Tonkon Torp is proud to announce that partner Lauren Bernton is one of the Portland Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40 award recipients. The annual award recognizes influential business and community leaders in the greater Portland area who are under 40 years old. Selection is based on career accomplishments, business influence, leadership, and community involvement.
As a business litigator at Tonkon Torp, Bernton has become a go-to advocate for businesses and individuals in complex disputes, consistently producing strong results in high-stakes cases. She is listed by Super Lawyers as an Oregon Rising Star, and as “One to Watch” by The Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation. She is regularly invited to speak on panels, give presentations, or contribute to publications and recently served as a guest instructor for Lewis & Clark Law School’s Integrated Evidence and Trial Advocacy course.
Bernton is on the Board of Directors for Chess for success, an organization that uses chess as a tool to build community and connection among underserved adolescent populations. She has served as a mentor in the Oregon State Bar’s New Lawyer Mentoring Program, and, in the last five years, has volunteered over 130 hours of direct pro bono legal service for clients in need.
In the words of Tonkon Torp Managing Partner Anna Sortun, “I have had the privilege of working closely with Lauren and observing her development as both an exceptional attorney and a deeply committed member of our broader community. Lauren distinguished herself early in her career” earning “the trust of clients and colleagues alike by taking ownership of complex, high stakes matters and delivering results that far exceed expectations for an attorney at her stage of practice. She understands the responsibility that comes with being a lawyer, consistently integrating community engagement into her professional life, and devoting significant time to representing those who otherwise would not have access to legal assistance.”
Bernton is a partner in Tonkon Torp’s Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Disputes Group. She represents international and regional businesses in all types of commercial disputes, with a strong emphasis on complex real estate litigation. Bernton has substantial trial experience, having litigated cases through trial in state, federal, arbitration, and administrative settings.
She joins a growing number of Tonkon lawyers who have received this award in prior years, including David Forman (2004), Steven Wilker (2005), Jeff Cronn (2008), Anna Sortun (2017), Blerina Kotori (2018), Stephanie Grant (2024), and Danny Newman (2025).
Bernton and her 40 Under 40 cohort will be celebrated at a luncheon on April 9.
