La Grande Estate Planning Lawyers

BRENT SMITH
Brent Smith is an Eastern Oregon civil litigation lawyer. He regularly tries cases to judge and jury in both state and federal courts. He uses litigation experience to give clients strategic advice about their legal problems and help them arrive at a solution. Brent’s goal is to make sure people who live in Eastern Oregon can obtain expert advice from a lawyer living in their region.

PRACTICE AREAS
Civil Litigation
Eminent Domain
Personal Injury
Insurance Defense
Estate Planning and Administration

BAR ADMISSIONS
Oregon State Bar
United States District Court of Oregon
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

EDUCATION
University...

WYATT BAUM
Wyatt was raised in Eastern Oregon and has close ties to the community. He regularly attends public meetings to advise Councils and Boards. He assists public bodies solve their legal problems. He is committed to helping local businesses grow. He provides proactive advice to help businesses and public bodies avoid legal problems. He is a member of the Oregon City Attorneys Association, Oregon County Counsel Association, Oregon School Boards Association, and Oregon Family Lawyers Association. Wyatt is trained in dispute resolution and assists the public bodies he represents to accomplish their mission while avoiding needless controversy. He is...

I have been serving clients in Northeast Oregon for 16 years. I mostly practice in Union, Baker, Wallowa, Grant and Umatilla Counties. For a better idea of what I do and how I can help you, please review my website.

Michael O’Brien’s practices focuses on discrete, customer-specific solutions for individuals and small business owners facing insolvency, bankruptcy or foreclosure problems. With an eye towards protection of the individual and his/her family and assets, he strives to plan for a soft touchdown at difficult time as opposed to a crash landing. Mr. O’Brien is a results oriented attorney who helps his clients obtain common sense, practical results to get them back on the track to prosperity. Michael O’Brien is one of only three attorneys in the state of Oregon who is certified as a Consumer Bankruptcy Specialist by the...

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. ...

Born and raised in Medford, Mike is a native of Southern Oregon and loves all that the area has to offer. Following his graduation from South Medford High, Mike played basketball at Portland State and Western Oregon before finishing his undergraduate degree at Southern Oregon University. Competing at a high level in basketball has taught Mike the value of hard work, commitment, communication and teamwork. He strives everyday to apply these lessons to his professional life as an attorney and is committed to providing the best possible service to his clients.

Currently, Mike lives in Medford with his wife and two...

Patricia grew up in Montana. She graduated with honors from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. She worked for several years in California after graduating from college before returning to law school. She graduated magna cum laude from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon in 1993.

She clerked for the Honorable Edward Levy of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1993-1994 in Portland, OR. Upon completing that one-year assignment, she moved to Bend, OR, to begin working for Merrill O'Sullivan. She was with that firm for nearly 12...

Joanna Posey became a lawyer because she wanted to help people. Drawn to family law after opening her own practice, Joanna takes pride in being able to empower her clients during an otherwise stressful and emotionally charged time in their lives. She finds it extremely gratifying to help a client take the first steps toward a new beginning, and enjoys working to resolve the unique issues in each case.

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...

Roger K. Evans is an experienced attorney with over 40 years of experience representing individuals, families, farmers, vineyard owners, and business owners throughout Salem, the Willamette Valley, and across Oregon. Raised on a family farm in Polk County and deeply rooted in the region, Roger began his legal career working alongside his father, Keith D. Evans, at the firm of Goodenough & Evans, which was established in the 1960s. Today, through Evans & Associates, he continues that legacy by providing trusted counsel in estate planning, probate, trust and will administration, and business law. Mr. Evans is a member of the Marion...

I represent clients in immigration law, estate planning, and criminal defense matters.

My passion for immigration law comes from living abroad for several years. As the son of immigrants, I understand the importance of obtaining professional assistance when seeking immigration benefits such as Employment Authorization, Lawful Permanent Residency and U.S. Citizenship. I enjoy representing international clients from all walks of life and take pride in family unity.

Helping clients design estate plans is both an art and a science. I take pride in assisting individuals and couples wanting to “plan ahead”, preserve assets, and avoid the time and expense of probate. I...

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...

For over 25 years, our trusted Bend estate planning attorneys have guided Central Oregon families through wills, trusts, probate, and guardianship with compassion. Specializing in minimizing taxes, avoiding costly probate disputes, and safeguarding assets, we craft tailored solutions for conservatorships, elder law, and incapacity planning. Our local expertise ensures your legacy aligns with Oregon’s laws while protecting loved ones—from assigning guardians for minors to managing high-value properties. Whether navigating blended families, digital assets, or Medicaid eligibility, we prioritize clarity and family harmony. Our Attorneys are passionate about what they do. See What's Possible, From Every Angle.

Focused practice in high asset and complex divorce and custody issues.

