I am the managing attorney here at Hooton & Chen. Prior to founding the firm, I started my legal career as a defense attorney, representing insurance companies and corporate clients for nearly a decade. I am a former insurance claims adjuster, and I trained workers’ compensation claims examiners on claims processing in my former practice. It is probably safe to say I am an expert on insurance law. Yet, being a lawyer was, at one point of my life, a goal seemingly out of reach. I am proud to share with you what I have accomplished thus far in life as a self-made first-generation immigrant through purely hard work and determination.
I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. At age 16, I made the bald decision (or perhaps rash and uninformed?) to leave my family and move to the United States for an academic exchange program. Following high school graduation, I qualified for a visa extension and moved to Oregon to attend Corban University. During these college years, I held a multitude of jobs, almost always simultaneously, to support myself and get through school. I worked as a line cook and dishwasher at the school cafeteria. I maintained campus facilities and painted houses during summer breaks. I was a movie theatre usher, cashier and projectionist. I was employed as a Subway sandwich artist. These experiences gave me a unique perspective and deep understanding of the rigors of physical labor most of my clients are required to perform daily. I fully understand what some may perceive as negligible disability can in fact be very disabling for most clients with strenuous jobs.
After a brief stint working in the technology field, I stumbled into the insurance industry. In 2005, I took a job with AIG, a large insurance carrier. I initially worked as a certified workers’ compensation (Oregon and Alaska claims) and auto liability claims adjuster. I received two back-to-back Top Gun awards for my claims work with a local aircraft manufacturer. While working full-time, I attended graduate school in the evening and earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 2006. Shortly thereafter, I was promoted to a regional business analyst position. In that role, I provided claims data and insurance analytics directly to senior management. I implemented compliance protocols and audited insurance files of third party administrators (TPAs). I also designed staffing models for medical excess and auto liability field offices. Of the various projects I was involved with, the acme was a joint venture in Dallas, TX with a group of brilliant business consultants from McKinsey & Company, where the team developed a rule-based, automated claim processing system. Despite a demanding work schedule and frequent business travels required in this new position, I managed to attend law school in the little spare time I had and earn my law degree in just three years. I gained invaluable knowledge of the inner workings of the insurance industry during my tenure at AIG. I also discovered that I had a penchant for medicine.
Upon admission to the Oregon State Bar, I was offered a position as a litigator with the largest workers’ compensation defense firm in the Northwest. In that role, I handled as many as 500 workers’ compensation cases and represented employers, insurers and TPAs of all sizes. I quickly carved out a specialty in litigating claim processing issues and complex medical cases. I was promoted to a partner in under five years and became an equity shareholder in just six years. In my role as a partner of the firm, I trained workers’ compensation adjusters in a certification course required by law for licensing. I was also responsible for introducing the first continued medical education seminar on the topic of workers’ compensation for Oregon physicians.
Over the years, I have gained a reputation in the legal community as a tireless advocate for minority rights and rights of people with disabilities. I have given multiple educational seminars to other attorneys and employees of the Oregon Workers’ Compensation Board concerning the impact of cultural differences on the workers’ compensation and healthcare systems. I have also written about the cultural influences on mental health. Between 2016 and 2018, I served as the Chair of the Access to Justice Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Oregon State Bar. My committee was instrumental in recommending several new legislations and regulations for the benefit of non-English speaking workers in the state of Oregon, including an administrative rule that would require certain important legal documents and notices from the Workers’ Compensation Board and Department be accompanied by a multi-language notice, alerting the receipt that important rights may be affected.
I am an active member of the Portland Chinese community. As one of the few attorneys in the state who speak and write Chinese, I take tremendous pride in being able to serve the community by advising small business owners on a variety of general business matters and drafting legal documents (in both languages). I also regularly review and negotiate contracts for my clients, ranging from employment contracts to vendor agreements. This part of my practice began when my wife asked me to review her first employment contract following the completion of her residency program.
Education
- Juris Doctor, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, 2010
- Masters of Business Administration (specialization in global management), University of Phoenix, 2006
- Bachelor of Arts, Computer Science, Corban University, 2003
Admissions
- Oregon State Bar
- Washington State Bar
Memberships
- Chair of Access to Justice Committee of Oregon State Bar Workers’ Compensation Section, 2016-2018
- Executive Committee of Oregon State Bar Workers’ Compensation Section, 2010-2018
- Chinese American Citizens Alliance Portland Lodge
- Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce Oregon and SW Washington
- Lewis and Clark First Year Law Student Program, Mentor of the Year 2012
Recent Speaking Topics and Publications
- Understanding Physician Employment Contracts and Compensation Agreements, Education Seminar for Legacy Health/Kaiser Permanente Podiatry Residents, February 25, 2019, Portland, Oregon.
