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Overview
Blerina is a partner in Tonkon Torp's Labor & Employment Practice Group. For over a decade, she has represented and defended employers in numerous matters, including discrimination, retaliation, FMLA, OFLA, and ADA, wage and hour, harassment, and employment agreements. Blerina also represents employers in agency investigations of civil rights violations and wage and hour compliance—whether for individual complaints or systemic audits. She advises management on countless employment issues, from risk assessment of terminations and complex medical leave situations, to evaluating employee classifications and drafting employment documents.
Blerina further partners with clients in conducting workplace investigations, whether they relate to wage and hour issues or harassment and safety concerns. Her clients range from nonprofit organizations to national companies in a variety of industries, such as healthcare, military defense, and financial services.
Recent accomplishments include trying to a favorable jury verdict non-competition and fiduciary duty claims, trying to favorable judicial ruling trade secret, breach of employment agreement, and non-competition cases, defending wage and hour class actions, and winning summary judgment on defamation and tortious interference claims involving employees.
The Portland Business Journal named Blerina as one of its 2018 Forty Under 40 award recipients, recognizing influential business and community leaders in the greater Portland area who are under 40 years old.
Blerina is a frequent speaker on labor and employment issues, including HIPAA and employment benefits, dealing with mental disorders in the workplace, social media in employment settings, as well as on privacy and electronic discovery issues.
Blerina previously worked at Tonkon Torp as a summer associate. She is the first Tonkon Torp associate to receive the Moe M. Tonkon and Frederick Torp Scholarship. In her free time, Blerina likes to spend time with her family, cook, dance, and travel.
Blerina further partners with clients in conducting workplace investigations, whether they relate to wage and hour issues or harassment and safety concerns. Her clients range from nonprofit organizations to national companies in a variety of industries, such as healthcare, military defense, and financial services.
Recent accomplishments include trying to a favorable jury verdict non-competition and fiduciary duty claims, trying to favorable judicial ruling trade secret, breach of employment agreement, and non-competition cases, defending wage and hour class actions, and winning summary judgment on defamation and tortious interference claims involving employees.
The Portland Business Journal named Blerina as one of its 2018 Forty Under 40 award recipients, recognizing influential business and community leaders in the greater Portland area who are under 40 years old.
Blerina is a frequent speaker on labor and employment issues, including HIPAA and employment benefits, dealing with mental disorders in the workplace, social media in employment settings, as well as on privacy and electronic discovery issues.
Blerina previously worked at Tonkon Torp as a summer associate. She is the first Tonkon Torp associate to receive the Moe M. Tonkon and Frederick Torp Scholarship. In her free time, Blerina likes to spend time with her family, cook, dance, and travel.
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Get To Know
Blerina was born and raised in Albania. She came to the U.S. to pursue her education, graduated from Reed College and Lewis & Clark Law School, and joined the firm in 2007. While a law student, Blerina was selected by the Dean to receive the Moe M. Tonkon and Frederick Torp Scholarship, which encourages the development of young attorneys who demonstrate exceptional aptitude for the law. Blerina is fluent in Albanian and in her free time likes to keep her Italian alive. When she is not practicing law, Blerina dances salsa and tango, and works on completing her Albanian food cookbook.
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Featured Work
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Community Involvement & Activities
Raphael House
Board of Directors
Oregon State Bar Civil Rights Section
Executive Committee Member
Classroom Law Project
Volunteer
Business for Culture and the Arts
Art of Leadership Program 2012
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Professional Memberships
Multnomah Bar Association
National Association of Professional Women
NWEEO/Affirmative Action Association
Oregon Association of Defense Counsel
Oregon Women Lawyers
Portland Human Resource Management Association
Society for Human Resource Management
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Awards & Recognition
Portland Business Journal
2018, Forty Under 40
Super Lawyers
2015–2017, Oregon Rising Star - Employment & Labor
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Recent News
7.21.2020
Blerina Kotori Talks Workplace Enforcement of Masks, Health Checks, and Contact Tracing
Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment Practice Group continued its coffee break webinar series with a program featuring partner Blerina Kotori, focused on questions about the workplace enforcement of masks, health checks, and contact tracing.
6.12.2020
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop. Support from Raphael House Is Unwavering During COVID-19
Navigating stay-at-home orders during COVID-19 has been a challenge at many different levels. But perhaps one of the most sobering realities of the pandemic is that for those living with or surviving domestic violence, staying at home does not equate…
5.21.2020
Tonkon Torp L&E Coffee Break Series Helps Businesses Prepare to Reopen
On May 7, Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment Practice Group launched the Tonkon Coffee Break webinar series to help businesses navigate critical legal considerations as they prepare to reopen and operate in the “new normal” of COVID-19.
4.16.2020
Tonkon Torp Hosts Webinar to Answer Top L&E Questions During COVID-19
On Friday, April 10, Tonkon Torp hosted a webinar to address frequently asked questions about employment law and workplace practices during COVID. The program featured partners Clay Creps and Blerina Kotori from Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment…
2.11.2020
Blerina Kotori Leads Discussion on Creating a Racially Inclusive Workplace
On February 4, Tonkon Torp employment law partner Blerina Kotori was the featured speaker for a Charter Member Dinner hosted by TiE. The event was the second in a series of discussions focused on inclusivity in the workplace.
9.30.2019
Tonkon Torp Attorneys Hold Briefing for Greater Portland Compliance Association
Attorneys from Tonkon Torp’s Financial Services & Investment Management and Labor & Employment practice groups provided a briefing for chief compliance officers for investment advisers and broker dealers.
5.20.2019
Annual L&E Law Update Prepares Employers for the Ultimate Game
Attorneys from the Tonkon Torp Labor & Employment and Business Immigration practice groups hosted their annual Employment Law Update at the Oregon Zoo for 200 human resource professionals and other business leaders.
4.10.2019
Blerina Kotori Participates in OEN “Ask the Attorney” PubTalk
On March 13, Tonkon Torp employment law partner Blerina Kotori was a panelist at the “Ask the Attorney” PubTalk hosted by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.
10.26.2018
Tonkon Torp Attorneys Speak at TiE Startup Bootcamp
On October 17, attorneys from Tonkon Torp’s Entrepreneurial Services and Labor & Employment practice groups spoke to Oregon startups at the TiE Oregon Bootcamp.
9.20.2018
Tonkon Torp Hosts Employers for Business Immigration Briefing
On September 14, Tonkon Torp immigration lawyers Alan Perkins, Turid Owren, Melina LaMorticella, and Melany Savitt, along with labor and employment attorney Blerina Kotori, hosted an in-depth business immigration briefing for employers. The program…
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Recent Alerts
5.22.2020
Reopening the Pacific Northwest: A Checklist for Employers
With Governors Brown and Inslee announcing their respective phased approaches to reopening the Oregon and Washington economies, employers need to start planning for how they will resume operations in a safe and legally-compliant manner given the…
5.12.2020
New DOL Guidance on Joint Employers, Summer School Closures, and Domestic Workers
The Department of Labor released new Q&A guidance regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Among other things, the guidance provides new insight on various coverage issues relating to whether domestic service workers are covered…
4.21.2020
DOL Issues Corrections to FFCRA Regulations
The Department of Labor ("DOL") issued corrections to the regulations implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While most of DOL’s corrections are technical, one of them is significant and clarifies whether employers can require…
3.30.2020
DOL Releases Third Round of FFCRA Guidance, Covering Details on Exemptions, Leave Lengths, and More
On March 28, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its third round of Guidance ahead of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s (FFCRA) April 1, 2020 effective date. The new Guidance provides additional information regarding exemptions…
3.27.2020
Second Round of DOL Guidance Clarifies Intermittent Leave, Furloughs, and Other Crucial Questions about FFCRA
Late last night, March 26, 2020, the Department of Labor issued its second guidance on administering the emergency paid sick leave (“EPSL”) and emergency family medical leave (“EFML”) of the Families First Coronovirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). This new…
3.25.2020
Poster, New Effective Date, and Other FFCRA Guidance Released from the Department of Labor
On March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“WHD”) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers regarding the protections and relief offered by the Families First…
12.12.2013
Don't Let The Holidays Take You For a Sleigh Ride
With the holidays around the corner, many employers organize parties to promote collegial working relationships and foster a pleasant work environment. While the benefits of holiday parties on employee morale are tangible, they may also present legal…
3.27.2013
Portland City Council Passes Mandatory Sick Leave Ordinance
On March 13, 2013, the Portland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance proposed by Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz, which requires Portland area employers to provide sick leave for their employees.
