Alayna Nicholes is a partner in the Portland office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the General Liability Practice. Ms. Nicholes' practice is focused on civil litigation and the representation of businesses, corporations, communities of faith, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and insurance carriers and their policy holders. 

Ms. Nicholes is well versed in cases involving serious personal injury and wrongful death, property damage, premises liability, alleged sexual abuse, discrimination, and construction defects. She also has extensive experience in defending insurance companies in matters involving breach of contract, bad faith, and extra contractual claims.

An experienced trial attorney, Ms. Nicholes has tried cases to verdict in multiple counties in Washington and Oregon with favorable outcomes for her clients. Ms. Nicholes has also handled appeals in Washington and Oregon and argued before Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals.

Admissions

• State Bar Admissions
  • Oregon
  • Washington
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the District of Oregon
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

Associations

• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers, member
• Clark County Bar Association, member
• Oregon Women Lawyers, member

Education

Gonzaga University School of Law

Juris Doctor, 2008

University of Washington

Bachelor of Arts, 2004

Representative Matters

• Odell v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Association. Defense of insurance company in underinsured motorist case involving a claim that the chiropractic manipulation of the Plaintiff’s cervical spine caused a vertebral artery dissection. Finding no causal link, the jury awarded damages in an amount substantially less than the limits of the at-fault tortfeasor’s policy for a defense verdict. The case was tried in Clark County Superior Court.
• Hayward v. Reynolds. Defense of motorist in personal injury case involving a low speed, rear end accident. Two Plaintiffs claimed ongoing pain and permanent injuries. The jury returned a defense verdict in approximately one-half hour. The case was tried in Clatsop County Superior Court.
• Haley v. Peterson et al. Obtained a 12(b)(6) dismissal of all claims with prejudice against client, an international union, arising out of a motor vehicle accident involving a local union defendant traveling to a rally. 
• Weber v. Walter. Obtained a dismissal of claim against client for alleged civil hate crime statue violation in matter involving alleged domestic altercations. 
• Lenning v. Seale. Successfully argued on appeal that the trial court erred in granting the Plaintiff’s motion for a new trial after the jury returned a verdict in favor of Defendant in an undisputed liability rear-end motor vehicle accident. The Court of Appeals reversed the order granting a new trial and affirmed the judgment for Defendant.