James M. Shore

For more than 35 years, Jim Shore has helped private and public employers and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries address their business needs and toughest labor and employment law challenges. His practice includes (1) employment litigation and trial work, including wage/hour class actions, wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, and OSHA cases; (2) labor-management relations, including arbitrations, NLRB charges/hearings, collective bargaining with unions, election campaigns and strike planning/response; (3) advice and litigation assistance involving trade secrets, restrictive covenants, data theft and other areas where employment and intellectual property issues intersect; (4) business transactions and reorganizations; and (5) daily human resources and labor advice.

Drawing from his experiences as an in-house attorney and director of labor relations for a major Northwest corporation, Jim likes to proactively engage with clients in order to both effectively address their immediate needs and achieve the best long-term business result.

Education

Hastings College of the Law, University of California, J.D., 1987, magna cum laude; Hastings Law Journal, 1985-1987; Order of the Coif

New College of Florida, B.A., 1983

Admissions

Washington

Oregon

Alaska

California

• Led the trial team in the successful defense of KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) trial regarding the discharge of four employees for picket line misconduct.
• Lead management negotiator and labor law attorney for numerous union contract negotiations throughout the Western U.S.
• Defense of numerous employers in labor arbitrations, NLRB proceedings, DOL audits, and EEO agency charges.
• Representation of numerous employers and executives in pursuing, or defending against, non-competition and/or trade secret litigation, including temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions.
• Successfully represented the employer before the Washington Supreme Court in Roe v. TeleTech, in which the Court determined that Washington’s medical marijuana laws did not provide the basis of a public policy wrongful discharge claim or otherwise require workplace accommodation. Also successfully represented the employer at the trial and Court of Appeals levels.
• Successfully represented the employer before the Washington Supreme Court in LaCoursiere v. CamWest, in which the Court determined that the employer’s bonus policy did not violate Washington’s Wage Rebate Act. Also successfully represented the employer at the trial and Court of Appeals levels.
• Successfully represented the employer in West Valley-Mission Community College Dist. v. Concepcion, in an appeal to overturn an arbitrator’s award. The published court decision created new law concerning overturning an arbitrator’s decision.
• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a major airline in a disability discrimination cased filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
• Successfully defended an investment advisory firm in a federal court breach of employment contract lawsuit and obtained a six-figure recovery for the client on its counterclaims.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald’s Corporation in a sexual harassment and negligence lawsuit filed by a former franchisee’s minor employee. Successfully argued the case before the Washington Court of Appeals.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of McDonald’s Corporation in a sexual harassment and multiple tort lawsuit filed by an employee in Montana state court.
• Successfully defended a major grocery distributor in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by an employee in federal court.
• Successfully defended a major grocery chain in a sexual harassment case filed by an employee in Humboldt County Superior Court in California.
• Acted as lead labor and employment law attorney on numerous national and multinational corporate transactions.

Insights & Presentations

• “NLRB Updates – Recent Decisions and Rules Affecting Union and Non-Union Employers,” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, December 2023
• “Restrictive Covenants,” SHRM/Stoel Rives 20th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, March 2022
• “Labor Issues” (co-author), Chapter 14, The Law of Solar: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Sixth Edition, 2022
• “Labor Issues” (co-author), Chapter 12, The Law of Wind: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Ninth Edition, 2022
• “NLRB Changes and What They Mean for You,” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, July 2021
• “Handling Political Activity and Expression in the Workplace,” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, September 2020
• “Spooling Up Quickly for Human Resource Challenges and Opportunities,” Moving In-House and Toward the C Suite Conference, Law Seminars International, Seattle, Washington, April 2019
• “What Non-Union Employers Need to Know About the National Labor Relations Board’s Expansion of Labor Law,” Employment Law and Internal Investigations for Corporate Counsel Seminar, Law Seminars International, Seattle, Washington, May 2016
• “Trade Secrets, Noncompetes, and Preventing Employee Data Theft,” Stoel Rives Labor & Employment Seminar, Seattle, Washington, October 2015
• “The NLRB’s Growing Reach Into the Non-Union Workplace,” Stoel Rives Labor & Employment Seminar, Seattle, Washington, May 2015
• “Weed in the Workplace/Off-Duty Conduct,” LERA Collective Bargaining and Arbitration Conference, Seattle, Washington, April 2015
• Moderator, “Is Off-Duty Use of Marijuana Grounds for Disqualification or Termination?” 8th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Los Angeles, California, November 2014
• “What’s the Buzz on Medical Marijuana in the Workplace,” Health Care Law Roundtable, The Advisory Board Company, September 2014
• “High Times: Marijuana and the CBA,” 37th Annual Collective Bargaining and Arbitration Conference, Seattle, Washington, April 2014

• Included in The Best Lawyers in America^® (Employment Law—Management, Labor Law—Management, Litigation—Labor & Employment), 2013–present
• Inducted as a Fellow in The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers for sustained outstanding performance in the profession
• Selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Washington) by Chambers USA (Labor & Employment), 2008–present
• Listed in Washington Super Lawyers^® (Employment & Labor, Employment Litigation: Defense, Intellectual Property), 2009–2011, 2013–present
• AV Preeminent^® Peer Review Rating^™ from Martindale-Hubbell
• Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Labour, Employment & Benefits, 2019–2020
• Ranked among Washington’s top labor and employment lawyers by Washington CEO magazine

Professional

• Labor & Employment Committee, TerraLex, Member
• American Employment Law Council, Member
• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Committee/ Employment Litigation Section, Former President

Civic

• Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Board Member
• Youth baseball coach