Schoenfeld, Karen Ruga

Karen Schoenfeld obtained her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Political Science from Union College in upstate New York in 1986. She later got her law degree at St. Johns University in New York City in 1989.

During law school, Ms. Schoenfeld clerked for Cahill, Gordon and Reindel on Wall Street in New York City.  She was also an editor of her school's Law Review, and graduated among the very top of her class. After law school, she continued to work at Cahill, Gordon and Reindel. Her clients included insurance companies, financiers and asbestos companies. It gave her an up-close look at corporate America for which she is grateful.

She moved to Portland, Oregon with her fiance Steve Schoenfeld in 1989 and went to work for the powerhouse lawfirm of Ball, Janik, LLP in their Portland office. She became a member of the Federal bar in 1993. While working at Ball, Janik, she worked on many different types of consumer and commercial litigation.

Eventually, Ms. Schoenfeld realized that helping consumers and injury victims was her passion. She moved into private practice with her husband, Steven Schoenfeld, in 1992.  Since then, she has tirelessly and exclusively represented the interests of injured Oregonians in wrongful death, motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice, workers compensation, employment and insurance-abuse cases.

Ms. Schoenfeld has long been a member of the Oregon State Bar, Multnomah County Bar and the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association. She is regularly active in political battles on behalf of injury victims and consumers. She speaks fluent Spanish, which she learned while studying in Mexico during college.

When not practicing law, Karen and Steve Schoenfeld, parents of two teenagers, enjoy an active outdoor life. They love mountain biking and hiking together in Mt. Hood, traveling to foreign lands and skiing and snowboarding with their kids.