Law firm hired to investigate economic development agency

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Department of Justice has hired a law firm to investigate allegations of discrimination and mismanagement at the state’s economic development agency, Business Oregon.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that in an anonymous letter to Gov. Kate Brown earlier this month, a group of employees described hostile working conditions and accused leadership of gender bias and misusing taxpayer funds.

The letter asked the governor to undertake an investigation and said the employees had retained Portland labor attorney Dana Sullivan “to help ensure employment rights are protected as a result of this complaint.”

The Justice Department will be supervising the probe. Its agreement with the Portland office of Perkins Coie provides for a maximum cost of $50,000. The budget could go quickly, as the firm’s partners command $525 to $630 an hour, and paralegals and associates bill out at $150 to $445 an hour.

The agreement calls for the firm to conduct an “attorney-client privileged investigation.”

The department declined to comment on the agreement with the law firm.