Eden E. Vasquez
About Eden
Eden Vasquez is an associate on the firm’s education, employment, and traditional labor law teams. Eden assists public and private employers in Oregon and Washington, by providing general employment advice, assisting in navigating labor relations and collective bargaining, and advising on potential or active litigation matters.
Traditional Labor Law
As a member of the traditional labor law team, Eden regularly negotiates collective bargaining agreements for public and private employers and publicly traded companies, including serving as the lead negotiator for clients bargaining first contracts and providing direct at-the-table and behind-the-scenes support during successor negotiations. Eden guides employers during union organizing campaigns as well as advises on how to best manage their union-represented workforce. Eden also provides advice and counsel to public and private employers related to contract administration, grievances, unfair labor practices, and arbitration. Eden represents employers before the Oregon Employment Relations Board and National Labor Relations Board. Eden works with clients across a variety of industries, including higher and K-12 education, government and public entities, construction, manufacturing, cannabis, healthcare, sports and entertainment, and nonprofit and charitable organizations.
Litigation
Eden maintains an active litigation and appellate practice, appearing in federal and state court on behalf of employers defending employment matters related to breach of contract disputes (including enforceability of restrictive covenants, confidentiality, and nondisclosure agreements), federal and state discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, wage and hour compliance, and other tort claims.
Education & Employment Advice
Eden advises colleges, universities, community colleges, public school districts, and private schools on federal and state employment laws, including protected family and medical leaves, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Oregon sick time, Paid Leave Oregon, the National Labor Relations Act, the Oregon Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act, and the Washington Public Employee Relations Commission, as well as under Title IX of the Education Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Eden began at Miller Nash as a summer associate in 2019. Before joining the firm, Eden clerked for the Oregon Department of Justice in the Appellate Division, where she gained experience briefing cases before the Oregon Court of Appeals and assisted in briefing and preparing arguments before the Oregon Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Eden graduated second in her class from Willamette University College of Law.
Representative Experience
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Traditional Labor Law Plus
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Provide guidance to public and private employers in responding to grievances.
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Represent public education institutions during mediation process under PECBA.
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Negotiated an initial contract for a private, nonprofit employer.
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Represent private employers before the NLRB in response to allegations regarding unilateral change(s), duty to bargain, and employee discipline and termination.
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Provide guidance to private employers during union organizing campaigns.
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Assist employers in strike preparation and contingency planning.
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Education Plus
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Defended school district in state court action alleging employment-related and state tort claims, including intentional interference with contractual relationship and defamation (dismissed).
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Defend higher education institutions in tort actions alleging negligence on behalf of coaching staff.
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Defend public school districts in tort actions alleging negligence on behalf of the district and school personnel.
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Advise higher education institutions on compliance with federal law for disability accommodations for employees and students in returning to on-campus operations.
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Provide guidance to private educational institutions in creating and implementing COVID-19 vaccination policies and recommendations.
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Litigation Plus
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Represent employers in responding to complaints filed with public state and federal agencies.
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Represented private employer in multi-week trial in federal court regarding enforceability of restrictive covenants in employment agreement, and former employee’s breach of that employment agreement.
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Defended higher education institution in state court trial against various contractual and tort claims, including claims related to race, gender, and age discrimination.
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Defended employer in multi-week trial in state court regarding breach of contract and other state tort claims.
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Additional Information
Activities
- Multnomah Bar Association, Member
- Oregon State Bar, Member
- Oregon New Lawyers Division
- Oregon Hispanic Bar Association, Member
- Oregon Women Lawyers, Member
- Hispanic National Bar Association, Member
- Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, Ambassador Board, 2022-present
- Willamette University College of Law, Racial Justice Task Force, Cochair, 2019-2020
Insights from Eden
- “SCOTUS Says NLRB Isn’t So Special—NLRB Requests for Preliminary Injunctions Subject to Traditional Standard,” Miller Nash, Employment Law in Motion (Oct. 2024)
- “COVID Update: EEOC Revises Guidance on Workplace Screening,” Miller Nash, Employment Law in Motion, coauthor (Sept. 2022)
- “Oregon Limits Settlement Agreement Terms Where Discrimination Alleged,” Miller Nash, Employment Law in Motion (May 2022)
- “OT for Ag(ricultural) Workers – Oregon, Washington, and California,” Miller Nash, Employment Law in Motion (Mar. 2022)
- “Willamette Law Grads Form Racial Justice Task Force,” Willamette University College of Law, Willamette Lawyer, interview (Nov. 2021)
- “Living On-Campus During COVID-19: Prepare for Reasonable Accommodations Requests,” Campus Legal Advisor, coauthor (Aug. 2021)
- “How HOT Is Too HOT? Oregon OSHA’s New High and Extreme Heat Rule,” Miller Nash, News You Can Use, coauthor (July 2021)
- “Embracing Change in the Shifting Labor Relations Climate,” Miller Nash, Employment Law Seminar (Nov. 2024)
- “Oregon Employment Relations Board: 2024 Update,” Oregon 7 (Sept. 2024)
- “Don’t Let Union Organizing Derail Your Workplace: Responding to Organizing Efforts and Enhancing Organizational Communication Strategies,” Northwest Human Resource Management Association (NHRMA), Annual Conference (Sept. 2024)
- “Private Sector Labor Law,” Oregon State Bar, Labor and Employment Law Boot Camp (June 2024)
- “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: 14th Annual Labor Relations Update,” Oregon Public Employer Labor Relations Association (June 2024)
- “Embracing Change: A Guide to Oregon's Evolving Leave Laws Landscape,” Miller Nash, Employment Law in Motion webinar (May 2024)
- “The Future of Workplace Diversity Initiatives Post the Supreme Court’s SFFA Decision,” Hispanic National Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Conference, panelist (Mar. 2024)
- “Current Trends in Public Labor Law: Special Considerations for Schools,” Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA), Annual School Law Conference (Dec. 2023)
- “Board Update: Hot Topics in the Law,” Oregon Community College Association, Annual Conference (Nov. 2023)
- “No Whammies: Don’t Press Your Luck on Wage and Hour Issues,” Miller Nash, Employment Law Seminar (Oct. 2023)
- “Creatures of Contract: Best Practices for Managing Grievances,” Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, 42nd Annual Oregon School Law Conference, copresenter (Dec. 2022)
- “All Aboard the HR Express: A Tour of Federal, State, & Labor Legal Updates,” Miller Nash, Employment Law Seminar (Oct. 2022)
- “Clarifying Disability & Religious Accommodations” Miller Nash, Employment Law Seminar (Dec. 2021)
- “Willamette University Law Graduates Examine Bias in Jury Selection,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, Think Out Loud, interview (May 2021)
- “Advancing Equity in our “Post-Pandemic” Schools,” Oregon School Boards Association, PACE Day 2021 (Apr. 2021)
Outside the Office
Eden was raised in both the Pacific Northwest and Oaxaca, México. She enjoys spending her free time playing a variety of recreational sports and activities, such as softball, tennis, volleyball, and pickleball. When visiting Oaxaca, Eden enjoys spending time with family and exploring Southern Mexico. Eden is also an avid Mezcal enthusiast, and her family has been producing Mezcal for over five generations.