April 15, 2026

Perkins Coie

Perkins Coie announce that Chad Colton has joined its Commercial Litigation practice as a partner in Portland and Seattle.

Bringing two decades of experience, Colton 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, Colton 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, Colton was a shareholder at a Portland litigation boutique.

Colton earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Lewis & Clark Law School.