West Linn Elder Law Lawyers

Michael’s practice emphasizes estate planning, estate administration, guardianships and conservatorships, long-term care planning, and special needs trusts.

Prior to attending law school, Michael gained experience working with seniors and people with disabilities while earning a master’s degree in social work. During law school, he added a financial perspective to his background working as a securities broker for Charles Schwab, Inc. Upon graduation, Michael clerked for the Honorable C. Jean Stewart, Judge of the Denver Probate Court. As an attorney, Michael draws on his background, representing seniors, people with disabilities, and their families on a range of planning, administration, and crisis-management issues.

Michael...

I’m a partner with Fitzwater Law and have practiced with this firm for 22 years. My practice emphasizes legal issues unique to the elderly and their families, including guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, probate estates, trust administration, and estate planning. Some of my favorite cases are the emergency (“temporary”) guardianships and conservatorships. I received my J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in 1998. I value helping people in times of crisis by making the legal system understandable. I pride myself on being reliable and thorough in my work, while striving to take the mystery out of the legal process. ...

Personal Injury Lawyer in Portland - WE ARE "4OregonPeople" Bart Herron has been an attorney for more than 26 years and has focused his practice solely on personal injury, representing clients all over the Portland metro area as well as seriously injured people all over Oregon. With former experience as a licensed social worker and pro-tem prosecutor, Herron can understand the situation you are in due to personal injury after a serious accident. Attorney Herron and the firm's team of professionals are dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of each client. Attorney Herron has an extensive background in both negotiation...

My practice emphasizes the legal and crisis issues faced by the elderly and their families, including incapacity, guardianship, long-term care, and end-of-life concerns. In my 30+ years of practice, I have truly enjoyed the relationships I have developed with my clients and their families. I have the privilege of helping and protecting them – often at one of the most difficult times in their lives. I count myself very fortunate because I like my job. I enjoy the wonderful group of attorneys and staff I work with every day. Most importantly, I get to help clients who need and appreciate...

I am a partner with Fitzwater Law. My practice consists of estate planning and administration, including the preparation of wills and trusts, gift and estate tax planning, special needs planning, and the administration of trusts and probate estates.

Estate planning and administration is the only area of law out there for me. There is no other area of law in which I would rather practice. Over the years I have discovered that my job typically consists of equal parts teaching, counseling and lawyering. Tellingly, teaching and psychology were the other careers I considered before deciding on law. I feel incredibly fortunate...

Conveniently Located
near the intersection of
Pacific Hwy (99W) and I-5

Ms. Kirkendall offers caring legal expertise in a practice that includes adoption, elder law, estate planning and probate. She specializes in the areas of probate, wills, trusts, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship, and adoption. A graduate of the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College, Ms. Kirkendall is a volunteer with OASIS and Legal Aid Services for Seniors, serves as a volunteer judge with the Tigard Police Department Peer Court, and is a member of the Oregon State Bar Standing Committee on Adoption.

Darin practices in the areas of estate planning, elder law, Medicaid, special needs planning, probate, estate tax planning, and trust administration. He is a member of the Oregon State Bar Estate Planning and Administration and Elder Law sections, the Multnomah Bar Association, and the Elder Law Section Executive Committee.

Darin Dooley enjoys helping people plan for their future, including the prospect of declining health. Darin understands how emotionally difficult the process can be and he wants his clients to feel good about their planning and confident that their wishes will be carried out effectively. Before becoming an attorney, Darin...

Jerold W. Hilary is a graduate of University of Oregon and Northwestern School of Law, Lewis and Clark College. He is an active member in the Tigard, Oregon business community and is a past president of the Tigard Chamber of Commerce. His practice focuses on business law, estate planning and probate and trust administration. He volunteers with Legal Aid Services for Senior citizens and is a volunteer judge with the Tigard Peer Court. In 2002 he received the Community Partnership’s Pro Bono Award for his volunteer work. He is a member of the Oregon State Bar,...

