Monica Goracke

Background

Monica has deep roots in Oregon. She grew up in rural southern Oregon, and went on to Williams College and Stanford Law School. She has been practicing law for 24 years.

After clerking for U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson of the Middle District of Alabama, Monica began her law practice at Disability Rights Advocates in Oakland, California, where she represented families and individuals fighting disability discrimination in military housing, department stores, and schools.

She returned to Oregon in 2005 as a staff attorney at the Oregon Law Center, a civil legal aid organization that serves low-income people across Oregon.

As a staff attorney, she represented clients in class actions and individual cases that touched on civil and constitutional rights, housing, public benefits, and employment. She litigated and settled cases in federal and state court. Four years later, she was managing the regional office, serving eight counties in northern and central Oregon, while maintaining a litigation caseload. 

In 2018, she was tapped to lead the organization. She was responsible for over 100 employees and 11 offices across the state. Her role included extensive work in employment law, ethics and professional liability, contracts and leases, board governance, and other aspects of financial and organizational management.

Always a litigator at heart, Monica returned to full-time legal practice in 2024. She currently represents plaintiffs in employment matters, fighting for justice when employers treat workers unfairly.

Selected Victories

A group of longtime tenants alleged that the new owners of their apartment building raised the rent and refused to fix habitability problems like mold and cockroaches. When the tenants complained, the new owners tried to evict them.

Monica represented the tenants, filed a lawsuit, negotiated a settlement, and litigated the attorneys’ fees. The fees were later settled. (2017)

People experiencing homelessness alleged that Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) employees destroyed their personal items without giving them a chance to move the items to a safe place. They lost shelter, clothing, medication, and family photos. Monica filed a lawsuit and negotiated a settlement with ODOT. ODOT agreed to change their practices. (2011) 

A landlord hired a tenant to paint at the apartment complex and promised to credit his rent but never did. Then he tried to evict the tenant. Monica represented the tenant at trial and they won, including attorneys’ fees. (2010)

A young woman experiencing homelessness was Tasered and beaten by Gresham police. Monica represented the young woman as second-chair counsel in a three-day federal jury trial. The jury sided with the young woman. (2007)

Soldiers’ disabled family members living at Fort Lewis alleged that housing and public areas were inaccessible. Monica represented them as co-lead counsel. After filing a lawsuit, she led settlement negotiations. The settlement made sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, and some housing units accessible. (2004)