Old School Ties, New School Networking - Because the Best Connections Never Graduate

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Can you imagine volunteering fifty hours a week after you retire?

Former attorney Steve Griffith enjoyed doing just that, and described the experience as effortless. “I just enjoy working with young people,” he said. “I like to show them how the world works, how interesting it is, how many opportunities there are for them to make a difference, and how much potential they have.”

Stephen Griffith was a graduate of Harvard College, the University of Oxford and Stanford Law School. He practiced law for 37 years with the Stoel Rives law firm in Portland, Oregon, where he was a general trial lawyer and adviser to high schools, colleges, and universities. 

 Notwithstanding his academic pedigree, Steve Griffith was the polar opposite. 

Besides his distinction as a litigator with a wide-ranging practice for thirty-seven years at Stoel Rives – one of the Northwest’s most prestigious law firms, he was esteemed for his reputation as a civic leader, friend and family man.Mr. Griffith taught history, government and economics for 25 years at the high school, college and graduate school levels in the United States and abroad. Steve was a beloved coach of the Lincoln High School Constitution team, which has won the national “We the People” competition three times in the last 10 years, and the principal author of the City Club of Portland’s study on high school civics education. 

As the first president of the Oregon Nikkei Endowment (1990-2009), Mr. Sakamoto helped establish the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center more than 30 years ago. Nikkei refers to Japanese emigrants and their descendants. Mr. Sakamoto also served as president (1990-2009) of the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland and contributed to the establishment of the Japanese American Historical Plaza on downtown Portland’s Waterfront in support of the development of the Nikkei community in Oregon. The Plaza is located in Old Town that was the heart of the Japanese American community before World War II. The 100 cherry trees that grace the Plaza were donated to the city by several Japanese trading companies through their business relationships with city by several Japanese trading companies through their business relationships with Mr. Sakamoto. Each spring, thousands of visitors enjoy the beautiful, but brief, blossoms. Culturally this is significant as many Japanese honor and respect the cherry blossoms’ transient beauty and viewing them is an important social event every year in Japan. After WWII, great quantities of wheat and wood were exported from Oregon across the Pacific. 

Since that time Japan has been importing almost half of its wheat demand from the U.S., 100 percent of it coming from the Pacific Northwest, making wheat one of Oregon’s most important exports. Currently, many Japanese companies, from the food industry to high-tech manufacturers, are active in Oregon, and a diverse and strong economic relationship continues to grow between Oregon and Japan.  https://henrysakamoto.com / OregonLive publsihed 12-28-2025