Practice areas: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Alternative Dispute Resolution; view more
Licensed in Oregon since: 2000
Education: University of Oregon School of Law
Languages spoken: English, French
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2008 - 2013 Gretchen L. Mandekor heads the Mandekor Law Firm in Portland, Oregon, championing clients across the Portland metro area and the entire state. As the owner and lead trial attorney, she focuses on personal injury lawsuits and defending against legal malpractice claims. Her expertise spans motor vehicle accidents, bicycle mishaps, motorcycle crashes, medical malpractice, premises liability and wrongful death cases.
With two decades as a defense attorney, Ms. Mandekor's close work with insurance companies has given her invaluable insights into their operations. Now advocating for plaintiffs, she uses this insider knowledge to secure the best outcomes for her clients. She defends fellow attorneys facing professional negligence claims as a legal malpractice attorney. Her extensive jury trial experience distinguishes her from many "trial attorneys" who seldom present cases to a jury. Insurance companies tread carefully around her, especially after her $11.4 million verdict in a contested liability case, leading to substantial settlements for her clients.
Beyond client representation, Ms. Mandekor often serves as an arbitrator and mediator in personal injury disputes and shares her litigation wisdom at continuing legal education classes for lawyers. Her peers frequently turn to her, recognizing her as a leading authority in the field. She has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America from 2020 through 2026.
Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Ms. Mandekor takes pride in her Canadian roots and is fluent in French. She graduated with first-class honors from McGill University in Montreal, earning a bachelor's degree in Latin and Ancient Greek. She later acquired her law degree and a certificate in international law from the University of Oregon School of Law. During law school, she interned in Senegal, West Africa.
A respected figure in her legal community, Ms. Mandekor holds memberships in the Multnomah Bar Association, the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and the American Board of Trial Advocates, and also serves as a Board member on ABOTA. Before founding Mandekor Law Firm, she practiced at a prestigious downtown law firm and managed her own defense law firm for seven years.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Professional Liability: DefenseFocus areas
Animal Bites, Arbitration, Birth Injury, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Delayed or Incorrect Diagnosis, Informed Consent, Legal Malpractice, Mediation, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Professional Malpractice - Other, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 60% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 20% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 10% Alternative Dispute Resolution
- 10% Professional Liability: Defense
First Admitted: 2000, Oregon
Bar / Professional Activity
- American Board of Trial Advocates Board of Directors and Membership Chair
- Member of the Oregon Judicial Department's Case Resolution Subcommittee of the General Civil Litigation Subcommittee (GCLS), part of the new Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee on Civil Justice. , 2025
- Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
- Multnomah County Bar Association
- Oregon State Bar Association
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Gretchen has tried dozens of jury trials to verdict in both state and federal courts in Oregon. She has successfully reached multiple high six-figure settlements, as well as a number of seven-figure results. In March of 2022, she obtained an eight-figure jury verdict after a two week trial. She frequently serves as an arbitrator and mediator for her colleagues. , 2022
Pro bono / Community Service
- Co-Chair of Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Motor Vehicle Section , 2022
- In February of 2025, Gretchen testified before the Oregon House of Representatives in opposition to HB 3410, a recreational immunity bill that would allow corporations to escape liability for ordinary negligence. The bill would allow corporations to put profits before the safety of their paying customers. Gretchen is proud to represent victims and fight for consumer rights. , 2025
- Instructor and Speaker at Plaintiffs' Trial Skills College, Lewis & Clark Advocacy Center and Oregon State Bar Litigation Section, January 2025, 2025
- Leader and Instructor for Oregon Trial Lawyers Academy 201 , 2025
- Co-Chair of Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Motor Vehicle Section , 2023
- In February of 2023, Gretchen testified before the Oregon Senate in opposition to SB 754, a recreational immunity bill that would allow corporations to escape liability for ordinary negligence. The bill would allow corporations to put profits before the safety of their paying customers, like Ski Bowl did in the case Gretchen tried in March of 2022 resulting in a eight-figure jury verdict. Gretchen is proud to represent victims and fight for consumer rights. , 2023
- Member, Board of Directors, Fast Friends Scholarship Board, Friends of the Children, 2012
Educational Background
- McGill University, Montreal, Canada, B.A. with First Class Honors in Latin, 1994
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Gretchen authored an article entitled "Jump in the Deep End" on the topic of "My First Jury Trial" , Author, Trial Lawyer Magazine, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Lawyer Magazine, Fall 2025, 2025
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at the annual convention in August of 2025 on the topic of "Voir Dire – How to Ask Strangers the Hard Questions", Speaker, Voir Dire – How to Ask Strangers the Hard Questions, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2025
- Gretchen presented at the Oregon State Bar's Litigation Institute on the topic of Voir Dire; she played the role of plaintiff's counsel selecting a jury and then was a speaker on the panel discussion following the demonstration., Speaker, 2025 Litigation Institute - Trial Skills for Today's Litigators: Revisit, Refresh, and Reboot, Oregon State Bar, 2025
- Gretchen is featured in the American Bar Association Commission on Women in Profession's book The Road to Independence: 101 Women's Journeys to Starting Their Own Law Firms, The Road to Independence: 101 Women's Journeys to Starting Their Own Law Firms, American Bar Association, 2011
