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Overview
James's business and corporate law practice involves counseling clients through all stages of growth, with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, and sales of businesses. His experience includes entity formation and structure, corporate finance, commercial law, and contracts.
Many of James's clients are family-owned and other closely held businesses. They span a variety of industries, including distribution, retail, manufacturing, and services.
Having begun his career as a trial lawyer, James has resolved hundreds of business disputes, representing clients in trials, arbitration proceedings, and settlement negotiations. This litigation background gives James a unique perspective when advising his business clients. James's clients value his ability to identify practical solutions to complicated problems.
James regularly represents pro bono clients referred by Legal Aid Services of Oregon, and he chairs the firm's pro bono committee. In 2006, he helped form the Portland chapter of Minds Matter, a national nonprofit dedicated to educating, mentoring, and securing college acceptances for highly motivated high-school students with limited financial means. In law school, he was an extern for the Honorable R. William Riggs, Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
Many of James's clients are family-owned and other closely held businesses. They span a variety of industries, including distribution, retail, manufacturing, and services.
Having begun his career as a trial lawyer, James has resolved hundreds of business disputes, representing clients in trials, arbitration proceedings, and settlement negotiations. This litigation background gives James a unique perspective when advising his business clients. James's clients value his ability to identify practical solutions to complicated problems.
James regularly represents pro bono clients referred by Legal Aid Services of Oregon, and he chairs the firm's pro bono committee. In 2006, he helped form the Portland chapter of Minds Matter, a national nonprofit dedicated to educating, mentoring, and securing college acceptances for highly motivated high-school students with limited financial means. In law school, he was an extern for the Honorable R. William Riggs, Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
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Get To Know
A native Oregonian, James is an avid bike commuter. He enjoys camping, hiking, and being outdoors with his wife Tina and three small children.
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Featured Work
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Community Involvement & Activities
Minds Matter of Portland
Board of Directors
Montessori Children’s House
Board of Directors
OSB Business Law Section
CLE, Executive, Legislative, and Newsletter Subcommittees, Member
Lewis & Clark Small Business Legal Clinic
Pro Bono Volunteer
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
Pro Bono Volunteer
Portland Business Alliance Leadership
Portland Class of 2012
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Professional Memberships
Multnomah Bar Association
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Awards & Recognition
Super Lawyers
2018, Oregon Rising Star – Mergers & Acquisitions
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Recent News
8.30.2018
James Hein Joins Board of Directors for Montessori Children's House
Tonkon Torp partner James Hein has joined the Board of Directors for the Montessori Children's House. The school was founded in 2010 and serves the diverse community of Portland's South Waterfront. Hein is helping to transition the school from its…
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…
6.13.2016
James Hein Digs into Acquisition Agreements for CLE Program
Tonkon Torp business attorney James Hein spoke in April at a National Business Institute CLE program titled, "Handling the Sale of a Business." The program touched upon key elements of the full acquisition process from drafting a first summary to…
5.20.2016
Tonkon Torp Sponsors UO Pioneer Awards
Tonkon Torp sponsored a table at the May 19 Pioneer Awards, put on by the University of Oregon at the Portland Art Museum.Ron Greenman organized Tonkon's participation at the event, which honored long-time client and friend of the firm, Harry…
3.31.2016
Tonkon Torp Donates to Minds Matter
Tonkon Torp made a financial contribution to Minds Matter of Portland in March. Minds Matter is a nonprofit organization working to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families. Their goal is to equip…
10.30.2015
Tonkon Torp Gives to Oregon Law Center
Tonkon Torp made its 2015 contribution to the Oregon Law Center (OLC), to help fund the OLC's Southeast Legal Clinic. Tonkon lawyers have been donating legal services to OLC since the 1990s.
10.28.2014
Coaching New Lawyers on Business Law Fundamentals
Business lawyer James Hein and litigator Caroline Harris Crowne were presenters at the Oregon State Bar’s annual SuperSaturday CLE (Continuing Legal Education) event on October 25, 2014. Hosted by the Oregon New Lawyers Division of the OSB, the day…
8.20.2014
James Hein Reviews Choice of Business Form for NBI Seminar
On August 19, James Hein was an instructor at the National Business Institute's LLC Workshop: Choose, Draft and Maintain seminar. He discussed key considerations impacting choice of business form for his presentation at the continuing legal education…
3.4.2014
ACLU of Oregon Honors 5 Tonkon Torp Attorneys
Five Tonkon Torp lawyers were honored last weekend at the annual Liberty Dinner, a benefit for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon (ACLU). Steven Wilker, Owen Blank, Paul Conable, Gwen Griffith and James Hein were recognized for their…
2.4.2014
Tonkon Torp Contributes to Minds Matter
Tonkon Torp donated to Minds Matter of Portland in February. Minds Matter is a nonprofit with the mission to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families. Their goal is to equip underprivileged high school…
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Recent Alerts
11.17.2011
Dodd-Frank Broadly Expands SEC Whistleblower Program (Part 2 of 2)
As discussed in a previous update, the Securities and Exchange Commission recently issued final rules implementing its new whistleblower program designed to encourage reporting of potential violations of the federal securities laws.
10.27.2011
Dodd-Frank Broadly Expands SEC Whistleblower Program (Part 1 of 2)
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently issued final rules implementing a whistleblower program designed to encourage reporting of potential violations of the federal securities laws to the SEC to enhance its success in enforcement actions.
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Publications & Presentations
“Structuring and Drafting the Acquisition Agreement,” Handling the Sale of a Business, National Business Institute, April 2016
“Business Entities,” SuperSaturday CLE, Oregon State Bar New Lawyers Division, October 2014
“Key Considerations Impacting Choice of Business Form,” LLC Workshop: Choose, Draft and Maintain, National Business Institute, August 2014
“Ambush—Waiver of Privilege at Trial,” OADC Journal, Fall 2007
“The ‘Sound Science’ Amendment to the Endangered Species Act: Why It Fails to Resolve the Klamath Basin Conflict,” 32 B.C. Envtl. Aff. L. Rev. 207, 2005