Michael J. (Sam) Sandmire is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Portland office and the Chair of the Portland Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Sandmire has been litigating complex and difficult cases for more than 30 years. His practice is focused on complex business, commercial, consumer, product liability, personal injury, and employment litigation and counseling. He also represents clients facing government investigations, government enforcement actions, and related civil litigation and appeals.
Mr. Sandmire defends and prosecutes claims in a wide range of commercial and business disputes and defends manufacturers in product liability, class action, consumer fraud, personal injury and mass tort litigation. He has litigated high stakes commercial, toxic exposure, catastrophic injury, and class action and multi-state consumer fraud claims on behalf of manufacturers of medical, industrial, computer, construction and consumer products, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, food, implantable medical devices, metals, and construction materials. He has served as both lead and local counsel in the cost-effective and efficient defense of mass tort claims and other complex litigation. Mr. Sandmire has experience representing tribal entities and has significant experience resolving disputes through mediation and arbitration when litigation is neither desired nor warranted.
Mr. Sandmire also defends employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, with particular expertise in the defense of state and federal employment class actions and in race, sex, age and disability discrimination, workplace safety, wrongful discharge, civil rights, federal contractor, wage and hour, and employment contract claims. He is experienced in drafting employment policies, and counseling companies on employment law matters.
Mr. Sandmire is listed multiple times in Best Lawyers in America for his expertise in product liability litigation, mass tort litigation and class action defense. He was awarded 2019, 2021, & 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Mass Tort Litigation and defense of Class Actions, in Portland. Mr. Sandmire has received the highest AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He is also listed in The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel as a Top Rated Lawyers, Guide to Labor & Employment Law (2012); is named in Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star”; and was selected as an Oregon Super Lawyer.
Updated Aug 2023
