Kerry Shepherd

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.

By way of example, Kerry successfully tried and defeated a $70 million securities fraud case for an investment management company in AAA arbitration. And he has successfully prosecuted multi-million-dollar securities fraud cases for plaintiffs in courts throughout the Pacific NW. The same is true of professional liability cases. Kerry defeated a $60 million legal malpractice claim filed against a high-profile Portland law firm and has likewise successfully prosecuted legal malpractice claims on multiple occasions when necessary to protect his clients.

Many cities across Oregon and in other states have hired Kerry over the last two decades, particularly 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 city 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 or stranded 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. Kerry has served as the managing shareholder on multiple occasions, and currently serves on the executive committee.

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