About Janet
PRACTICE EMPHASIS & DESCRIPTIONJanet Schroer is a partner at Portland, Oregon-based Hart Wagner LLP. Her practice emphasizes civil litigation, including tort, contract, medical and professional malpractice, business and constitutional law, in both the trial and appellate courts, as well as professional licensing matters.Janet frequently serves the firm’s clients in the Oregon Court of Appeals, Oregon Supreme Court, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She also represents her clients' business, professional and personal interests before various trial courts and licensing agencies. Her practice requires that she often work closely with the client’s general counsel or trial lawyer on appellate matters, and so she has developed strong and long-lasting relationships with other lawyers.Janet has handled well over 50 cases to final decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has handled 31 cases to final opinion in the Oregon Supreme Court, 127 cases with opinions in the Oregon Court of Appeals, and many more that were affirmed without opinion. She also has handled appeals in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Idaho Supreme Court, Nevada Supreme Court, and Washington Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.PRACTICE EXPERIENCEHart Wagner, Partner since 1992Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt Partner, 1989-1992 Associate, 1981-1988EDUCATIONUniversity of Oregon Law School J.D., Order of the Coif, 1981Bowling Green University B.A., cum laude, 1978ADMITTED TO PRACTICEOregon State Courts, 1981 United States District Court for District of Oregon, 1981 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1981 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 2009 U.S. Supreme Court, 1992PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIESFrequent speaker on malpractice, trial, and appellate issuesArbitrator for Multnomah County Circuit Court and uninsured motorist actionsActive Circuit Court Judge Pro Tempore in Multnomah County and Clackamas CountyPROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONSAmerican Board of Trial Advocates, Associate, elected in 1996American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow, elected in 2008Oregon State Bar, since 1981- Co-author: Appeal and Review: Beyond the Basics 2014 edition, chapter on Effective Written Advocacy- Co-editor: Civil Pleading and Practice CLE, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2011- Litigation Section Executive Committee, 1988-1994 (Chair, 1992-1993)- Local Professional Responsibility Committee, 1987-1991- Civil Litigation CLE Program Planner, 1990-1996- Oregon Trial Advocacy College, 2008-2011Multnomah Bar Association- Judicial Screening Committee, 1994-1997 (Chair, 1996-1997)Oregon Association of Defense Counsel- Amicus Committee, 1994-present- Professional Liability Practice Leader, 1994-1995- Publications Committee, 1992-1994Oregon Medical Association- Medical Malpractice Loss Prevention Education Committee, 1993-1996- Planner for and Speaker at Medical Malpractice Loss Prevention Seminars, 1993-2010Fair Dismissal Appeals Board, 1985-1993
Janet Schroer is a partner at Portland, Oregon-based Hart Wagner LLP. Her practice emphasizes civil litigation, including tort, contract, medical and professional malpractice, business and constitutional law, in both the trial and appellate courts, as well as professional licensing matters.
Janet frequently serves the firm’s clients in the Oregon Court of Appeals, Oregon Supreme Court, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She also represents her clients' business, professional and personal interests before various trial courts and licensing agencies. Her practice requires that she often work closely with the client’s general counsel or trial lawyer on appellate matters, and so she has developed strong and long-lasting relationships with other lawyers.
Janet has handled well over 50 cases to final decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has handled 31 cases to final opinion in the Oregon Supreme Court, 127 cases with opinions in the Oregon Court of Appeals, and many more that were affirmed without opinion. She also has handled appeals in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Idaho Supreme Court, Nevada Supreme Court, and Washington Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
Oregon State Courts, 1981 United States District Court for District of Oregon, 1981 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1981 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 2009 U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
- Co-author: Appeal and Review: Beyond the Basics 2014 edition, chapter on Effective Written Advocacy
- Co-editor: Civil Pleading and Practice CLE, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2011
- Litigation Section Executive Committee, 1988-1994 (Chair, 1992-1993)
- Local Professional Responsibility Committee, 1987-1991
- Civil Litigation CLE Program Planner, 1990-1996
- Oregon Trial Advocacy College, 2008-2011
- Judicial Screening Committee, 1994-1997 (Chair, 1996-1997)
- Amicus Committee, 1994-present
- Professional Liability Practice Leader, 1994-1995
- Publications Committee, 1992-1994
- Medical Malpractice Loss Prevention Education Committee, 1993-1996
- Planner for and Speaker at Medical Malpractice Loss Prevention Seminars, 1993-2010
Practice Areas
Education
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Portland, OR (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Portland, OR (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Portland, OR (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year: Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Portland, OR (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Portland, OR (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year: Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Portland, OR (2019)
- Lawyer of the Year: Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Portland, OR (2017)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Portland, OR (2016)
- Lawyer of the Year: Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Portland, OR (2014)
- Recognized: Appellate Practice
- Recognized: Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Recognized: Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Recognized: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Recognized: Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Practice Area: Personal Injury Litigation
- Practice Area: Professional Malpractice Law
- Special Focus: Appellate
- Oregon Super Lawyers, 2006-present
- Named 2014 Lawyer of the Year for Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants - Portland, OR by Best Lawyers
- Harpole Attorney Award, 2013
- Oregon Super Lawyers Top 25 Women Lawyers in Oregon, 2009-2013
- AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell