program for new lawyers., 2007
  • “Appellate Update”
    Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC) Fall Seminar, 2006
  • “Attorney Liability”
    Oregon Law Institute (OLI), 2006
  • “Bridging the Gap Between Boomers and Gen-Xrs”
    ALFA International (ALFA) Annual Business Meeting, 2006
  • “Williams v. Philip Morris”
    Interview by CBS radio regarding punitive damages case pending in the U.S. Supreme Court to be argued October 31, 2006
  • “Recent Appellate Cases”
    Speaker, Oregon State Bar Products Liability Section, 2005
  • “Retaining Gen X Attorneys”
    Speaker, ALFA Annual Business Meeting, 2005
  • “Appellate Update”
    Speaker, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, 2004
  • “MBA Effective Delegation Program”
    Speaker, 2004
  • “The Auto Liability Policy/Excess and Umbrella Coverage”
    Speaker, OSB, Auto Coverage and Litigation Program, 2004
  • “Civil Litigation Timelines”
    PLF Loss Prevention Materials, 2003
  • “Standard Definitions”
    OSB Insurance Law, 2003
  • “What the Court Wants in Briefs”
    Speaker, Oregon Law Institute, Appellate Courts Program, 2003
  • “Appellate Update”
    OADC Annual Program, 2002
  • “Briefing Merits in Court of Appeals”
    OSB Appeal & Review, 2002
  • “Acquisition, Retention and Disclosure of Claim Information”
    Speaker, Oregon Casualty Adjusters Association Program, 2001
  • “Court of Appeals Review Standards”
    Speaker, OLI Future of Oregon Appellate Courts Program, 2001
  • “New Appellate Procedure Rules”
    Speaker, OSB Appellate Practice Section Program, 2000
  • “1999 Legislative and Case Update”
    Speaker, OCAA Spring Symposium, 1999
  • “Appeal Timelines/Attorney Fees”
    PLF Loss Prevention Materials, 1999
  • “Appellate Court Settlement Program ”
    Oregon Association of Legal Secretaries, 1999
  • “Appellate Update”
    Speaker, OADC Annual Program, 1999
  • “Wrongful Initiation of Civil Proceedings Cases”
    Speaker, PLF Defense Panel Conference, 1999
  • “Briefing Merits in Court of Appeals”
    OSB Appeal & Review, 1998
  • “Appeals”
    PLF In Brief, 1997
  • “Statute of Limitations/Appeal Timelines”
    PLF Loss Prevention Materials, 1997
  • “Comparative Fault”
    OSB Damages, 1995

Publications

  • “"May it Please the Court" and Measure 51”
    Multnomah Lawyer, May, 2008
  • “Law Day at 50, The Rule of Law and A Plug for CourtCare”
    Multnomah Lawyer, April, 2008
  • “Mentoring: It's More Important Now Than Ever”
    Multnomah Lawyer, March, 2008
  • “My 15 Minutes of Fame, So Many to Thank, the Year Ahead and a Link in a Chain”
    Multnomah Lawyer, June, 2008
  • “Pro Bono (and a Well-Deserved Recognition)”
    Multnomah Lawyer, January, 2008
  • “The Vanishing Civil Jury Trial and Experienced Judge”
    Multnomah Lawyer, February, 2008
  • “A Crumbling Courthouse Puts the Entire Community in Jeopardy”
    Multnomah Lawyer, October, 2007
  • “Bridging the Gap to the Future”
    Multnomah Lawyer, November, 2007
  • “Civil Litigation Practice Guides”
    Reviewed, edited and supplemented various civil litigation practice guides for the PLF., 2007
  • “Potpourri”
    Multnomah Lawyer, December, 2007
  • “The Satisfaction and Benefits from Giving to the Profession and the Community”
    Multnomah Lawyer, September, 2007
  • “Bridging the Generations”
    co-author Multnomah Bar Association Task Force, 2006
  • “Case Summaries”
    Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC) Fall Seminar, 2006

Client Comments

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