Art Stevens

Arthur W. Stevens III

Art, Arturo

Meet Art Stevens

For more than three decades, Arthur W. Stevens III has built his legal career on a single guiding mission: to stand up for injured and disabled individuals in Oregon who are often overlooked by powerful insurance interests. Art has represented thousands of Oregonians during their struggles to obtain fair treatment from the workers’ compensation and government systems that manage work injuries and disability matters. 

Art’s practice focuses on Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation, areas of law that require meticulous attention to detail and a strong understanding of medical complexities. With extensive experience on both sides of the legal equation—first defending insurance interests, then advocating for injured claimants—he offers his clients a rare and valuable perspective. His career reflects a blend of international upbringing, academic excellence, and a lifetime of dedication to problem-solving and advocacy.

A Unique Early Life

Art spent his early childhood living abroad, first in Mandalay, Burma, and later in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following his father’s professional assignments. These formative experiences abroad instilled in him adaptability, cultural curiosity, and a broadened worldview from a young age. He learned how to navigate new environments, observe, and appreciate diverse perspectives—skills that would later inform his work as both a legal thinker and a client advocate.

Eventually, Art came of age in Prescott, Arizona, where he graduated from Prescott High School as a proud Prescott Badger, where he enjoyed reading, silver crafts, golf and theatre. He also worked in Kayenta, Arizona, at the Prescott College Archaeological Field School.  That curiosity would guide his next steps as he pursued higher education.

Art’s Rich Academic Background

Art attended Whitman College, where he immersed himself in literature, politics, and theater. He  also studied in France at the Institut d’Études Françaises à l’Université de Tours. After returning to Whitman, Art completed his B.A. in 1978. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California (USC), entering a master’s program in Comparative Literature. While at USC, he served as a graduate teaching assistant, teaching first-year French language courses to undergraduates. After attending the funeral of a Whitman classmate in Portland, he was struck by the state’s natural beauty and vibrant community, and Oregon became his home. With a problem-solver’s mindset and a growing interest in advocacy, he decided to attend Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College, where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1984.

Legal Career and Professional Growth

Art began his legal career while still in law school, working for the downtown Portland firm Buell, Black & Dupuy. There, he was exposed to medical malpractice defense and other areas of complex litigation. This early experience provided him with an insider’s understanding of how defense attorneys and insurance companies build their cases, including their approaches to medical evidence and causation.

After graduation, Art served for more than three years as a Special Assistant Attorney General, where he defended the State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF). His caseload included many catastrophic injury claims involving neurosurgical, cardiac, and psychiatric conditions—high-stakes, medically complex cases that demanded rigorous legal and scientific analysis. This role gave him a deep understanding of the strategies used by insurance companies and the medical questions at the heart of many claims.

Ultimately, Art made a deliberate and life-changing decision to switch sides, realizing that his skills and experience could make the most significant impact by representing injured and disabled individuals. This transition marked the beginning of his decades-long career as an advocate for claimants. Since then, he has represented countless clients in workers’ compensation and Social Security disability cases, guiding them through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.

Art’s Areas of Expertise

Art’s practice is defined by depth and breadth. His areas of expertise include:

• Social Security Disability
• Workers’ Compensation
• Head and Brain Trauma
• Toxic Exposures
• Orthopedic Injuries
• Paralysis
• Psychological Injuries and Disorders
• Neurological and Neuromuscular Diseases
• Chemical Exposures and Burns
• Occupational Diseases and Injuries
• Idiopathic Falls
• Stress Disorders
• Neoplastic Diseases and Cancers
• Genetic Diseases and Childhood Disabilities
• Eye Injuries and Diseases

He has a particular focus on cases that involve complex legal and medical causation questions, insurance and disability denials, and conditions that affect an individual’s ability to work. His Social Security Disability practice is dedicated to helping hardworking people who find themselves facing financial and personal uncertainty after illness or injury. Art’s clients benefit from his meticulous preparation, his ability to explain complicated legal issues in plain language, and his steadfast commitment to achieving fair outcomes. The system is not always fair, and he hates telling his clients the hard realities that some cases cannot be achieved, but he believes in being frank about potential outcomes that are less than ideal.

Art also works on the medical damages side of the civil personal injury practice, handling medical depositions and expert workup to obtain the best value for the firm’s clients. 

Professional Memberships and Licenses

Art is licensed to practice law in:

• All Oregon State Courts
• U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Oregon
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Supreme Court of the United States

Art is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), the Oregon Workers’ Compensation Attorneys (OWCA), and the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA). His involvement in these organizations reflects his ongoing commitment to professional excellence and advocacy for plaintiffs’ rights. He has been a part of the Oregon State Bar Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee and is currently a volunteer on the Oregon State Bar’s disciplinary committee. 

Awards and Recognition

Over the years, Art’s work has been recognized by both peers and professional organizations. He completed the Harvard Negotiation Master Class, an advanced program for experienced negotiators that further refined his ability to advocate effectively in high-stakes situations. In 2010, he received the Oregon Trial Workers Association Outstanding Workers’ Compensation Attorney award, honoring his exceptional contributions to the field.

He earned the AV Preeminent® rating in 2010, which is the highest peer rating standard for legal expertise and ethical standards.

Life Beyond the Law

Art enjoys tennis, fishing, cycling, motorcycles, and theatre. His daughters live on both coasts, taking him to Los Angeles and Maine several times a year. 

A Lasting Commitment to Advocacy

Art Stevens’ career is defined by his unwavering commitment to helping those who need it most. Whether he’s litigating a complex workers’ compensation claim or guiding a client through the Social Security Disability process, he combines legal expertise with empathy and determination. He enjoys his work, feeling fortunate to have a calling that makes a difference.

Awards

Arthur W. Stevens III received the AV Preeminent® Rating the highest level of professional excellence for legal expertise and ethical standards, one of the most distinguished awards an attorney can receive.