Will Gent

Overview Representative Work Activities & Membership Awards & Recognition News & Publications

Overview

Will is an associate in the firm's Litigation Department. He represents businesses and individuals in a variety of complex civil matters, including contract disputes, consumer protection litigation, commercial leasing matters, and corporate governance and shareholders disputes. In addition to his litigation work, Will advises commercial lenders, start-ups, and other companies on complying with state and federal regulatory requirements.

Will graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Oregon School of Law, where he was Executive Editor of the Oregon Law Review. During law school, Will was a fellow in the Wayne Morse Center for Law & Politics and received the Governor Paul Patterson Memorial Fellowship for his commitment to civic involvement. Additionally, he served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Michael J. McShane, United States District Judge for the District of Oregon, and also as a law clerk in the Civil Litigation Section of the Oregon Department of Justice's Trial Division.

Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Will enjoys running in Forest Park; exploring Portland’s craft breweries; and experiencing new places, cultures, and foods.

Get To Know

A passion for travel and a desire to experience new cultures led Will Gent to step off the well-trodden tourist paths of Southeast Asia. On a trip that included stops in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, Will climbed Mount Batur—an active volcano in the Balinese interior—revealing sunrise views of the mountain's crater, as well as the Lesser Sunda Islands. Closer to home, Will enjoys feeding his love of hiking in the Three Sisters Wilderness and Olympic National Park.

Featured Representative Matters

Real Estate and Construction Litigation

Lead attorney in multi-day bench trial concerning the partition of residential property, securing favorable rulings on all disputed issues, favorable settlement, and award of attorney fees in connection with motion to compel.

Represented commercial tenant in three-day arbitration hearing concerning alleged lease defaults, securing favorable rulings on all claims and six-figure attorney fee award.

Represented construction management firm in mechanics lien litigation, securing dismissal of series of cross-claims for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, and damages, as well as favorable resolution of lien claim.

Represented school district in negligence action against design professional firm, securing favorable settlement at mediation.

Represented homeowner in breach of contract and unfair trade practices lawsuit against contractor, securing full damages and attorney fees.

Complex Commercial Litigation

Secured complete summary judgment and attorney fees for public utility company in contract dispute arising from the financial collapse of a European energy conglomerate, who assisted with the construction of a nearly $400 million power plant.

Obtained favorable settlement defending director, founder, and former Chief Executive Officer of Fortune 500 company against consolidated derivative suits alleging breach of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment.

Consumer Protection and Compliance

Ongoing representation of national company in consumer protection matter, including claims under the Oregon Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Advise local and regional automobile dealerships on advertising regulations and other consumer protection matters.

Featured Work

The Ramos Project

In April 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down non-unanimous jury convictions in criminal cases in Ramos v. Louisiana. A shameful carryover from the Jim Crow era, Louisiana and Oregon were the last two states that allowed non-unanimous criminal convictions when as many as two jurors believed a defendant was innocent. Overnight, more than 260 cases in Oregon became eligible to seek post-conviction relief for unconstitutional non-unanimous convictions. Housed in the Criminal Justice Reform Clinic (CJRC) at Lewis & Clark Law School, the Ramos Project is a statewide pro-bono initiative providing legal assistance to those seeking redress.

Community Involvement & Activities

Blanchet House Young Professionals Board
Member

Multnomah Bar Association Young Lawyers Section CLE Committee
Past Member

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association

Awards & Recognition

Recent News

10.9.2020

Publications & Presentations

“Multnomah County “Freezes” Eviction Proceedings Through 2020,” Ear to the Ground Blog, December 2020

“Coronavirus and Commercial Evictions: Oregon’s New Moratorium,” Ear to the Ground Blog, April 2020

"Tilting at Windmills: National Security, Foreign Investment, and Executive Authority in Light of Ralls Corp. v. CFIUS," Oregon Law Review, 2016

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