John Coletti grew up in Hillsboro, Oregon. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Coletti graduated from Willamette University School of Law in 1994 where he served as the associate editor of the Willamette Law Review. Coletti is licensed to practice law in Oregon and Washington and his practice is limited to representing seriously injured people in cases involving defective and dangerous products, medical malpractice and negligence.
John is a member of The Inner Circle of Advocates. Founded in 1972, The Inner Circle of Advocates is an invitation-only group of 100 of the best trial lawyers in America who are selected for their character, experience and success in the courtroom. The Inner Circle of Advocates was described by The Washington Post as, “A select group of 100 of the nation’s most celebrated trial lawyers” and is recognized as one of the most exclusive groups of attorneys in the nation. Although spread across the country, members work collectively to share experience, skills and knowledge in pursuit of justice.
Coletti is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates, and International Society of Barristers. Coletti also belongs to the American Association for Justice; Attorney Information Exchange Group; Oregon Trial Lawyers Association; Washington State Association for Justice; and Oregon Washington State Bar Association. Coletti has also served as an adjunct professor of Advanced Trial Advocacy at Lewis and Clark Law School.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2026 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2025 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2024 | |
| The 2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2023 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| The 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2022 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| The 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2021 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| The 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2020 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
| Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers | 2019 | Product Liability, Medical Malpractice |
Coletti is a Portland personal injury lawyer who has received several million-dollar and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients, some of which include:
- $49 Million Verdict against PacifiCorp for several survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Fires and the devastation suffered by the utility’s reckless inaction.
- $20.365 Million Verdict for the death of a 43-year-old mother and wife who was hit by an impaired driver while waiting for the bus.
- $13.9 Million Verdict against a garbage truck company that traumatically amputated a man’s leg while crossing in a crosswalk.
- $12.1 Million Verdict against the manufacturer of a defective lathe, which caused the death of a young man.
- $10 Million against the nation’s largest for-profit medical provider for prisons and jails for the estate of a 26-year-old incarcerated female who was denied medical assistance while suffering from opiate withdrawal, resulting in her death.
- $7 million Verdict for the death of a young man while working on high-energy transmission lines.
- $5.475 Million Verdict against the manufacturer of a defective pain medication pump, which destroyed the cartilage in a man’s shoulder.
- $3 Million Verdict for the death of a man killed by a defective road grader.
- $1.795 Million Verdict for a 49-year-old who suffered lumbar strain and shoulder injury while working aboard a railcar that experienced a severe jolt as a result of defective brakes.
Coletti’s verdict against the pain pump manufacturer was the first verdict in the country holding the manufacturers of defective pain pumps responsible for their dangerous products.
Coletti enjoys spending time with his family and is also an avid triathlete who has completed several Ironman Triathlons and marathons. Coletti also enjoys fishing and skiing.
Coletti is a former member of the Make-A-Wish Oregon Board of Directors and is actively involved in the community as a volunteer wish-granter.