Chris D. Crean

Chris Crean, Of Counsel, has more than 25 years’ experience in land use, municipal law, infrastructure financing, municipal litigation and government relations. Chris has represented all levels of government in Oregon, including the Oregon Legislature, cities, counties and special districts. He served as Deputy Legislative Counsel in Salem where he drafted the state land use laws and advised the Oregon Legislature on land use issues.  As Assistant Multnomah County Counsel, Chris represented the county before the Land Use Board of Appeals, the Oregon Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Tax Court.  In addition to public agencies, Chris spent several years with a local law firm representing private development interests.

For the last twenty years Chris has advised multiple cities, counties and special districts across a range of issues including land use, urban renewal, infrastructure financing, public meetings and records laws, government relations and litigation.  Overall, Chris has represented both public and private clients at all levels of Oregon’s Judicial Courts, the Oregon Tax Court, the Land Use Board of Appeals, and in state administrative proceedings (including the Land Conservation and Development Commission, Department of State Lands, and the Water Resources Commission). In addition to his work with BEH, from 2017 to 2022, Chris served as an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark law school where he taught local government law with his BEH colleague, Chad Jacobs.

Since 2012, Chris has been listed with Best Lawyers®. In 2014 and 2020, Chris was selected as Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers® for municipal litigation.

Chris is married to Nancy Harlan and together they have a son, Colin. Chris is an avid canoer, skier and backpacker and has been known to cheer for Notre Dame football.

Oregon State Bar, 1994

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2010

American University, J.D., 1994

Earlham College, B.A., 1986

Oregon State Bar, Real Estate and Land Use Section, Legislation Committee, 1998-2012

Clackamas County Bar Association, present

Multnomah County Bar Association, present

Emerging Local Government Leaders, 2013-present