sean.mckean@wilsonelser.com

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Sean McKean represents businesses, entities, and individuals in all aspects of civil litigation. He is a member of an accomplished, multidisciplinary team with a strong focus on commercial litigation and the defense of complex casualty and discrimination claims. Sean is committed to securing favorable, cost-effective outcomes that align with each client’s unique objectives and business priorities. He has achieved certification in Wilson Elser’s rigorous Mock Trial Invitational, through which our most successful trial lawyers impart their knowledge to those destined to join their ranks.

Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Sean worked at a West Coast firm, where he handled claims related to insurance coverage, personal injury, and catastrophic injury. Previously, he gained valuable experience at an Oregon firm, where his concentration included insurance defense, business disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.

During law school, Sean developed a strong foundation in appellate law and procedure as a law clerk in the Appellate Division of the Oregon Department of Justice. He also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Martha Walters, Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Demonstrating his commitment to legal education and mentorship, Sean tutored first-year law students in torts and criminal law, helping them build a strong academic foundation. He also dedicated time to coaching undergraduate debate teams at the University of Oregon.

    Education

    • University of Oregon School of Law (J.D., 2020)
      • Order of the Coif
    • University of Oregon (B.A. Political Science, 2017)

    Bar Admissions

    • Oregon
    • Washington

    Awards & Honors

    Selected for inclusion in Oregon Super Lawyers® Rising Stars™ for Insurance Coverage, 2025

Sean McKean

Portland Team Secures Defense Verdict for Health Care Insurer at Arbitration

The Portland, Oregon, team of Peder Rigsby (Partner-Portland, OR), Matthew Casey (Of Counsel-Portland, OR), Mark Firmin (Associate-Portland, OR), and Sean McKean (Associate-Portland, OR) secured a defense verdict on behalf of Wilson Elser’s client, a health care insurer, before the Commercial Arbitration Tribunal of the American Arbitration Association. The matter involved a contract dispute between an Alaska hospital system and our client arising from alleged underpayments of health care claims. The disagreement concerned the reimbursement methodology the client used to pay the disputed claims, which involved technical health care provider reimbursement issues and contract interpretation principles under Alaska law. The hospital alleged the client underpaid the disputed claims by $550,000.
 
After a four-day hearing, the arbitrator issued a defense verdict in favor of our client, agreeing that the insurer did not breach the provider agreement with the hospital. Peder and the Wilson Elser team presented compelling evidence of nearly 20 years of consistent performance between the parties, supporting our client’s interpretation of the contract and demonstrating that the hospital never raised concerns during annual contract negotiations. Through expert testimony, the team also established that the client’s practices were consistent with industry standards. This significant win for the client avoided an adverse result that would have exposed the client to future claims well into the seven-figure range; the award forecloses that risk. 

Peder A. Rigsby, Matthew C. Casey, Mark J. Firmin and Sean McKean