Kendra M. Matthews
Partner
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1996
Georgetown University Law Center Appellate Litigation Clinic, 1995 – 1996
American Criminal Law Review,
White Collar Crime Project Senior Editor, 1995
Member, 1994 – 1996
University of Puget Sound, B.A., 1993
NAIA Academic All-American (Volleyball)
Puget Sound Scholar Athlete (Volleyball)
Bar Admissions
Oregon
1996
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2000
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
2005
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
2001
United States Supreme Court
2008
Bar Activities
American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon Lawyers’ Committee
2006 – 2022
Gus J. Solomon Inn of Court
2004 – Present
President, 2020 – 2022
Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners
2019 – Present
Chair, 2021 – 2022
Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
2014 – Present
Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
1999 – Present
Oregon Women Lawyers
President, 2014 – 2015
Board of Directors / Executive Positions, 2009 – 2015
Women’s White Collar Defense Association
2017 – Present
Co-Chair, Oregon-Idaho Chapter, 2022 – Present
Secretary, Oregon-Idaho Chapter, 2017 – 2022
kendra@boisematthews.com
direct: (503) 416-2067
After attending Georgetown University Law Center, and clerking for the Honorable Rex Armstrong of the Oregon Court of Appeals, Kendra joined the firm—then known as Ransom Blackman LLP—as an associate in 1998. She became a partner in 2005.
One focus of her practice is appellate litigation—representing individuals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, and the Oregon Court of Appeals. Kendra has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© for her appellate practice since 2013.
Kendra also regularly represents individuals and entities in criminal investigations and cases in both state and federal court at the trial level. Kendra has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© for her criminal practice since 2018. In 2019 and 2023, through Best Lawyers, her peers recognized her as Lawyer of the Year for General Practice Criminal Defense in Portland. Kendra’s peers have also awarded her with the AV Preeminent rating for the highest level of professional excellence in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Kendra’s perspective as an appellate attorney uniquely positions her to identify the critical legal issues presented by a client’s situation. She also knows that each client’s situation is unique; she takes the time to understand the situation and treats her clients with compassion.
In each case, Kendra takes a global approach to her client’s situation, looking at the possible short and long-term consequences of any decision, so that the impact of the government’s intrusion into her client’s life is minimized to the greatest extent possible.
Kendra is a regular speaker at continuing legal education conferences. In 2018 and 2020, along with an Assistant United States Attorney, Kendra co-taught a class on White Collar Crime at Lewis & Clark Law School.
Author:
Discovery, Oregon State Bar Criminal Law Manual, 2022
Criminal Enforcement of Administrative Rules, Permits, and Absence of Permits Supplement, Oregon State Bar Administrative Law Manual Supplement, 2016
Alibi, OCDLA Major Crimes and Defenses Manual, 2004
Co-Author:
Preserving Your Record for Post-Trial Litigation, OCDLA Defending Sex Cases Manual, 2018
Discovery, Oregon State Bar Criminal Law Manual, 2005
Mail & Wire Fraud, Tenth Survey of White Collar Crime, 32 American Criminal Law Review 481 (1995)
Co-Presenter:
In Your Facebook: Cutting-Edge Subpoena Issues for a New Technological Age, Multnomah Bar Association, February 2013
ACLU of Oregon Cooperating Attorneys Panel, ACLU of Oregon 50th Anniversary CLE, May 2006
Presenter:
Subpoenaing the Victim’s Electronic Devices, OCDLA Conference, September 2018
Nuts & Bolts of Expunctions, Oregon Association for Court Administration, 2016
10 (or 20) Points to Consider in Preparing Your Defense in a ‘White Collar’ Criminal Prosecution, OCDLA Conference, March 2015
An Overview of Criminal Defense, “The Best of CLE” Seminar, The Seminar Group, 2009, 2010, 2012 (Co-presenter 2008)
Frequently Asked Questions About Accomplice Liability in Oregon Cases, OCDLA Summer Conference, June 2008
Ethics for Prosecutors: A discussion of In re Tichenor, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, December 2005
Historical Overview of Amending the Oregon Constitution, American Association of University Women, October 2004
An Overview of the Patriot Act, ACLU / PSU Class, November 2005
Collateral Consequences of Sex Crime Convictions, OCDLA Winter Conference, December 2004
Outside the Criminal Code: The Ethical Duty to Inform of Collateral Consequences, OCDLA Winter Conference, December 2002
Kendra M. Matthews
Partner
kendra@boisematthews.com
direct: (503) 416-2067
After attending Georgetown University Law Center, and clerking for the Honorable Rex Armstrong of the Oregon Court of Appeals, Kendra joined the firm—then known as Ransom Blackman LLP—as an associate in 1998. She became a partner in 2005.