Garvin comes to the firm having worked as an attorney for the Legal Aid Services of Oregon. In addition to his wealth of litigation experience, he has expertise in the areas of guardianships, conservatorships and Medicaid planning. He has extensive experience representing victims of elder abuse, advocating for the rights of seniors who reside in care facilities and assisting seniors with consumer problems. Garvin has frequently spoken about elder law topics, giving presentations to audiences in nursing homes, to community organizations and through broadcasts on local television and radio programs. He is a past member of the Executive Committee of the...

Tim has combined decades of clinical social work experience and legal expertise to develop an insightful, innovative and people-friendly approach to assisting his clients. He is the founding President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and was recognized in 1992 as a Fellow of the Academy. Tim is a past President of the Oregon Gerontological Association, past Chair and founding member of the Elder Law Section of the Oregon State Bar and past President of the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. He is past Chair, Amicus Brief Committee-National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (2003-2006) and also a member...

Ginger Skinner enjoys providing expert advice and personable service to her clients to address their personal and corporate legal needs. With a Master of Laws (LL.M) in taxation, Ginger is uniquely capable of providing families and businesses with tax-sensitive estate planning and administration. She often works with her clients’ advisors such as financial planners and accountants. Ginger operates with a down-to-earth, no jargon style that clients find quite refreshing.

She founded Skinner Law, PC with the goal of helping Oregon businesses and families create advantageous estate and succession strategies, ultimately achieving greater harmony in family and business relationships.

Prior to...

We help families and business owners plan for now and the future. This is done through estate planning and business planning. Our process is to educate clients about opportunities - and problems - they or their family may encounter down the road. Next, we help them identify their priorities and goals, and then develop a plan to accomplish those goals. This sometimes involves using advanced legal structures and techniques, but we keep the explanations straight forward and understandable. After all, a great plan isn’t that great if you don’t understand it. Quality planning that you understand is...

I handle civil litigation, business, real estate, and fiduciary litigation matters. For litigation matters, my focus is Oregon state court, although I also appear in Oregon Federal District Court. I am well-versed in all phases of litigation and comfortable taking a case to trial. Given the risk and expense of litigation, many cases settle before trial. I have participated in numerous mediations and judicial settlement conferences. However, sometimes settlement does not make sense and a client needs their day in court. I thoroughly enjoy the challenges and complexities that trial brings and feel at ease...

I am a top-rated Portland, Oregon car accident and personal injury lawyer. As a former in-house trial lawyer for one of the nation's largest insurance companies, I learned what the insurance companies look for when analyzing cases. I know what buttons to push and I know how to maximize the value of your case, either at the settlement stage or through trial. There are a lot of personal injury attorneys in Oregon; very few can actually deliver on what I just described.

Heidi was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, coming from a family who has lived in the Pacific Northwest for four generations. Prior to law school, Heidi worked for five years as a victim’s advocate for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Her love of collaborating with clients to achieve a goal of safety for their future, stems from this work. Heidi is a graduate of Willamette University College of Law, where she received her Doctor of Jurisprudence. During her time in law school, she discovered her love for the area of estate planning, spending a year in a half in...

John’s practice is almost exclusively in the context of business and commercial disputes, with a particular emphasis on litigating limited liability company, corporate and partnership disputes, state and federal securities claims, construction contract and lien enforcement actions, and probate and trust matters in Oregon and Washington. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict and litigated hundreds of cases through arbitration, summary determination, or other successful adjudication. With a family background in business ownership, John possesses unique insight into his clients’ personal investment in and commitment to running successful businesses. Consequently, he prides himself on keeping his clients’ ultimate goals in...

Bonnie has been practicing law since 1997 as a trial lawyer. She represents clients on a multitude of cases including legal and professional malpractice, trust and estate litigation, complex commercial litigation and insurance coverage disputes.
Bonnie currently serves on the board of the Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association and has been an international representative for AFS Intercultural Programs - a nonprofit organization for cultural exchange. Bonnie is a national speaker on attorney legal malpractice and ethics, and she frequently presents at Continuing Legal Education seminars for attorneys for the Oregon State Bar, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Multnomah Bar Association, the...

