-+
Overview
Justin practices general business and corporate law. Much of his practice focuses on counseling family-owned and other closely held businesses. He is a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group.
In addition to helping clients with their general business and corporate matters, Justin has significant experience working with clients who are seeking to:
- Form or reorganize a business entity
- Create joint ventures with other businesses
- Arrange debt financings
- Resolve company ownership disputes before they reach litigation
- Buy, sell, or lease real estate
- Buy or sell businesses
Justin represents clients in many industries, including senior housing, advertising and publishing, automotive dealerships, manufacturing, sports, construction, and medical and dental. He is a frequent presenter at continuing legal education courses where he teaches other lawyers on his areas of expertise.
Justin enjoys his family, running marathons, backpacking, and fishing. He also speaks conversational Tagalog (Filipino).
-+
Featured Representative Matters
Senior Housing Facilities
Structured and negotiated strategic joint venture that develops and operates senior housing facilities across the U.S.
Ownership Interests
Restructured corporations and LLC's to grant ownership interests to key employees.
Ownership Disputes
Represented owners and companies in resolving business ownership disputes.
Senior Housing Facilities
Represented buyers and sellers in purchasing and selling senior housing facilities, hotels, professional practices, auto dealerships, and other businesses.
Lending Institutions
Represented clients in borrowing several hundred million dollars from various types of lending institutions.
-+
Featured Work
Tonkon Torp Helps Create Oregon Benefit Companies
Tonkon Torp client Rogue Creamery became the first Oregon enterprise to become a Benefit Company on January 1, 2014, the date Oregon’s new law went into effect. Find details and more featured cases here.
-+
Community Involvement & Activities
Oregon State Bar Business Section
Chair, Executive Committee Member
Oregon State Bar Subcommittee
Oregon Limited Liability Company Act
Oregon Business Corporation Act
Boy Scouts of America
Local leader
Public School Council
Past member
-+
Professional Memberships
Oregon State Bar
American Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association
American Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association
-+
Awards & Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America
2014-2019, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
2017-2019, Closely Held Companies & Family Businesses Law
2018-2019, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
2014, Lawyer of the Year – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Portland
2017-2019, Closely Held Companies & Family Businesses Law
2018-2019, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
2014, Lawyer of the Year – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Portland
Super Lawyers
2018, Oregon Super Lawyer – Business/Corporate
-+
Recent News
8.17.2018
Best Lawyers in America® Names 51 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2019 List
Fifty-one Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 41 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019. Nearly all attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and have been recognized for more than five years
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…
7.16.2018
Anna Sortun and Justin Denton Discuss Buy-Sell Provisions at OSB CLE
On June 19, Tonkon Torp partners Anna Sortun and Justin Denton were featured speakers at a CLE presentation that focused on crafting and defending buy-sell provisions. The event was hosted by the Oregon State Bar Business Law Section.
8.16.2017
Best Lawyers in America® Names 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2018 List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 39 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2018. Nearly all attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and have been recognized for more than five years…
8.15.2016
Best Lawyers in America® Names 44 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2017 List
Forty-four Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 38 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017. Each attorney has been named to the list in past years, and nearly all have been recognized for more than five years…
11.12.2015
Justin Denton Elected Chair-Elect of OSB's Business Law Section
Tonkon Torp partner Justin Denton has been elected Chair-Elect for the Business Law Section of the Oregon State Bar, effective January 1, 2016. He has served on the Business Law Section Executive Committee since 2010, most recently as Treasurer.
11.9.2015
Three Generations of Tonkon Torp Lawyers Recognized at Business Law Lunch
Three generations of Tonkon Torp business lawyers were recognized at the Annual OSB Business Law Section seminar and lunch on November 5. Ken Stephens, a recently retired founding partner, received the James B. Castles Leadership award. Justin Denton…
8.18.2015
45 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America® 2016
Forty-five Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 39 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016. All of them have been named to the list at least once before, and many of them have been recognized for a number of…
11.24.2014
Denton and Millender Discuss Equity Compensation for LLCs and Partnerships
On November 7, Justin Denton and Michael Millender, attorneys in Tonkon Torp’s Business Law Practice, spoke at the Oregon State Bar’s Business Law Section annual seminar, “Business Law 2014: From Private M&A to Cybersecurity and Privacy Law.” Their…
8.20.2014
Best Lawyers in America® 2015 Names 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to Prestigious List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 40 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015. All of them have been named to the list at least once before, and many of them have been recognized for a number of…
-+
Publications & Presentations
“Best Practices in Crafting and Defending Buy-Sell Provisions,” OSB Business Law Section, June 2018
“Structuring Equity Compensation in Limited Liability Companies and Partnerships," Business Law 2014: From Private M&A to Cybersecurity and Privacy Law, OSB Business Law Section, November 2014
"Buy-Sell Developments for Auto Dealers," 2014 Northwest Dealership Seminar, June 2014
"Spinning Plates – Giving Back and Finding Balance in Life and the Law," J. Reuben Clark Law Society – Portland Chapter, April 2014
"Carefully Structure LLCs to Avoid Unintended Consequences," Daily Journal of Commerce, March 2012
"Protecting Both Ethnic Minorities and the Equal Protection Clause: Resolving the Dilemma of Language-Based Peremptory Challenges," BYU Law Review, 101, 1997
“Structuring Equity Compensation in Limited Liability Companies and Partnerships," Business Law 2014: From Private M&A to Cybersecurity and Privacy Law, OSB Business Law Section, November 2014
"Buy-Sell Developments for Auto Dealers," 2014 Northwest Dealership Seminar, June 2014
"Spinning Plates – Giving Back and Finding Balance in Life and the Law," J. Reuben Clark Law Society – Portland Chapter, April 2014
"Carefully Structure LLCs to Avoid Unintended Consequences," Daily Journal of Commerce, March 2012
"Protecting Both Ethnic Minorities and the Equal Protection Clause: Resolving the Dilemma of Language-Based Peremptory Challenges," BYU Law Review, 101, 1997