One focus of her practice is appellate litigation—representing individuals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, and the Oregon Court of Appeals. Kendra has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© for her appellate practice since 2013.
Kendra also regularly represents individuals and entities in criminal investigations and cases in both state and federal court at the trial level. Kendra has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© for her criminal practice since 2018. In 2019 and 2023, through Best Lawyers, her peers recognized her as Lawyer of the Year for General Practice Criminal Defense in Portland. Kendra’s peers have also awarded her with the AV Preeminent rating for the highest level of professional excellence in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Kendra’s perspective as an appellate attorney uniquely positions her to identify the critical legal issues presented by a client’s situation. She also knows that each client’s situation is unique; she takes the time to understand the situation and treats her clients with compassion.
In each case, Kendra takes a global approach to her client’s situation, looking at the possible short and long-term consequences of any decision, so that the impact of the government’s intrusion into her client’s life is minimized to the greatest extent possible.
Kendra is a regular speaker at continuing legal education conferences. In 2018 – and 2020, along with an Assistant United States Attorney, Kendra co-taught a class on White Collar Crime at Lewis & Clark Law School.
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1996
Georgetown University Law Center Appellate Litigation Clinic, 1995 – 1996
American Criminal Law Review,
White Collar Crime Project Senior Editor, 1995
Member, 1994 – 1996
University of Puget Sound, B.A., 1993
NAIA Academic All-American (Volleyball)
Puget Sound Scholar Athlete (Volleyball)
Bar Admissions
Oregon
1996
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2000
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
2005
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
2001
United States Supreme Court
2008
Bar Activities
American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon Lawyers’ Committee
2006 – Present
Gus J. Solomon Inn of Court
2004 – Present
President, 2020 – 2022
Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners
2019 – Present
Chair, 2021 – 2022
Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
2014 – Present
Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
1999 – Present
Oregon Women Lawyers
President, 2014 – 2015
Board of Directors / Executive Positions, 2009 – 2015
Women’s White Collar Defense Association
2017 – Present
Co-Chair, Oregon-Idaho Chapter, 2022 – Present
Secretary, Oregon-Idaho Chapter, 2017 – 2022
Publications & Representations
Author:
Discovery, Oregon State Bar Criminal Law Manual, 2022
Criminal Enforcement of Administrative Rules, Permits, and Absence of Permits Supplement, Oregon State Bar Administrative Law Manual Supplement, 2016
Alibi, OCDLA Major Crimes and Defenses Manual, 2004
Co-Author:
Preserving Your Record for Post-Trial Litigation, OCDLA Defending Sex Cases Manual, 2018
Discovery, Oregon State Bar Criminal Law Manual, 2005
Mail & Wire Fraud, Tenth Survey of White Collar Crime, 32 American Criminal Law Review 481 (1995)
Co-Presenter:
In Your Facebook: Cutting-Edge Subponea Issues for a New Technological Age, Multnomah Bar Association, February 2013
ACLU of Oregon Cooperating Attorneys Panel, ACLU of Oregon 50th Anniversary CLE, May 2006
Presenter:
Subpoenaing the Victim’s Electronic Devices, OCDLA Conference, September 2018
Nuts & Bolts of Expunctions, Oregon Association for Court Administration, 2016
10 (or 20) Points to Consider in Preparing Your Defense in a ‘White Collar’ Criminal Prosecution, OCDLA Conference, March 2015
An Overview of Criminal Defense, “The Best of CLE” Seminar, The Seminar Group, 2009, 2010, 2012 (Co-presenter 2008)
Frequently Asked Questions About Accomplice Liability in Oregon Cases, OCDLA Summer Conference, June 2008
Ethics for Prosecutors: A discussion of In re Tichenor, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, December 2005
Historical Overview of Amending the Oregon Constitution, American Association of University Women, October 2004
An Overview of the Patriot Act, ACLU / PSU Class, November 2005
Collateral Consequences of Sex Crime Convictions, OCDLA Winter Conference, December 2004
Outside the Criminal Code: The Ethical Duty to Inform of Collateral Consequences, OCDLA Winter Conference, December 2002