Born in Idaho, and after some extensive childhood travels with his family, Art spent his formative years in Prescott, Arizona. He graduated from Whitman College in 1978 where he focused on literature, politics and theatre, and later studied comparative literature at USC where he was a graduate teaching assistant in French. He received his law degree from The Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College in 1984.

Art started his legal career as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Oregon’s Insurance Fund (SAIF). This experience led Art to change hats and go into private practice representing injured and disabled individuals who have an uphill fight against the well-funded insurance industry. Art has represented hundreds of Oregonians whose claims have been denied or improperly processed. He has extensive litigation and appellate experience with the agencies and the courts where these matters are resolved. Art is very involved with the personal injury, sex abuse and employment departments of his law firm. He is licensed in all Oregon courts, the Federal District Court of Oregon, the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.