Kerry Shepherd

Kerry Shepherd

Shareholder

Kerry Shepherd has been representing clients in the Pacific NW in a wide variety of complex and high-stakes civil cases for 34 years, ranging from professional liability, securities fraud, officer and director responsibilities, banking, shareholder disputes, and more.

Kerry has earned distinguished honors from prestigious legal organizations; the confidence and admiration of his clients and peers; and the respect of judges and juries. Kerry also finds time to serve as a neutral arbitrator to decide confidential legal disputes.

Kerry is a straight shooter and approaches his cases with pragmatism. He is adept at finding solutions to challenging problems. His clients say that he is a remarkably gifted lawyer and they give him high marks for his clear and timely communication.

Kerry successfully tried and defeated a $70 million securities fraud case for an investment management company in AAA arbitration. He has also successfully prosecuted multi-million dollar securities fraud cases for plaintiffs in courts throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Many cities have hired Kerry when facing off against Fortune 50 companies that fail to live up to their promises and representations. One example is a $100 million fraud and contract case for a small municipality against one of the world’s largest beverage and bottle manufacturers when it reneged on an agreement to build new facilities in the community. Kerry has also frequently represented cities from Oregon to Illinois in cases arising from municipal infrastructure projects such as wastewater treatment facilities where the engineers and manufacturers did not live up to their warranties and representations, leaving the cities and taxpayers with unmanageable facilities.

Financial institutions hire Kerry to handle their most important cases, as well. One example, which was tried successfully to jury verdict, was a multi-million dollar lender liability case arising from embezzlement through online banking practices.

Kerry also tries cases enforcing rights and responsibilities associated with corporate management, including prosecuting and defending corporate derivative claims, dissolutions, minority oppression, and intentional interference with economic relations, to name a few. Kerry’s successful outcomes include punitive damages against company managers for conversion and breach of fiduciary duty.

Kerry is an AV® Peer Review rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney can obtain. Additionally, he is recognized as a top Oregon lawyer in the prestigious Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation. Since 2010, Kerry has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Oregon Super Lawyers magazine, a listing that is awarded to less than five percent of Oregon attorneys.

Kerry graduated magna cum laude from Willamette University College of Law, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Willamette Law Review. Kerry joined Markowitz Herbold PC in 1999 and has been a shareholder with the firm since 2000.

Born, raised, and educated in Oregon, Kerry’s roots in the Pacific NW and his commitment to the region run deep.


  • Notable Practitioner, Chambers USA, 2009 – present
  • Super Lawyer, Oregon Super Lawyers, 2010 – present
  • Best Lawyer, Best Lawyers in America, 2009 – present
  • President, U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society, 2007– 2008; Executive Board, 2004 – 2012
  • President, Business Litigation Section, Oregon State Bar, 2011
  • Member, Owen M. Panner American Inn of Court, 1995 – 2003; Executive Committee, 1996 – 1998
  • Washington, 1989
  • Oregon, 1994
  • U.S. District Courts, Western District of Washington and District of Oregon
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Willamette University College of Law — J.D., magna cum laude (1989)
  • Western Oregon State College — B.S., with honors (1986)
Kerry Shepherd

MARKOWITZ HERBOLD
1455 SW Broadway, Suite 1900
Portland, OR 97201 - 503-295-3085

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