Professionals
503.553.3223 
503.226.0259 
Cynthia Fraser is a former senior assistant attorney general in the trial division of the Oregon Department of Justice. While at the DOJ she specialized in condemnation and transportation related litigation taking several cases to a jury. She was provided leave from the DOJ to create and manage the first Alternative Dispute Resolution program for the Oregon Department of Transportation. In that capacity she took more than 100 eminent domain acquisitions to mediation and managed the resolution of countless access, policy and eminent domain acquisition matters.
Since joining Garvey Schubert Barer, Ms. Fraser continues to represent local governments and has expanded her practice to include the representation of property owners in land use disputes and condemnation litigation. She is further applying her property valuation, trial and mediation experience in property tax appeal cases.
She is active in the field of eminent domain law, serving on the Oregon Law Commission's Work Group for Eminent Domain and participating as a frequent lecturer on eminent domain law.
She remains an advocate of dispute resolution and utilizes it where appropriate in her litigation practice while continuing to expand her dispute resolution practice as a mediator. She is past chair of the Oregon State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and has been appointed to the Multnomah County Circuit Court Arbitration Commission. Ms. Fraser is a frequent lecturer on mediating litigation cases and policy disputes. She is co-editing the American Bar Association's publication Fundamentals of Eminent Domain.
Professional Activities
- Member, Oregon State Bar Fee Arbitration Task Force, 2010
- Member, Multnomah County Circuit Court Arbitration Commission, 2008-present
- Board of Directors, Oregon Women Lawyers, 2008-present; Education Outreach Committee, 2001-2003
- Executive Board, Oregon State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, 2002-present; Chair, 2007
- Oregon Law Commission Eminent Domain Legislative Work Group, 2002-present
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Executive Board, University of Oregon School of Law, 1999-present
- Governor's Steering Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution, 1997-1998
Community Activities
- Pacific Festival Ballet Advisory Board, 2009
- President, Alumni Board of Directors, University of Oregon School of Law, 1999-2002
- Chairperson, University of Oregon Frohnmayer Award for Public Service, 2002 and 2004
- Grievance Coordinator, Oregon County Fair, 2004-2009
- Childpeace Montessori School Advisory Board, 2001-2003
- Twenty-First Century Task Force for Redesigning Legal Education, 2000-2001
- Chairperson, Honoring Oregon Judiciary, 2001
Publications
- "Legislative Update: Notice of Entry for Pre-Condemnation," International Right of Way Association Oregon Chapter Newsletter, March 2005.
