Anit Jindal

Anit’s commercial litigation practice focuses on constitutional and regulatory issues facing government officials, class action defense, complex contract disputes, and energy law. His diverse client group includes state agencies, businesses, cities, individuals, and public utilities.

Anit is also an accomplished appellate lawyer. He is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group and sits on the Executive Committee of the Appellate Practice Section of the Oregon State Bar. When crafting appellate arguments, Anit has the unique ability to write about complex legal issues in a way that is simple but persuasive. Before joining Markowitz Herbold, Anit clerked for the Honorable Morgan Christen on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and before that he clerked for Justice Peter Maassen on the Alaska Supreme Court.

The many examples of Anit’s stellar advocacy include:

• Part of the trial team that successfully defended Oregon’s Reduction of Gun Violence Act (Ballot Measure 114) against a Second Amendment challenge in federal court
• Wrote an amicus brief on behalf of the League of Oregon Cities and similar local government groups in Idaho and Washington in support of the petitioner, the City of Grants Pass. The case involved whether regulations on public camping violated the Eighth Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the City and quoted Anit’s work several times in the majority opinion
• Secured summary judgment for a public utility in a $200 million dispute with power producers before the Oregon Public Utility Commission interpreting a power purchase agreement under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)
• Briefed several successful appeals before the Oregon Court of Appeals from orders of the Oregon Public Utility Commission regarding issues such as the proper interpretation of the Commission’s rate-setting statutes and the scope of the Commission’s jurisdiction to interpret power purchase agreements under PURPA
• Briefed an issue of first impression regarding the enforceability of a forum-selection clause in the Ninth Circuit, resulting in a favorable, published opinion
• Briefed and argued a successful motion to transfer in Oregon federal court, saving the client the burden of duplicative litigation outside of its home state

Anit is also active in the community, volunteering his time to several local non-profit groups. Anit is a member of the board of directors at DoveLewis, a non-profit animal hospital voted the best veterinary practice in Portland. Anit is also a board member of the Multnomah Bar Foundation, which funds and administers CourtCare a free drop-in childcare program at the Multnomah County Central Courthouse. Finally, Anit is a board member of the St. Andrew’s Legal Clinic, which provides low-cost family law attorneys to individuals who could not otherwise afford them.