- Everything a Medical Biller Should Know about Workers’ Compensation, Education Seminar for Employees of Portland Foot and Ankle Institute, December 19, 2018, Portland, Oregon.
- Mock Trial of a Combined Condition Case, CME Conference for Oregon Physicians, June 7, 2018, Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Post-Closure Treatment Requests and Aggravation Claims: The Boomerang Effect, Continuing Education Conference, May 7, 2018, Portland, Oregon. - The Rehabilitation of Brown v. SAIF, Continuing Education Conference, May 9, 2017, Portland, Oregon.
Compliance with 2017 Changes to Division 60 Claims Administration Rules, Continuing Education Conference, February 22, 2017, Portland, Oregon. - Third Party Actions, Continuing Education Conference, October 26, 2016, Portland, Oregon.
- Potential Impact of Cultural Differences on Workers’ Compensation through the Lens of a Chinese American, Presentation to Oregon Workers’ Compensation Judges and Board Members, October 14, 2016, Portland, Oregon.
- Proper Calculation of Temporary Disability Benefits, Continuing Education Conference, July 7, 2016, Portland, Oregon.
- New Attorney Fees under House Bill 2764, Continuing Education Conference, April 8, 2016, Portland, Oregon.
- Common Foot and Ankle Injuries in the Workplace, Continuing Education Conference, March 22, 2016, Portland, Oregon.
- Going and Coming Rule: Have the Exceptions Swallowed the Rule? Continuing Education Seminar, November 5, 2015, Portland, Oregon.
- Claim Closure in a Post-Schleiss, Post-Brown World, Continuing Education Seminar, April 24, 2015, Portland, Oregon.
- Proposed Regulatory Changes to Require Continued Education in Cultural Sensitivity for IME Physicians, Legal Memorandum to Director of Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division, April 6, 2015, Portland, Oregon.
- Interim Medical Benefits: Rule Changes, Continuing Education Presentation, March 19, 2015. Portland, Oregon.
- The Art of Claim Acceptance and Denial, Continuing Education Seminar, March 20, 2015, Portland, Oregon.
- Changes in Rules and Processing Obligations, Continuing Education Seminar, December 3, 2014, Salem, Oregon.
- Anticipating Complications from Adjacent Segment Disease, Presentation at Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division Workshop, November 14, 2014, Tigard, Oregon.
- When Does an Injury Caused by a Workplace Fall Arise Out of Employment? Continuing Education Presentation, June 16, 2014, Portland, Oregon.
- Navigating the Maze of Workers’ Compensation Law: What You need to Know about Vocational Assistance? Continuing Education Presentation, June 9, 2014, Portland, Oregon.
- Navigating the Maze of Oregon Workers’ Compensation Law: What You need to Know as a Physician? Education Seminar for Legacy Health/Kaiser Permanente Podiatry Residents, May 20, 2014, Portland, Oregon.
- Course and Scope: The General Rule and Exceptions, Continuing Education Conference, March 21, 2014, Portland, Oregon.
- Compensability of Medical Services after Swartz, Continuing Education Conference, March 5, 2014, Portland, Oregon.
- Mental Illness Stigma in the Asian Community, Annual Bench Bar Forum CLE Presentation, November 1, 2013, Silverton, Oregon.
- Evaluation of Permanent Impairment under AMA Guides and Division 35 Rules, Continuing Education Presentation, June 14, 2013, Portland, Oregon.
- Litigating before the Department: When, Why and How? Continuing Education Conference, March 21, 2013, Portland, Oregon.
- Case Law Update for 2012, Continuing Education Presentation, November 27, 2012, Portland, Oregon.
- How to Develop Persuasive Medical Evidence? Continuing Education Presentation, May 10, 2012, Portland, Oregon.
- Counting the Three-Day Waiting Period, Continuing Education Presentation, December 9, 2011, Portland, Oregon.
- Provisional Processing Obligations Pending Appeal, Continuing Education Presentation, July 18, 2011, Portland, Oregon.
Personal
I was an athlete growing up and remain a dedicated gym rat to this date. I dabble in martial arts and train in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. I am also a car and motorcycle enthusiast. I try to ride my Harley every chance I get, although my two kids keep me pretty busy these days.