Sarah Goodling Russell
Firm Administrator
When Sarah joined Ring Bender at its founding in 2012, she had worked in the legal field for fourteen years, holding positions as Legal Assistant, Paralegal, Legal Bookkeeper, and Firm Administrator. Prior to taking the Firm Administrator position at Ring Bender in 2018 Sarah supported partners, J.W. Ring, Phil Bender, Tina Hein, and Mark Strandberg as the Oregon office Legal Assistant. This breadth of knowledge gives her a unique perspective in her current role.
As the Firm Administrator, Sarah works closely with the Ring Bender’s Managing Partner on all corporate-level matters, such as licensing & permitting, lease management, taxes, and business insurance. Sarah is the primary contact to the Firm’s CPAs, third-party IT and utility service vendors, bankers, and coverage brokers, as well as outside employment law counsel. Sarah also handles human resources for the Firm, including payroll & benefits and recruiting, and oversees Ring Bender’s legal, accounting, and administrative support staff. With the assistance of support staff from the Firm’s California and Oregon offices, Sarah manages the day-to-day operations of the Firm across all locations. Sarah is involved in strategic planning for the Firm and works directly with members of the partnership on various marketing and business development matters, as well as the management of corporate events.
As a native Oregonian Sarah enjoys the outdoors: camping, hiking, and fishing with her family and dogs. She loves the Oregon Coast, specifically, spending time at the family cabin in Yachats and exploring the Cape Perpetua Natural Scenic Area. Sarah is also an avid runner and seasoned volleyball coach. When not outdoors or in the gym Sarah enjoys remodeling her family’s 1917 home in North Portland with her husband, and she has never met a trivia, crossword or sudoku puzzle she didn’t like.
- Professional Affiliations
- Association of Legal Administrators
- Association of Legal Administrators-Oregon Chapter
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Portland Public Schools-PIL Youth Sports
- Volunteerism
- North Portland Volleyball Academy, Board VP/Club Co-Director, 2022-present
- North Portland Little League, Team Volunteer, 2016-2017
- Head Start – Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, Albina Research Project, 2014
- Rural Justice Project, Founding Member/Grant Writer, 1994-1996
- Cottage Grove C.A.N. (Community Action Network), Volunteer, 1992-1994
Education
- M.B.A., George Fox University (2017), Strategic Human Resource Management Concentration
- B.S., Portland State University (2014), Sociology
- A.S., Portland Community College (2009), General Studies
Certifications
- HR Certification Institute – Professional in Human Resources (HRCI-PHR), 2018-present
- Notary Public-Oregon, 1998-2018; current commission pending