- Gretchen is the author of an article entitled “How to Make Expert Witnesses Interesting” in the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer Magazine, Author, How to Make Expert Witnesses Interesting, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Lawyer Magazine, Winter 2025, 2025
- Gretchen is the author of an article entitled, “Arbitration vs. Trial” in the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer Magazine, Spring 2023
- Featured speaker on the topic How to Prepare for & Present a Powerful Closing Argument at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy 201, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Gretchen presented at the all-day Fundamentals of Civil Litigation CLE on the topic "How to Prepare for and Present a Powerful Closing Argument", Speaker/Presenter, How to Prepare for and Present a Powerful Closing Argument, Oregon State Bar Fundamentals of Civil Litigation CLE, 2023
- Gretchen was the featured speaker instructing on Closing Argument at the Trial Lawyer Academy 201 class in the fall of 2023. , Speaker, Closing Argument, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2023
- Gretchen was the featured speaker on the topic “Top Trial Dos and Don’ts” at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Motor Vehicle Section meeting, September 2023, Featured Speaker, Top Trial Dos and Don'ts, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2023
- Gretchen was a featured speaker in CLE presentation sponsored by the MBA on the topic "Personal Injury Case Selection.", Speaker, Personal Injury Case Selection, Multnomah Bar Association, 2023
- Gretchen is the author of an article entitled "Arbitration vs. Trial" published in the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer magazine. , Author, Arbitration vs. Trial, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Lawyer Spring 2023, 2023
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association convention in August of 2022 on the topic "Try a Clean Case with Consistent Themes" , Speaker, Winning the Righteous Battle: How to Beat an Aggressive Defense and Change Your Client's Life, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2022
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at this Oregon Trial Lawyers Association CLE presentation regarding what to do when your case is removed to federal court. , Speaker, Oh @#$% I Just Got Removed to Federal Court - The Auto Case, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2021
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at a Multnomah Bar Association CLE on the topic of Presenting and Resolving UM/UIM Claims, Speaker, Claims, Pains and Automobiles: Presenting and Resolving UM/UIM Claims, Multnomah Bar Association, 2021
- Gretchen was the featured speaker on the topic "New 'Make Whole' Law - SB 421 - ORS 742.544" presented to the Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund Personnel. , Speaker, New "Make Whole" Law - SB 421 - ORS 742.544, Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund, 2020
- Gretchen presented at an Oregon State Bar CLE on the topic "How to Prepare for and Present a Powerful Closing Argument", Speaker, How to Prepare for and Present a Powerful Closing Argument, Oregon State Bar CLE, 2019
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy 101 on the topic of Arbitration and Mediation, Speaker, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy 101, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Gretchen was the featured speaker at an Oregon Trial Lawyers Association CLE on the topic of "An Insider's Perspective: What I Learned Defending Auto Cases for Eighteen Years", Speaker, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association - An Insider's Perspective: What I Learned Defending Auto Cases for Eighteen Years, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2019
- Gretchen was a featured speaker at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention on the topic of "Litigation - Dos and Donts for Plaintiff Attorneys", Speaker, Litigation - Dos and Donts for Plaintiff Attorneys, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Gretchen was the featured speaker on the topic "How to Prepare for & Present a Powerful Closing Argument" at the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy 201 in February of 2020, Speaker, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Trial Academy 201 Closing Argument, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Gretchen is the author of a subchapter on closing argument in the trial practice manual "Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Automobile Litigation Deskbook." The chapter is entitled "Closing Argument: Capitalize on Soundbites", Author, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Automobile Litigation Deskbook, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
Other Outstanding Achievements
- $11.4 million verdict in contested liability case resulting in $10.5 million settlement to client after defense threatened to appeal verdict, 2022
- Confidential multi-million dollar settlement in medical malpractice case. , 2025
- Confidential multi-million dollar settlement in contested liability slip and fall case, 2025
- $1.15 million verdict in mild TBI case, nearly six times the amount of the last offer made before trial, 2024
- Testified before Oregon State Legislature in opposition to recreational immunity bill that would make widespread changes to Oregon statute resulting in barring personal injury claims , 2025
- Testified before Oregon State Senate to assist in successfully defeating recreational immunity bill that would have made widespread changes to Oregon statute resulting in barring personal injury claims , 2023
Honors
- Gretchen was nominated to become a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates by the local chapter and her membership was approved at the national level. , Member, ABOTA, 2023
- Gretchen was selected to become a member of the Oregon Board of Directors of the American Board of Trial Advocates., Board of Directors, Oregon, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), 2024
- Gretchen was named one of the top 10 personal injury attorneys in Portland, Oregon by Forbes, and is the only woman to have achieved this outstanding honor. , Forbes List Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in Portland Oregon, Forbes, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
- Best Lawyers, 2024
- Recognized as one of Oregon's Super Lawyers, 2020
- Super Lawyer, 2020-2025
- US News Best Lawyers, 2020-2025
- Recognized as one of Oregon’s Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2008-2013
Office location for Gretchen L. Mandekor
909 SW Saint Clair Ave
Portland, OR 97205
Phone: 877-569-0072
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2008 - 2013
