Bernie lives in Medford with his wife Betsy who teaches at St. Mary’s School. They have two grown children; Margaret and Sam and a yellow Labrador Retriever that refuses to grow up.

Education

1980 - BA Alma College - Alma, MI
1984 - JD Northwestern School of Law - Portland, OR

Professional Experience

Bernie has tried in excess of 150 jury trials in Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Deschutes, Douglas, Coos, Curry, Linn and Multnomah Counties and the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. From 1984 –85 he served as a deputy District Attorney for Jackson County. He entered private practice in 1985 focusing exclusively on the area of litigation.  Since 1995 he has served as Disciplinary Counsel for the Oregon State Bar. He is admitted to practice in the State Courts of Oregon; the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a frequent speaker in the area of Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist benefits.

Bernie has obtained a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Rating.

Published Opinions

Moffett v. Ginter,  66 Or. App. 498 (1984)
Jensen v. Kacy’s Market , 91 Or. App. 285 (1988)
Appleberry v. Berry, 98 Or. App. 398 (1989)
Linn v. Pitts, 123 Or. App. 277 (1993)
Fox v. Country Mutual Insurance Co., 132 Or. App. 336 (1995)
Fox v. Country Mutual Insurance Co., 327 Or. 500 (1998)
Fox v. Country Mutual Insurance Co., 169 Or. App. 54 (2000)

Professional Memberships

Oregon Bar Association; American Bar Association; Jackson County Bar Association; Southern Oregon Federal Bar Association (President 2008); Oregon Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute;

Community Activities

Vestry (member) St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2000-2004
Governor’s Task Force on Savage Rapids Dam  1996
Rogue Flyfishers (member) Board Member  1993-1996
                                                          President  1996
Ron and Karol Bennet Memorial Scholarship Committee - Chair