Kathy Dent, a highly experienced employment attorney and former assistant general counsel for PacifiCorp, has joined the Portland office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.
Dent was previously a partner in DWT’s employment practice, and returns after a decade of experience working in-house.
“We are delighted to welcome Kathy back to the firm,” said Henry Farber, firmwide chair of the employment services group. “As a colleague, and as a client, she has continually impressed us with her outstanding judgment and excellent case management skills.”
At PacifiCorp, one of the leading utilities in the Western U.S. with 6,000 employees, Dent provided advice and support on a wide range of employment issues, including performance management, discipline, investigations, and issues relating to family leave, disability and accommodation under the ADA, wage and hour, and alleged harassment and discrimination.
Dent also managed and coordinated all litigation for PacifiCorp’s Pacific Power division, including supervising outside legal counsel, reviewing pleadings, monitoring discovery, ensuring adequate witness preparation, and attending mediations and settlement conferences. She managed Pacific Power’s electronic discovery and litigation hold policies and procedures as well.
“Being a Davis Wright client for the past several years has given me considerable appreciation for the firm’s exceptional dedication to service,” said Dent. “I’m very pleased to rejoin an employment practice that is a recognized leader on the West Coast, and to bring my experience working in-house for a major, largely unionized company to bear for the firm’s diverse clients.”
Dent received her B.A. from Willamette University and her J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law. She also holds an M.A. in Social Psychology.
Source: www.dwt.com
