About Michael
Michael J. (Sam) Sandmire Partner Sam Sandmire's practice is focused on complex business, product liability, personal injury, and employment litigation and counseling. Sam defends and prosecutes claims in a wide range of business disputes and defends insured and self-insured manufacturers in product liability, class action, consumer fraud, construction and mass tort litigation. He has litigated toxic exposure, catastrophic injury, and multi-state consumer fraud claims on behalf of manufacturers of medical, industrial, computer, construction, and consumer products such as pharmaceuticals, IUDs, tampons, disposable lighters, silicone implantable medical devices, metals, and construction materials. He has developed computer database programs to assist in the cost-effective and efficient defense of mass tort claims and other complex litigation. Sam also defends insured and self-insured employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, with particular expertise in the defense of state and federal class actions. The claims include 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 manuals, and counseling companies on employment law matters. Sam has experience representing tribal entities and has significant experience resolving disputes through mediation and arbitration when litigation is neither desired nor warranted. Representative MattersDefeated class certification in wage and hour class actionDefended manufacturer of computer hard drives in consumer class actionDefended national class action on behalf of manufacturers of fire sprinkler pipeDefended Fortune 500 information technology services company in employment class action suitDefended nickel manufacturer in class action and individual personal injury, nuisance, and trespass lawsuits brought by nearby residents; defended class certificationDefended pharmaceutical companies in numerous wrongful death, mass tort and other product liability lawsuitsRepresented manufacturers, in court and before Oregon OSHA, in catastrophic workplace accident, investigations and lawsuitsDefended aluminum manufacturer in personal injury trial brought by contractor who suffered serious electrical burns and head traumaRepresented pharmaceutical companies in large multi-state consumer fraud investigationsDefended "common law wrongful death" claims in civil court stemming from workplace exposure to chemicals, including successful Ninth Circuit appeal upholding trial court dismissalRepresented large Japanese corporation in contested dissolution proceeding and shareholder disputesRepresented window manufacturer in construction defect caseDefended businesses in state and federal employment discrimination claims and enforcement actionsRepresented State of Oregon in Tobacco Litigation
Practice Areas
Education
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Portland, OR (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Portland, OR (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Portland, OR (2023)
- Lawyer of the Year: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Portland, OR (2023)
- Lawyer of the Year: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Portland, OR (2021)
- Lawyer of the Year: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Portland, OR (2019)
- Lawyer of the Year: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Portland, OR (2018)
- Lawyer of the Year: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Portland, OR (2015)
- Recognized: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Recognized: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Practice Area: Product Liability Litigation