11.19.2012
What Employers Can Learn from Petraeus's Downfall
We have all witnessed the instantaneous fall from grace of General David Petraeus, which snowballed from anonymous harassing emails sent to Tampa socialite Jill Kelley to implicating Petraeus's biographer Paula Broadwell to revealing the racy details…
8.28.2012
Sick Times in Seattle: A New Ordinance Provides Generous Leave for Seattle Employees
Beginning on September 1, 2012, a new law in Seattle will require certain employers to offer paid sick and safe time ("PSST") to employees who work within Seattle city limits. The Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance applies to all companies…
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Publications & Presentations
"Reopening Strategies & Considerations," Annual Labor & Employment Law Update, June 2021
"Top Questions for Reopening: Masks, Health Checks, and Contact Tracing," June 2020
"Reopening the Pacific Northwest: A Checklist for Employers," Tonon Torp Legal Update, May 2020
"Legal Considerations for Reopening Businesses," May 2020
"New DOL Guidance on Joint Employers, Summer School Closures, and Domestic Workers," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, May 2020
"Further DOL Guidance on Interaction Between EPSL, EFMLA, and Employer-Provided Leave," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, April 2020
"DOL Issues Corrections to FFCRA Regulations," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, April 2020
Panelist, "FAQs for Employers in the COVID-19 Reality," April 2020
"DOL Releases Third Round of FFCRA Guidance, Covering Details on Exemptions, Leave Lengths, and More," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, March 2020
"Second Round of DOL Guidance Clarifies Intermittent Leave, Furloughs, and Other Crucial Questions about FFCRA," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, March 2020
"Poster, New Effective Date, and Other FFCRA Guidance Released from the Department of Labor," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, March 2020
"Creating a Racially Inclusive Workplace," TiE Charter Member Dinner, February 2020
"Meal and Rest Period Compliance," Annual Labor & Employment Law Update, May 2019
"Ask the Attorney" PubTalk, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, March 2019
"Employment Law for Startups," TiE Oregon Bootcamp, October 2018
"Demystifying Leave Laws," Woodruff Sawyer, June 2018
"The Price of Your Truth: Implicit Bias and Workplace Sexual Harassment in the #metoo Era," Women's Center for Leadership, March 2018
"Implicit Bias and Harassment in the Workplace," Bureau of Labor and Industries Annual Conference, November 2017
"The 'Bermuda Triangle' of Leave Laws," Bureau of Labor and Industries Annual Conference, November 2016
"Legislative Developments in Employment Law," Expert Guide – Opportunities & Developments – West Coast USA, Corporate LiveWire, April 2016
"Three Invisible Traps of HR and How to Avoid Them," April 2016
"Employment Law for Startups," November 2015
"Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation in the Workplace," The Salvation Army Portland ARC, October 2013
"Protecting Confidential Business Information," PHRMA News & Views, September 2013
"Politics in the Workplace," PHRMA News & Views, July 2013
"The Pitfall of the Unpaid Intern," PHRMA News & Views, June 2013
"Sick Times in Portland: What You Should Know about Portland’s Sick Leave Ordinance," PHRMA News & Views, March 2013
"Zealous or Excessive – Can a Lawyer's Good Intentions Go Too Far?," Oregon Law Institute, October 2012
"Sexual Harassment from a Management Perspective," Lewis & Clark Law School, October 2012
"Compliance Issues Regarding Use of Social Media," Greater Portland Compliance Association, July 2012
"HIPAA Privacy Rule Violations," Multnomah Bar Association, June 2012
"Current HIPAA Requirements," Lewis & Clark Law School Employment Law Society, November 2011
"E-Discovery," Multnomah Bar Association, November 2011