Paul E. Cirner

Paul Cirner’s practice focuses primarily on employment-related litigation in the federal and state courts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and New York. Paul also represents clients in private arbitration and before the various federal and state agencies charged with the enforcement of employment laws, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Idaho Human Rights Commission, Washington State Human Rights Commission, and New York State Division of Human Rights.

Paul is a strategic advisor to public and private employers on all aspects of the employer-employee relationship from hire to separation. He has particular experience in multijurisdictional compliance issues that arise from employing remote workers located across multiple states and/or countries. Paul regularly counsels employers on joint employment issues, reductions in force, and compliance with various leave laws. Paul also advises employers to develop compliant independent contractor programs and mitigate the risk of misclassification under various wage and hour and employment laws.

As a litigator, Paul is skilled at defending his clients through trial and working with opposing counsel to reach favorable resolutions when warranted. With tenacity, strategic planning, and diligent preparation at the center of each case, Paul’s clients feel safeguarded with him in their corner when a legal dispute arises. Throughout his practice, Paul has successfully represented many public and private employers in discrimination, wrongful discharge, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour cases bought under various federal and state statutes and under the common law. Paul relishes the opportunity to zealously advocate for his clients in the courtroom before judge and jury.

Prior to joining Littler, Paul was an associate at a national employment firm in Portland focusing his practice exclusively on management-side employment litigation and counsel throughout the Pacific Northwest. Paul began his career as a hard-nosed litigator in the courts of New York City where he defended New York City’s most prominent building owners and constructors throughout all five boroughs against New York Labor Law claims brought by members of some of the largest unionized trades in the country.