Jess Lyon: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Jess Lyon of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. In this interview, Jess talks about his path to becoming a lawyer and his passion for all things agriculture, food, and beverage. 

Jess shares about growing up in rural Washington and how his upbringing influenced his career path. He then dives into how he found himself going to law school after he discovered that he enjoyed helping people, especially those in agriculture, solve problems.

Later in the interview, Jess talks about how he found himself becoming involved in the Oregon wine industry. He also shares about some of the important deals, mergers, and laws he has been a part of. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Portland on June 25, 2025.

What is The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast?

The Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield University was created to collect, preserve, share, and continue the narrative of Oregon wine.

The growth of the Oregon wine industry extends from the farmers and winemakers to the marketers, scientists, innovators, and dreamers of the enterprise — all of whom are vital to the industry’s success. It is our aim to link the past, present, and future of the industry in hopes of sharing the story of Oregon wine.

Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.