David Michels

Dave Michels

Attorney

(971) 383-2854

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SBH Legal
1200 SW Main Street
Portland, Oregon 97205

Practice Groups

Law Practice

Dave joined SBH Legal in 2025 and currently represents Oregon and Washington employers and insurers in workers’ compensation and related employment defense matters.

Before joining the firm, Dave spent his first decade and a half of practice serving employers, insurers, and employees as an Assistant General Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents.  His practice there included workers’ compensation insurance defense, civil employment tort litigation, and statutory/regulatory enforcement.  Dave also has experience crafting workers’ compensation public policy, as he served for over seven years as counsel to the Massachusetts Health Care Services Board which creates and revises the utilization review guidelines for treatment of injured workers.

Background

Dave grew up in Buffalo, NY before moving to Boston for his undergraduate work at Boston College.  After living exclusively in the Northeast, he and his family are excited for a new chapter in the Pacific Northwest.  Dave is a diehard life-long Buffalo Bills fan and loves sports in general.  He also loves all things outdoors including camping and long nature hikes.  Most of all, Dave loves spending time with his amazing wife, his wonderful son, two dogs and two cats.  Dave is proud to join such an excellent group at SBH Legal and call Portland his new home.

Education

  • Boston College, Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management (2002)
  • Suffolk University, JD/MBA summa cum laude (2011)

Professional Activities

  • Massachusetts State Bar – Member
  • Massachusetts Health Care Services Board
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • Marquis Who’s Who 2023

Something you may not know about Dave:

When the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series in 2004 after 86 years of heartbreak, Dave was working as a bartender at a brewery right across from the main gate and had a front row seat to the breaking of “The Curse of the Bambino”.