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Overview
A partner in the firm's Business Department, Drea's practice emphasizes securities, corporate governance, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate matters. She has experience in SEC reporting and disclosure matters, initial public offerings, advising on state and federal securities laws, raising capital through private placements of equity and debt securities, as well as general corporate matters such as entity formation.
Drea earned her J.D., cum laude, from the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis. During law school, she worked as a judicial intern for Chief Judge Larry J. McKinney of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. Drea also served as the executive symposium editor for the Indiana International & Comparative Law Review. She is the author of "A New Trade Policy for America: Do Labor and Environmental Provisions in Trade Agreements Serve Social Interests or Special Interests?" 19 Ind. Int'l & Comp. L. Rev. 167 (2009).
During her final year, Drea participated in the law school's Immigration Clinic. In that capacity, she represented clients before the Chicago Asylum Office and the Chicago Immigration Court.
Drea received a pro bono award, "Safety Net Champion," for her work with the Coalition of Community Health Clinics in 2013. Outside of the office, she enjoys travelling, salsa dancing, camping, and skiing.
Drea earned her J.D., cum laude, from the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis. During law school, she worked as a judicial intern for Chief Judge Larry J. McKinney of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. Drea also served as the executive symposium editor for the Indiana International & Comparative Law Review. She is the author of "A New Trade Policy for America: Do Labor and Environmental Provisions in Trade Agreements Serve Social Interests or Special Interests?" 19 Ind. Int'l & Comp. L. Rev. 167 (2009).
During her final year, Drea participated in the law school's Immigration Clinic. In that capacity, she represented clients before the Chicago Asylum Office and the Chicago Immigration Court.
Drea received a pro bono award, "Safety Net Champion," for her work with the Coalition of Community Health Clinics in 2013. Outside of the office, she enjoys travelling, salsa dancing, camping, and skiing.
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Featured Work
M&A and Bioscience Expertise Combine for Client Acquisition
The acquisition of Tonkon Torp client TomegaVax by San Francisco-based Vir Biotechnology marks a significant boom for Oregon’s growing role in the bioscience industry. Find details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Represents Opus Agency in Equity Investment Transaction
Tonkon Torp’s Mergers & Acquisition practice group represented client Opus Agency in a significant equity transaction with private equity firm Fan Creek Capital, providing substantial additional growth capital to Opus. Opus, a global corporate events and experiential marketing agency headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, serves Fortune 1000 clients such as Salesforce, Amazon, Intel and Alaska Airlines.
Diverse Team Aids Greenbrier in Joint Venture
Tonkon Torp acted as Oregon corporate counsel for its long-term client The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. in finalizing a 50/50 joint venture with Watco Companies, L.L.C. The venture combines the two companies’ railcar repair, refurbishment and maintenance businesses into a new organization, GBW Railcar Services, LLC.
Tonkon Torp Represents Avid Health in Sale to Church & Dwight
Tonkon Torp was counsel to privately held Avid Health, Inc. in its cash sale to Church & Dwight Co Inc., a Princeton, New Jersey based, publicly traded consumer products company with a portfolio of personal care and household product brands.
Tonkon Torp and Law Firm Alliance Partner Facilitate Key Technology Merger
Tonkon Torp represented Key Technology in its acquisition of Belgium-based Visys N.V. The deal, valued at approximately $21 million, created a single source of high-performance sorting technologies for food processing and other industrial markets. Find details and more featured cases here.
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Community Involvement & Activities
Oregon State Bar, Securities Regulation Section
Executive Committee Member
Artists Repertory Theatre
Board Member
Business for Culture and the Arts
Art of Leadership Program 2014
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Professional Memberships
Multnomah Bar Association
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Awards & Recognition
Super Lawyers
2014–2018, Oregon Rising Star - Securities & Corporate Finance
Coalition of Community Health Clinics
2013, Safety Net Champion
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Recent News
7.24.2018
31 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2018 Super Lawyers Lists
Thirty-one Tonkon Torp attorneys in 11 practice areas have been included in the 2018 Oregon Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists. Tonkon Torp partner and bankruptcy authority Albert Kennedy has been once again recognized on the Top 50 list of Oregon…
12.5.2017
Tonkon Torp Announces Four New Partners
Tonkon Torp LLP has elected Rocky Dallum, Jessica Morgan, Haley Morrison, and Drea Schmidt to the partnership, effective January 1, 2018. "Our four new partners represent our firm's next generation of leaders across a broad swath of practice areas…
11.15.2017
Tonkon Sponsors 2017 Artists Repertory Theatre Gala
Tonkon Torp was a table sponsor at the November 12 Artists Repertory Theatre Gala. Drea Schmidt, a member of the Theatre's board of directors, organized Tonkon's involvement with the event. The gala brought together 180 supporters and friends of the…
7.11.2017
28 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2017 Super Lawyers Lists
The national attorney rating service Super Lawyers has named 28 Tonkon Torp attorneys in 10 practice areas to its 2017 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists for Oregon. The annual Super Lawyers list represents the top 5 percent of attorneys in Oregon…
6.15.2017
Tonkon Talk Reviews Funding Options for Startups
At the June 7 Tonkon Talk, business attorneys Drea Schmidt and Claire Brown provided an update on crowdfunding and capital-raising strategies for startups. They discussed the extent to which capital-raising strategies that fall under the umbrella…
6.6.2017
Tonkon Torp Donates to Artists Repertory Theatre
Tonkon Torp made a donation to the Artists Repertory Theatre, whose mission is to engage diverse audiences in fresh, thought-provoking, and intimate theatre. Drea Schmidt coordinated the donation and serves on the Theatre's board of directors.
