David P.R. Symes

David P.R. Symes represents management in employment and labor litigation in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. He is a core member of the firm's Complex Litigation and Jury Trials Practice Group and has more than 20 years of diverse trial experience that includes:

• Numerous favorable jury verdicts in state and federal courts in cases alleging wrongful discharge, whistleblower claims and other forms of retaliation, and disability discrimination
• Labor arbitrations upholding employer decisions against grievances of unjust discipline and discharge
• Dismissal of citations for serious OSHA violations arising out of a workplace fatality
• Appearances before many administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, the Alaska Human Rights Commission, Oregon OSHA, and the Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Review Board

David is a leading authority in unfair competition and trade secrets law in the region. In addition to advising employers on noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, he has been lead counsel in over 10 preliminary and permanent injunction proceedings involving claims of trade secret misappropriation and breach of noncompetition agreements.

Prior to joining Littler, David was the founding shareholder in the Portland office of another national employment law firm and a partner at a national firm headquartered in Seattle. He began his law career as a clerk for Hon. René J. Gonzalez of the Alaska Superior Court.

During law school, he served as the associate editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly.