Mick Harris

After nearly 30 years of perseverance, Portland’s James Beard Public Market is finally getting set to open—thanks to a coalition of dedicated Portlanders, including Tonkon Torp, which has been part of the journey from day one.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon is a statewide nonprofit organization providing high-quality legal representation and advocacy to vulnerable and low-income communities throughout Oregon. Partner James Hein, current Chair of Tonkon Torp’s Pro Bono Committee, was instrumental in launching the firm’s partnership with Legal Aid Roseburg.

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.

Tonkon Torp attorney Mick Harris has been accepted into the 2026 class of Leadership Portland, an annual program offered by the Portland Metro Chamber to cultivate and develop community leaders. The Leadership Portland program is designed to help professionals better understand the institutions and critical issues impacting our region.

Tonkon Torp business attorney Zack Schick has launched a new podcast series with colleague Mick Harris on “Startup Financing.” In this premiere episode, Schick and Harris unpack the fundamentals of startup financing — from early-stage funding and convertible notes to investor agreements and compliance pitfalls. This is the first of a multi-part startup financing series.

Tonkon Torp attorney Mick Harris has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Oregon Health Justice Center (OHJC). OHJC is a not-for-profit law center that works to improve the health outcomes of community members impacted by health inequities and injustice through trauma-informed legal services and training of medical and social work professionals in health care settings.

Fifteen Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 18 practice groups have been named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Ones to Watch directory. Best Lawyers Ones to Watch is a peer-review honor roll that acknowledges the professional excellence of attorneys who have been in private practice for less than 10 years.

Thirty-six Tonkon Torp attorneys in 13 practice areas have been included in the 2025 Oregon Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists.

By Will Gent and Mick Harris – If you’ve been following housing policy in Oregon, you may have heard about House Bill 3522 — legislation that passed unanimously in the Oregon Legislature in 2025 and took effect on January 1, 2026. This bill provides residential property owners with a more streamlined legal process to remove unauthorized occupants (commonly known as “squatters”) from their property.

By Mick Harris – The June 2025 Market Action Report for the Portland metropolitan area, published by RMLS, describes a residential real estate market that is steady, if subdued, with slight pricing increases and modest shifts in transactional activity.

By Mick Harris and Will Gent – In Wolford v. Lopez, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision with implications on commercial property owners’ rights to restrict firearms on private property. Interpreting the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent “history and tradition” approach to the Second Amendment, the court set serious limits on state authority to ban firearms in public locations and highlighted the tension between Second Amendment rights and property ownership

Tonkon Torp business attorney Mick Harris moderated a four-part conversation between real estate attorney David Petersen and their special guest Jackson Lewis of Northwest Trustee & Management Services. In this segment, David and Jackson discuss the negatives that can come about without proper estate planning.

Tonkon Torp business attorney Mick Harris moderated a four-part conversation between real estate attorney David Petersen and their special guest Jackson Lewis of Northwest Trustee & Management Services. In this segment, David and Jackson talk about avoiding assumptions about the future when planning asset transitions.