Haley Morrison

"I don't believe in 'rinse-and-repeat' lawyering. Every client deserves creative thinking, distinct strategies, deliberate focus, and a partner who is as invested in the outcome as they are—that's how I cultivate lasting client relationships." —Haley Morrison

High-stakes employment disputes demand more than formulaic lawyering. When employers face bet-the-company litigation, regulatory scrutiny of enterprise initiatives, or complex workforce challenges that threaten operations and reputation, they need counsel who combines creative strategic thinking with disciplined execution.

Haley Morrison delivers exactly that—proactive, pragmatic guidance grounded in a keen understanding of her clients' objectives and business realities. Companies seeking to change counsel often turn to Haley at critical inflection points, entrusting her to take over complex matters and drive them to an efficient resolution or through trial with a solutions-oriented, no-nonsense approach.   

Haley provides counsel to employers nationwide, with a particular focus on single-plaintiff and class action matters, trade secret protection, and employee mobility issues in California and Oregon.  She also is a sought-after advisor on matters at the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy and False Claims Act enforcement, reflecting the evolving compliance challenges facing U.S. and global employers.

Haley’s clients range from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies across a broad range of industries, including luxury retail, commercial transportation, technology (particularly as it relates to climate, legal, and logistics), quick service restaurants, medical technology, financial services (broker-dealers, private equity, and venture capital), and senior living.  Representative clients include Morgan Stanley, Daimler Truck North America, Laurel Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, The House Fund, Brightwater Senior Living, Mill Industries, Gee Automotive, and Vesta Innovations.

A seasoned litigator, Haley tackles each matter with a unique approach. Clients benefit from her depth of experience defending claims of unlawful employment practices (e.g., discrimination, harassment, retaliation), wage-and-hour violations, contract disputes, restrictive covenant litigation, and more. She has secured victories at every stage of litigation, including dispositive motion wins, defeats of class certification, defense verdicts, and affirmance on appeal.

Haley started her career at a multinational law firm in California before returning to her hometown of Portland. While a student at the University of San Diego School of Law, Haley served as an intern in the California Attorney General's office and an extern for the Honorable Nita L. Stormes in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

In her personal time, Haley volunteers with programs focused on building self-esteem and discipline through sports. She is a past Board Chair for Playworks, a nonprofit that increases opportunities for safe and meaningful play for elementary school children, and serves on the Advisory Board of Bridge City Soccer Academy, a nonprofit that teaches girls to make empowered decisions both on and off the field. A former Division I soccer player at Colorado College, Haley now enjoys ultramarathons, adventure travel, and spending time with her sons.

What Haley Delivers for Clients

• Strategic Litigation Positioning: Haley develops outside-the-box strategies tailored to each client's circumstances, often identifying approaches that lead to early dismissals, favorable settlements, or complete defense victories where conventional tactics would fall short.
• Efficient, Practical Resolution: Clients benefit from Haley’s focus on efficiency and pragmatism—she prioritizes solutions that resolve disputes quickly and cost-effectively, without unnecessary complexity, formality, or delay.
• Long-Term Partnership and Trust: Haley views clients as long-term partners rather than discrete engagements. She builds enduring relationships grounded in trust and shared goals, with many clients working with Haley for a decade or longer. Her approachable, candid style fosters confidence and ensures clients feel supported at every stage of a dispute.
• Experience Across Forums: Haley has represented clients in every stage of litigation in jurisdictions nationwide, including agency proceedings, summary judgment hearings, mediations, trials, arbitrations, and on appeal, bringing experienced, dependable advocacy wherever the matter leads.

A Counterintuitive Approach to Winning Without Litigation: Haley shares how her client-first approach—prioritizing resolution over courtroom battles—has saved businesses time, money, and relationships.

Class Action Defense

• Authored a motion for partial summary judgment that resulted in the plaintiff voluntarily dismissing a putative class action worth more than $300 million that involved hundreds of drivers, warehouse workers, and front-office personnel in California.
• As a result of early motion practice, achieved a complete walk-away on California statewide class action allegations involving more than 500 engineers.
• Defeated class certification in a California statewide exempt misclassification matter regarding retail supervisors.
• Defended two cases to successful resolution on behalf of different clients before the California Supreme Court. One matter was a single-plaintiff wage and hour issue; the other was a class action related to vacation pay. Both decisions have become seminal California law.
• Prevailed on summary judgment as to the named plaintiffs in a nationwide independent contractor matter, thereby mooting their efforts to certify a collective action.

Single-Plaintiff Litigation

• Prevailed on summary judgment and, in an exceedingly rare decision by a federal court, won a petition for defense fees and costs on behalf of the client.
• Secured a complete defense verdict in a misclassification case tried to a Los Angeles jury.
• Substituted in as new counsel for a medical device company, and within 90 days completed all discovery (including depositions) and achieved a complete dismissal on summary judgment.
• Arbitrated a case spanning nearly seven years on behalf of a Fortune 100 company in Washington with an unqualified defense decision.
• Won every pretrial motion and argued prehearing briefs, then settled a contentious discrimination claim for nuisance value three days before trial in Indiana federal court.
• After defeating class certification, litigated several individual actions through motion practice and trial. Following a string of victories, the remaining plaintiffs dismissed their cases.
• Tried a claim of first impression, related to a timber trespass statute, to an Oregon jury with exceedingly favorable results.
• Achieved more than two dozen complete victories on summary judgment across various jurisdictions and claims.

Mediation and Settlement

• Negotiated favorable client results in more than 100 mediations, including in statewide and nationwide class actions and single-plaintiff cases in Oregon, Washington, California, and elsewhere.

Immigration and Pro Bono Matters

• Obtained asylum for an Ethiopian refugee who had suffered lifelong persecution, and, after five years of advocacy—which included leveraging support from two U.S. Senators and a Congressman—successfully petitioned for derivative status for the refugee’s five children.

• America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators: Class Action Defense, Class Action Litigation, Employment & Labor Litigation, High Stakes Litigation, and Trade Secret Litigation (2018 to 2019)
• The Best Lawyers in America: Litigation – Labor & Employment (2020 to 2026), Employment Law – Management (2025 to 2026)
• Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Oregon—Labor & Employment, "Leader in Their Field" (2019 to 2025)
• The Corporate America: Legal Elite (2015)
• The Daily Transcript – San Diego: Top Attorney – Labor & Employment (2012 to 2014), Top Young Attorney (2012 to 2014)
• Oregon Rising Stars: Labor & Employment (2016-2018)
• Oregon Super Lawyers: Employment & Labor: Employer (2024 to 2026); Employment Litigation: Defense (2020 to 2026); Business Litigation (2026)
• San Diego Business Journal: Best of the Bar (2014 to 2015)
• San Diego Rising Stars: Labor & Employment (2015)

Education

• University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2008)
  • Order of the Coif
• Colorado College (B.A., 2001)

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Bar Association
• American Employment Law Council
• Bridge City Soccer Academy, Advisory Board Member (2020 to Present)
• Gus Solomon Inn of Court, Member (2023 to Present)
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Multnomah Bar Association
• Playworks Pacific Northwest, Board Member (2015 to 2020) and Past Chair (2016 to 2020)
• Portland Business Alliance, Leadership Portland Class of 2017
• San Diego County Bar Association
• University of San Diego, Alumni Association
• Wallace Inn of Court (2010 to 2012)
• Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Founding Member (2015 to 2016)