Overview
Steve's experience includes litigation and trial work in federal and state courts, as well as in private arbitration and mediation. Steve has served a broad client base including, among others, The Greenbrier Companies, Nike, the City of Lake Oswego, and Costco in disputes in Oregon and across the country.
Before becoming a lawyer, Steve served six years as an officer in the United States Coast Guard. He spent time at sea, and then managing the Port of New Orleans. In his leisure time, Steve enjoys playing and coaching sports, cooking, travelling, and most importantly, spending time with his wife and daughters.
Featured Representative Matters
City of Lake Oswego
Beal v. Kerr-Cruickshank Inc.
Portland City Ordinance
Nebraska Train Derailment
Ponzi Scheme
Oregon Timber Company
City of Portland
Defective Professional Services
Damages Of Over $3M
Judgment Against Dissenters’ Rights
Timber Company
Real Estate Transaction
Fiduciary Duty & Contract Claims
National Sporting Goods
Alien Tort Claim Act
Oregon Manufacturer
Injunction Claims
Featured Work
Tonkon Torp Wins Appellate Victory in Auto Insurer Case
Tonkon Torp recently achieved a complete appellate win on behalf of its client, Leif Hansen, in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018, Tonkon Torp attorneys Steve Olson, Paul Conable, and Meg Houlihan represented Hansen individually and in a proposed class action against his auto insurer, GEICO, for refusing to pay for digital scans of his truck as part of the truck’s repair following a collision. Hansen sued for breach of contract under his insurance policy and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The federal district court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim. That dismissal prompted an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, which was led by Bob Koch and Meg Houlihan.
Tonkon Torp Wins Appellate Victory in Lake Oswego Access Dispute
Tonkon Torp litigators won a remarkable victory at the Oregon Court of Appeals in the ongoing high-profile dispute regarding public access to Oswego Lake. Here are the details.
Tonkon Torp Harvests Victory for Oregon Radish Seed Farmers
Tonkon Torp represented 45 Northwest farmers in a dispute with an East Coast commercial bank over who should receive the proceeds from the sale of the farmers’ radish seed crop. Find details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Torp Litigators Win Judgment on Lake Oswego Access Question
A prolonged, high-profile dispute about public access to Oswego Lake was resolved recently when Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Henry Breithaupt issued an opinion upholding the City of Lake Oswego’s right to control access to the lake from the City’s public park.
Community Involvement & Activities
Oregon State Bar
Practice and Procedure Committee
Executive Committee
Business Litigation Section
Executive Committee
Products Liability Section
Executive Committee
Jesuit High School
Volunteer and Fundraising
Catholic Charities
Immigration Legal Services
Southeast Legal Clinic
Pro Bono Volunteer
All Saints School
Volunteer and Fundraising
Portland Business Alliance
Leadership Portland
Professional Memberships
Federal Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association
Owen M. Panner Inn of Court
Recent News
Best Lawyers in America® Includes 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys on 2021 List
2020 List for Best Lawyers in America® Includes 48 Tonkon Torp Attorneys
Best Lawyers in America® Names 51 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2019 List
Best Lawyers in America® Names 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2018 List
Best Lawyers in America® Names 44 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2017 List
Homeless Camping Addressed in Lawsuit Filed Against Portland
45 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America® 2016
Portland's Parks-Fee Blowout Brings Expected Lawsuit
Best Lawyers in America® 2015 Names 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to Prestigious List
Steve Olson & Paul Conable Quoted Regarding the City of Lake Oswego Access Dismissal
Publications & Presentations
"Litigation 101: When Solid Business Plans Go Awry," Daily Journal of Commerce, May 2013
"Venue," Oregon Civil Pleading and Practice, 6th edition. Oregon State Bar, April 2012