Dean J. Lederer
Dean is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, indicating the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards. He is also a Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion (rated 5.0 out of 5.0), an Avvo Top Attorney (10.0 out of 10.0), and has received the Avvo Clients' Choice Award.
His practice focuses on litigating Oregon Workers’ Compensation cases and advising employers and insurance carriers on all issues involving Workers’ Compensation matters. Before forming Lyons Lederer, LLC, Dean worked first as a plaintiff’s attorney and then developed his defense practice over several years at Scheminske & Lyons, LLP.
He did his undergraduate work at the University of Alabama and attended law school at Regent University in Virginia. While in law school, Dean won the class-wide 1L moot court competition. His moot court team was a Southeast Regional finalist in the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, and Dean was named best oral advocate in the Southeast Region. While in practice, he served on the Oregon New Lawyers Division Executive Committee, the Workers’ Compensation Section Executive Committee, the Section’s Nominating Committee and was the first chairman of the Going Forward Subcommittee. A frequent CLE and seminar speaker, Dean’s presentations have been described as informative and entertaining.
Dean and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters and a boxer named for his two favorite Bama quarterbacks. Dean and his family are active in their church, and Dean sits on the boards of various non-profit organizations, including the Alumni Board at Regent University School of Law. When he is not watching Alabama roll to its 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and (19th??) national championships, Dean is busy planning his family’s next vacation.
Direct Dial: (503) 485-4771
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Vera Langer
Vera holds two law degrees from the Charles University School of Law in her native Czech Republic. She came to Oregon in 1981 as a political refugee. In 1986, she obtained a third law degree, this time, from the University of Oregon School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Oregon state courts and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is bilingual and has published several comparative law articles.
Initially, Vera worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Edward H. Warren of the Oregon Court of Appeals and later served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Appellate Division of the Oregon Department of Justice and a Special Assistant Attorney General at SAIF Corporation. In 1995, she joined Scheminske & Lyons as an appellate attorney. She represented Oregon employers in workers' compensation appeals until 2002, when she was appointed to the Workers' Compensation Board of the State of Oregon as a member with the background and understanding of the concerns of employers. In that capacity, she participated in thousands of decisions in contested workers' compensation cases. She served three consecutive four-year terms at the board before returning to private practice at Lyons Lederer, LLC as the firm’s appellate attorney.
Vera and her husband Henry enjoy taking care of their very active grandchildren and teaching them the Czech language and culture. In her free time, she likes to travel, hike and swim.
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Allen W. Lyons (Retired)
Al Lyons graduated from Willamette University College of Law and was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in 1973 and is admitted to the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He has served on the Executive Committees of both the Workers' Compensation Section of the Oregon State Bar and the Association of Workers' Compensation Defense Attorneys. In addition to his private law practice, Al was a professor at Willamette University College of Law where he taught Workers' Compensation Law. He counts among his former students numerous practitioners in the field of workers’ compensation, several administrative law judges, and a former Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. He was also an approved mediator for the Appellate Settlement Conference Program of the Oregon Court of Appeals.
Al Lyons first served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Oregon. Before entering private practice with Lindsay, Hart, Neil and Weigler, he was General Counsel for SAIF Corporation and served as Vice President for the claims and legal divisions. While there he supervised claims and legal offices throughout Oregon. Al developed an expertise with respect to claims involving carpal tunnel syndrome, disorders of the heart, and blood borne diseases. He defended Oregon employers in all phases of workers’ compensation matters.
Al and his wife Marsha have four adult children, five grandchildren, and an AKC Champion Brittany Spaniel, Hootie. An active member of his church for over 40 years, Al is a past chairman of the school board of St. Joseph Catholic School, served on the Parish Council of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Board of Total Education of the Archdiocese of Portland, and was a member of the archdiocesan planning committee for the Jubilee Year 2000. In his spare time, he is an avid fisherman and photographer.
Al retired from Lyons Lederer, LLC in September 2017.