Perkins Coie Strengthens Pacific Northwest Trial Bench with Commercial Litigator Chad Colton
PORTLAND, OR and SEATTLE, WA (April 6, 2026)—Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Chad Colton has joined its Commercial Litigation practice as a partner in Portland and Seattle, further strengthening the firm’s trial capabilities in the Pacific Northwest.
Bringing two decades of experience, Chad represents clients in high-stakes commercial matters such as partnership, shareholder, breach of contract, IP, and licensing disputes. He also frequently serves as lead trial counsel for bet-the-company cases, often joining to advise and advocate for clients in the middle of litigation or immediately before trial.
“Chad is a seasoned trial lawyer with an excellent reputation among judges and peers in the Pacific Northwest,” said Shari Brandt and Julia Markley, co-chairs of the Litigation practice. “He immediately enhances our national litigation bench with his extensive lead counsel experience and strong track record across a range of commercial disputes. He also brings a deep commitment to mentoring younger lawyers and sharing practical insights that will strengthen our trial teams and client service.”
Having taken dozens of cases to trial across the country, Chad navigates litigation matters for clients in a variety of industries, with a particular focus on sports and entertainment disputes. Recently, he served as a lead trial counsel in several high-profile jury trials in the Pacific Northwest in matters seeking billions of dollars in damages. Chad handles commercial disputes in the healthcare, hospitality, retail, and manufacturing industries and has represented major companies in a wide range of issues from trade secrets to breach of contract and fraud. Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Chad was a shareholder at a Portland litigation boutique.
“I’m excited to join Perkins Coie and collaborate with a team that values both excellence in client advocacy and inclusive leadership,” Chad said. “The firm’s platform provides an opportunity to continue growing my practice while working alongside colleagues who are deeply committed to client service and supporting one another’s success.”
Chad earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Lewis & Clark Law School.
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Before proceeding, please note: If you are not a current client of Perkins Coie, please do not include any information in this e-mail that you or someone else considers to be of a confidential or secret nature. Perkins Coie has no duty to keep confidential any of the information you provide. Neither the transmission nor receipt of your information is considered a request for legal advice, securing or retaining a lawyer. An attorney-client relationship with Perkins Coie or any lawyer at Perkins Coie is not established until and unless Perkins Coie agrees to such a relationship as memorialized in a separate writing.