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Courtney

Courtney McFate

Associate

Courtney McFate provides timely, thoughtful and strategic legal advice to clients regarding a wide variety of employment matters.

An Oregon native, Courtney enjoys helping employers find practical solutions to challenging legal problems. Prior to joining Lane Powell, Courtney was in-house employment counsel for a large consumer services company in California, acting as a strategic legal partner for human resources and all business units. Prior to that, Courtney practiced employment litigation in private practice. Her experience includes:

Providing advice and counsel to management on numerous employment matters, including COVID-19-related policies, employee data privacy, employee handbooks, terminations, employee agreements, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, personnel investigations, leaves of absence, and reasonable accommodations under federal and various state laws
Representing management in employment litigation matters and before administrative bodies, including matters involving wage and hour disputes, harassment, retaliation, and discrimination
Advising on employment-related compliance, including data privacy and confidentiality, wage and hour concerns, drug and alcohol testing, background check policies, and arbitration programs
Conducting personnel investigations on behalf of employers regarding allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation
Developing and conducting training programs on employment law issues for human resources professionals, management, and front-line employees

In her spare time, Courtney enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her family and her dog, Sebastian, going to the movies, and reading books on a rainy day while sipping hot coffee.

Professional Experience

AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, Employment Counsel (2019-2021)

Van De Poel, Levy, Thomas & Arneal LLP, Senior Associate Attorney (2013-2019)

State Bar of California, Law Clerk (2011-2012)

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Pro Se Department, Judicial Extern (2010)

Community Involvement

The Portland Montessori School, Board Member (2022-Present)

Community Pathways, Inc., Board Member (2022-Present)

Oregon Women Lawyers, Member (2021-Present)

Multnomah Bar Association, Member (2021-Present)

Thought Leadership

October 6, 2022Event / CLE
Employee Handbooks and Policies in the 21st Century
National Business Institute | Virtual
June 16, 2022Publication
Not So FAAst: Viking River Ruling Creates More PAGA Uncertainty for California Employers
Labor, Employment & Benefits Legal Update
March 4, 2022Publication
Federal #MeToo Law Should Cause Employers to Rethink Mandatory Arbitration Agreements
Labor, Employment & Benefits Legal Update
January 20, 2022Event / CLE
California New Restrictions on Severance and Settlement Agreements
myLawCLE | Virtual
October 6 - December 8, 2021Event / CLE
'Best Practices for Best Employers™' Webinar Series
Lane Powell | Virtual
November 5, 2021Publication
‘Mum’s’ Not the Word: California Imposes New Restrictions on Severance and Settlement Agreements
Labor, Employment & Benefits Legal Update
October 13, 2021Event / CLE
Update Floodgate: Top 10 Employment Law Changes Employers Need to Know Now
Lane Powell 'Best Practices For Best Employers™' Webinar Series | Virtual
September 20, 2021Publication
Red Light! Green Light!... Yellow Light?: Ninth Circuit Lifts Injunction on Law Banning Mandatory Employee Arbitration Agreements in California
Labor, Employment & Benefits Legal Update
August 18, 2021Publication
Can Employers Mandate Vaccination Programs and Require Masks?
COVID-19 Resource
August 18, 2021Publication
With Mandatory Vaccine Policies On the Rise, Should Your Business Implement One?
COVID-19 Resource
July 21, 2021Event / CLE
Today’s Forefront of Training and Workforce Pipelines
Association of Washington Business | Tacoma, Washington
June 22, 2021Event / CLE
Employer Vaccine Mandates — Tread Lightly Despite EEOC Guidance
Community Bankers of Washington | Virtual
June 7, 2021News
Labor, Employment & Benefits Legal Update Quoted in McKnight’s Long Term Care News Article ‘Offering a COVID-19 Vaccination Incentive? Tread Carefully, Experts Suggest’
In the News
June 2, 2021Publication
EEOC Says Employers Can Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines, but Tread Carefully...
COVID-19 Resource
April 1, 2021News
McFate Joins Labor, Employment & Benefits Team
Firm Announcement

Practices & Industries

Labor, Employment & Benefits

Education

Golden Gate University School of Law, J.D., 2012
California State University, Los Angeles, M.A., Communication Studies, 2006
University of California at Los Angeles, B.A., Women's Studies, 2002

Admissions

Oregon
Washington
California

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