Overview
Claire is also a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group, where she facilitates a variety of transactions for both buyers and sellers across industries, with a particular interest in consumer products companies.
Claire holds joint graduate degrees from Vanderbilt University Law School and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University.
A Portland native, Claire enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Get To Know
So far, Claire’s favorite bread to work on is Focaccia topped with her daughter’s choice of vegetable artwork. She has also cracked the code to sourdough after making her own starter to use in breads and her daughter’s favorite, sourdough waffles. To continue the challenge, Claire has broached brioche as the next style of bread she wants to explore.
“Bread making is fun and satisfying, but low stakes,” shared Claire. “I enjoy the challenge of getting it right, but if I’m not happy with the end result I can just try a different way and work through it.”
Claire’s hope is that she and her daughters will continue to bond and share new discoveries through making, baking, and breaking bread together.
Featured Representative Matters
Acquisition of Shopping Center during COVID Crisis
Formation of Qualified Opportunity Fund
Sale of Pendleton Whisky Brands for Hood River Distillers
Corporate Restructure and Stock Sale
Sale of Key Technology
Newberg Christian Church Combinations
Sale of Multiple Dealerships
Sale of Specialty Pharmacy Company
Acquisition of Nonprofit Religious Corporation
Featured Work
Tonkon Torp Pilots Smooth Landing in Columbia Helicopters Sale
Tonkon Torp led one of Oregon's most notable M&A deals of 2019 for its client, Columbia Helicopters. Founded in 1957, Columbia Helicopters, Inc. (CHI) is one of Oregon's most recognizable brands.
Tonkon Torp Leads Moda Health Through Corporate Restructure and $155 Million Sale
Tonkon Torp led client Moda Health through its high-profile corporate restructure and $155 million stock sale to Delta Dental of California.
Tonkon Torp Represents SensiML in Sale to QuickLogic
Tonkon Torp represented Beaverton’s early-stage SensiML Corporation in its acquisition by QuickLogic Corporation, a California-based public company. SensiML spun off from Intel Corporation in 2017 to offer a platform-independent software toolkit that allows equipment manufacturers to develop pattern matching sensor algorithms using machine learning technology.
Tonkon Torp Leads Sale of Pendleton Whisky Brands for Hood River Distillers
In early 2018, Tonkon Torp concluded the $205 million sale of the Pendleton Whisky brands by its client Hood River Distillers, Inc. (HRD) to Proximo Spirits, whose international portfolio of spirits includes Jose Cuervo tequila. HRD was Oregon’s first distillery, and one of Tonkon's original clients.
Solar Project Sale Shines Light on Tonkon Team
Tonkon Torp represented our long-standing client, Obsidian Renewables, in sale of the Black Cap Solar II project to PSEG Solar Source, a New Jersey-based utility. Find details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Represents Opus Agency in Equity Investment Transaction
Tonkon Torp’s Mergers & Acquisition practice group represented client Opus Agency in a significant equity transaction with private equity firm Fan Creek Capital, providing substantial additional growth capital to Opus. Opus, a global corporate events and experiential marketing agency headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, serves Fortune 1000 clients such as Salesforce, Amazon, Intel and Alaska Airlines.
Diverse Team Aids Greenbrier in Joint Venture
Tonkon Torp acted as Oregon corporate counsel for its long-term client The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. in finalizing a 50/50 joint venture with Watco Companies, L.L.C. The venture combines the two companies’ railcar repair, refurbishment and maintenance businesses into a new organization, GBW Railcar Services, LLC.
Community Involvement & Activities
Marathon Scholars
2016-2019, Board of Directors – Secretary
Professional Memberships
Multnomah Bar Association
Oregon Women Lawyers
Recent News
Nine Rising Tonkon Torp Attorneys Included on 2021 “Ones to Watch” List
26 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2020 Super Lawyers Lists
Tonkon Torp Webinar Provides Guidance to Nonprofit Board Members Serving in a Pandemic
Tonkon Torp Announces Three New Partners
Tonkon Torp Sponsors Marathon Scholars Event
Tonkon Torp Supports 2018 Youth Progress Golf Event
Claire Brown Volunteers for OWLS Book Drive
Tonkon Talk Reviews Funding Options for Startups
Tonkon Torp Supports Youth Progress Golf Event
Drea Schmidt and Claire Brown Discuss "Shaking the Fundraising Tree" at Tonkon Talk
Recent Alerts
Learning Pods as a Pandemic-Era Education Choice – Where to Start
Earn-OUCH: Post-M&A Transaction Earn-Outs in Light of COVID-19
Tips on Looking for Funding for Your Cannabis Company
Is COVID-19 Force Majeure in a Commercial Contract?
Effect of Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation on U.S. Businesses
Proposed Regulation Crowdfunding: Who Wants to Be a Crowdfunding Platform? Part II
Proposed Regulation Crowdfunding: Few Surprises and Possibly a Step Forward - Part I
SEC Proposes CEO Pay Ratio Disclosure Rules
Private Offerings: SEC Proposes Amendments to Form D
Private Offerings: SEC Imposes "Bad Actor" Limitations on Certain Private Placements
Publications & Presentations
"Learning Pods as a Pandemic-Era Education Choice – Where to Start," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, August 2020
"Earn-OUCH: Post-M&A Transaction Earn-Outs in Light of COVID-19," Tonkon Torp Legal Update, May 2020
"Tips on Looking for Funding for Your Cannabis Company," Portland Business Journal, April 2020
"Is COVID-19 Force Majeure in a Commercial Contract?" Tonkon Torp Legal Update, March 2020
"Crowdfunding Update and Capital-Raising Strategies for 2017," June 2017
"Shaking the Fundraising Tree," May 2016
"Legal Realities for Cannabis Entrepreneurs,” December 2015
"Fundraising Strategies for Startups," October 2015
"New Rules Permitting Crowdfunding in Oregon," Oregon State Bar Business Law Section, June 2015
"Oregon's New Crowdfunding Rule," Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, February 2015
"Oregon Crowdfunding Rules," TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), February 2015
"Intrastate Crowdfunding," Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, September 2014
"Securities Law Exemptions for Oregon Solar Energy Cooperatives," Obsidian Renewables and Sustainable Northwest, August 2014
"Careers in the Law," Portland State University, May 2014
"Crowdfunding for Small Oregon Businesses – Proposed New Rules," The Long View, Oregon State Bar Sustainable Future Section, Winter 2014
"Crowdfunding and General Solicitation Rules," University of Oregon Executive M.B.A. Program – Portland Branch, February 2014
"Crowdfunding and General Solicitation: New Money, New Problems," December 2013