Portia L. Rauer is a native of Eastern Idaho. She and her family maintain business interests in Ashton, Idaho, where they continue to operate the same family seed potato farm she grew up on. Her experience with agriculture and understanding of farm related issues, combined with her litigation skills, make her uniquely suited to advise the firm’s clients in Southern and Eastern Idaho in farm and agricultural business disputes. Portia is lead counsel in several cases involving the business of farming.
Portia’s interest in medicine has resulted in an understanding of the body and the mechanisms of injury and has led to her recognition by the medical community as one of the firm’s leaders in health care law. Hospitals, physicians, nurses, and allied health care professionals know her to be the lawyer who can guide them through the challenging maze that defines the delivery of health care today, including appearances before state boards, agencies, and departments in disciplinary and licensure proceedings. Portia has tried a range of cases to a jury as both primary and secondary trial counsel. She has the experience to manage the most complex jury trial.
Portia Rauer graduated summa cum laude from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of General Studies degree in 2003. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Idaho, College of Law in 2005. During law school, Ms. Rauer was Editor-in-Chief of the Idaho Law Review, vice-president of the Women’s Law Caucus, and winner of the Idaho State Bar Water Law Writing Competition.
She joined Hall, Farley, Oberrecht & Blanton as an associate in September 2005, with over 15 years of experience in the legal field. Before attending law school, Ms. Rauer was a paralegal in a general practice law firm in Rexburg, Idaho, where she gained knowledge in water law, real estate transactions, probate, and litigation.
Ms. Rauer is licensed to practice law in all courts of the State of Idaho, the State of Washington, the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, the United States District Court for the District of Eastern Washington, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Idaho State Bar, the Washington State Bar, and Idaho Women Lawyers. Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation, with an emphasis on healthcare litigation; professional licensing, credentialing, and privileging matters for healthcare providers; professional liability claims; commercial and casualty litigation; product liability; and agriculture and employment law.
Throughout her legal career, Ms. Rauer has participated in over two dozen bench and jury trials. In addition, she has participated in a number of appeals before the Idaho State Supreme Court. Ms. Rauer also has experience in governmental relations as a registered lobbyist having appeared before the Idaho Legislature on healthcare issues.