7.11.2016
28 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2016 Super Lawyers Lists
Twenty-eight Tonkon Torp attorneys in ten practice areas are named on the national 2016 Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers are selected through a process that identifies outstanding lawyers in dozens of practice areas. Factors…
6.6.2016
Drea Schmidt Joins Artists Repertory Theatre Board of Directors
Tonkon Torp attorney Drea Schmidt has joined the Board of Directors of Portland’s Artists Repertory Theatre. The organization is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland.
5.13.2016
Drea Schmidt and Claire Brown Discuss "Shaking the Fundraising Tree" at Tonkon Talk
At the May 4 Tonkon Talk, business attorneys Drea Schmidt and Claire Brown provided a practical summary of the legal issues related to certain types of fundraising. They compared new types of fundraising, including "Regulation Crowdfunding," to…
5.13.2016
Tonkon Torp Sponsors Oregon Tech Awards
Tonkon Torp was a table sponsor at the Technology Association of Oregon's 2016 Oregon Tech Awards on May 12. The Oregon Technology Awards celebrates excellence and achievement in the region's technology industry.
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Recent Alerts
12.6.2013
Proposed Regulation Crowdfunding: Who Wants to Be a Crowdfunding Platform? Part II
On October 23, 2013, the SEC proposed rules governing the offer and sale of securities through "crowdfunding." If adopted, these rules would permit companies to raise capital by selling small amounts of equity to large groups of investors via…
11.25.2013
Proposed Regulation Crowdfunding: Few Surprises and Possibly a Step Forward - Part I
On October 23, 2013, the SEC proposed rules governing the offer and sale of securities through "crowdfunding." If adopted, these rules would allow issuers to raise capital by selling small amounts of equity to a large number of investors via…
9.11.2013
Private Offerings: SEC Proposes Amendments to Form D
This Client Update is the third segment in a three-part series on the new or proposed Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing private placements, mandated under the JOBS Act and the Dodd-Frank Act. This update focuses on the SEC's proposed…
8.28.2013
Private Offerings: SEC Imposes "Bad Actor" Limitations on Certain Private Placements
This Client Update is the second segment in a three-part series on the new or proposed Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing private placements, mandated under the JOBS Act and the Dodd-Frank Act. This update focuses on the rules…
8.14.2013
Private Offerings SEC Lifts Ban on General Solicitation and Proposes New Requirements
This Client Update is the first segment in a three-part series on the new or proposed Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing private placements, mandated under the JOBS Act and the Dodd-Frank Act. This update, Part 1, focuses on the new…
5.31.2012
JOBS Act Amends Exchange Act Registration Thresholds (Part 3 of 3)
This Client Update is the third part of a three-part series on the new Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012. This update summarizes the amended thresholds for registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and related changes under the…
5.9.2012
IPO Streamlining and Reduced Reporting Requirements for Emerging Growth Companies, and Regulation A+ Offerings (Part 2 of 3)
This Client Update is the second segment in a three-part series on the new Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012. This update focuses on streamlined initial public offering and reporting requirements for a newly created category of "emerging…
4.24.2012
JOBS Act Eases Burden on Fundraising for Small Companies (Part 1 of 3)
On April 5, 2012, the President signed into law the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the "JOBS Act"), which is intended to ease capital raising for smaller businesses by relaxing regulatory requirements. This update is the first segment…
2.2.2012
Preparing for the 2012 Proxy Season
This Client Update provides an overview of corporate governance and disclosure matters that U.S. public companies should note as they approach the 2012 proxy season. The matters addressed will not apply equally to all companies, and their…
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Publications & Presentations
"Crowdfunding Update and Capital-Raising Strategies for 2017," June 2017
"Shaking the Fundraising Tree," May 2016
"Fundraising Strategies for Startups," October 2015
"New Rules Permitting Crowdfunding in Oregon," Oregon State Bar Business Law Section, June 2015
"Oregon's New Crowdfunding Rule," Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, February 2015
"Intrastate Crowdfunding," Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, September 2014
"Crowdfunding and General Solicitation Rules," University of Oregon Portland Branch, February 2014
"Crowdfunding and General Solicitation: New Money, New Problems," December 2013
"Private Placements: General Solicitation, Bad Actors and Other Developments," OSB Securities Regulation Section, November 2013
"Oregon Crowdfunding Rules," TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), February 2015
"2013 Reforms Regarding Private Offerings," Moss Adams LLP, November 2014
"Entrepreneurs Forge Ahead with 'Crowdfunding' Alternatives," Daily Journal of Commerce, August 2013
"Clean Diesel Outlook Optimistic Despite WHO Classification of Diesel Exhaust," Daily Journal of Commerce, July 2012
"Oregon Watches California's RPS Saga with Great Interest," Daily Journal of Commerce, May 2011