Mr. Schneider established his law practice in Portland, OR in 1997. He has made a long-term commitment to providing first-class estate planning legal services to families and individuals within the Portland metropolitan area and the surrounding SW Washington region. He is pleased to have become a respected member of the Portland/Vancouver legal and business community. Mr. Schneider is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Estate Planning Council of Portland and is on the board of directors of the the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland. He is admitted...

College Degree in Education, emphasis in science, from Humboldt State University in 1976. While attending Humboldt State University, Larry Gray started and managed a successful family business. This business experience laid the foundation for Larry's appreciation of the interplay of the law, business, and personal finance. Law Degree from Northwest School of Law, Lewis & Clark in 1980. Passed the Oregon State Bar in 1980 Started private practice in Newberg, Oregon immediately after passing the Oregon State Bar. Over the last 30 years, Larry Gray has helped many families and individuals with a broad range...

I have practiced law in Portland, Oregon for over 50 years. I was an associate and a partner at Kell, Alterman & Runstein, LLP for over 25 years and now work as a solo practitioner from my home. I attended Colgate University and Suffolk University Law School in Boston. I have served as a member of the Board of Governors and as President of the Oregon State Bar.

I grew up in Tualatin with a giant family, one biological brother and numerous informally adopted siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. I earned a BS at Western Oregon University and both a law degree and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution right here at Willamette University College of Law. If the academics matter to you, I was named outstanding Male Graduate of the class of 2009 at WOU and was ranked 8th in the class of 2012 at WUCL. I’m looking to help others who, like so many of my informal siblings, have problematic biological or marital families and need to make sure...

About 80% of my practice is helping wronged consumers recover from businesses that have cheated them. The rest is a mix of end-of-life and estate planning for elders, wage and hour claims for employees, and advising or serving nonprofits as outside counsel or in providing nonprofit boards with training to avoid problems. I don't stray outside those basic areas much -- for example, I don't take personal injury cases, car crashes, or any family or criminal law cases. But if the problem is otherwise within Oregon civil law, I'm happy to be consulted and to help out...

Since 2010, serving people with consumer and employee law issues: I prefer to help people anticipate and avoid legal problems by understanding how the law affects them and what they need to do to get the results they want. But sometimes legal problems can't be avoided, such as when someone treats you unfairly and you need to respond. Sadly, among the many reputable businesses who pride themselves on treating everyone fairly, there are a few others, who often try to take advantage of their customers and even their employees at every opportunity. Many lawyers...

In the 1980s, as young newlyweds, Stan Butterfield and his wife, Connie, befriended an elderly neighbor; the 106 year old man was a treasury of stories. He enthralled Stan with tales of his work as a shipwright on some of the last of the merchant sailing ships and of his mid-life career change as a mechanic for the Wright brothers. It was with this old friend in mind that Stan began to advocate for the elderly; starting in 1988 as a Washington State legislator and then later in Oregon in his work as an attorney in private practice. In...

Nothing makes me happier than to help clients through a complicated legal issue and have them come out the other side ready to move on with their lives. Whether you are going through a probate, guardianship, adoption, need an estate plan, or starting a business, I can help you through the process. As a sole practitioner I like to work closely with my clients. Your legal issues are important to me and I want to be accessible. I am also Of Counsel with the Harris Law Firm and can tap into a team of outstanding attorneys that can...

Alan has been practicing law for 25+ years. He focuses on tax, estate planning, and business law. He has worked in both private practice and in association with established law firms. Before becoming a lawyer, Alan owned and operated several businesses. When handling his cases, he draws from his hands-on experience as an entrepreneur, providing valuable insight on real estate, business law, wealth management, and more. Alan received his law degree from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, CA and his Master of Science degree in Taxation from Golden State University in San Francisco, CA.

Joel joined Weatherford Thompson in 2002 after working one year with a law firm in Eugene, Oregon. A Washington state native before moving to Oregon in 1998, Joel utilizes his experience to assist individuals, businesses, developers, property owners, employers, and farmers in the Linn and Benton Counties. Joel is active in the Linn County Bar and the state bars, and has served as a member of the Oregon House of Delegates. He also volunteers for the Mid-Willamette YMCA, the Corvallis Community Children’s Centers, Peer Court, United Way, as well as several other smaller non-profit organizations. On his off time,...