Natalie's practice consists of estate planning, real estate law, drafting and negotiating employment contracts as well as general contract negotiations, dispute resolution, establishing and maintaining corporations, LLCs and other business entities, representing clients in both restructuring and mergers, advising on regulatory compliance for her clients, providing guidance and legal support for her business clients' day-to-day operations, as well as trademark and copyright protection. Prior to making Oregon her home, Natalie practiced as a business transactional attorney in NYC for a number of years. She worked in the investment banking division of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and in the legal...

I was born and raised in Eugene, where I currently reside with my family. I graduated from Sheldon High School—Go Irish! For college, I ventured to Oregon State University before returning to Eugene to pursue my law degree at the University of Oregon. Since starting my practice in 2015, I have found great satisfaction in assisting individuals with their estate planning needs.

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...

I am a reformed litigator. While rewarding, litigation focuses on cleaning up messes due to poor planning. I knew there was a better way to practice law, and I find it much more rewarding. That better way is to serve my clients as an Estate Planning Attorney and Business Planning Attorney.

My new role is to help my clients avoid the need of a litigator’s services. Working with my personal and business clients I strive to anticipate and head off problems that far too often end up costing lots of money to deal with.

I help families, individuals and their loved...

Attorney at Betts Patterson Mines, focusing on trusts & estate planning; probate and trust administration; charitable giving and planning; business succession planning; planning for special needs; advise on income, estate, gift, and generation skipping transfer tax; guardianships and conservatorships; federal and state estate tax returns.

I have devoted my career to delivering high-quality legal assistance to all who seek my help. My focus is on guiding individuals through their intricate legal challenges, always taking into account their specific needs. I am well-versed in handling estate planning, inheritance disputes including will contests, guardianships and conservatorships, trust administration, and probate. I pride myself on attentively listening to clients' concerns and aim to maintain outstanding communication with our clients. If you are in search of a diligent attorney who will tirelessly advocate for you, please give me a call today!

Lauren Barnhart grew up in Tacoma, Washington with her mom, three brothers and a village of aunts and uncles. Lauren learned at an early age that hard work and creative solutions can allow you to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Lauren realized early on that she would need to find her own way to pay for college, so by her senior year, she had secured a full-ride music scholarship to a four-year university, and performed in Carnegie Hall as the principal bassoonist in the Tacoma Youth Symphony. Lauren entered law school with lofty ambitions of bringing international war criminals to justice, but...

Aaron Ferreira grew up in Livermore, California. As an undergrad, he attended the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), first studying Computer Science and then graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. After graduation, he got his feet wet in the legal profession by working for three years as a legal assistant in Shell Beach, California.



In 1997, Aaron entered the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, in Portland, Oregon. While attending law school, he participated in law review as a Research Editor and then Articles Editor for the...

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...

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...

Steve has been practicing law since 1994, graduating from University of Oregon Law School where he served on the Managerial Board of the Oregon Law Review.

Steve has served as a Municipal Court Judge for the Cities of Newberg, Sherwood, Dayton, Dundee, Yamhill-Carlton, and McMinnville. He is a current member of the Estate Planning and Domestic Relations Sections of the Oregon State Bar as well as the Yamhill County Bar Association.



Steve is a managing partner at the law firm, Brown Tarlow Bridges, & Palmer, PC in Newberg, Oregon. Steve's practice focuces primarily on:



Family Law including:

Complex Dissolutions &...

Rose L. Hubbard, Attorney at Law has 35 years of experience tackling family law matters, including complex cases involving divorce, modification, child support/custody, spousal support, paternity, and grandparent rights. We can also assist with wills and estate planning to help ensure that your assets and properties are protected. As skilled advocates, we are adept at finding balanced, favorable resolutions to disputes. Through mediation, negotiation, all the way to a trial, our attorneys personally guide you through your legal issue with compassion and hands-on support. We explain to you what you can expect every step of the way, and give...

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...

James Oberholtzer has provided legal services to clients for over 35 years. He has provided legal representation to: Families. Estate planning, family wealth planning, wills and trusts, taxation of wills and trusts, guardianship and conservatorships, creation and administration of trusts, and probate of estates. Entrepreneurs. Closely held companies, family partnerships and individual entrepreneurs in formation and finance of enterprises, acquisitions and joint ventures, strategic planning and executive compensation, entity governance, integration of tax, legal and business objectives, protection of intellectual property and selection and supervision of local counsel. Senior Housing. Senior housing owners and operators...

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...

De Alicante Law Group LLC's (DLG) dedication to serving others is reflected in delivering excellence in legal services, giving peace of mind, knowledge, confidence, and personalized legal solutions to clients in estate planning, probate and business law. DLG's 30 years of international experience across public and private sectors, and advanced experience and training in estates and tax law, brings needed depth and experience to clients in developing customized, trust-centered estate and tax planning, in representing clients through probate proceedings, and in representing clients in their business ventures from business formation, through the business life cycle and being there through the...

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

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...

Michael S. Evans has been licensed to practice law in Oregon since 1985. He has handled a wide range of family law cases, as well as many matters involving business litigation. His knowledge of family law and business law has given him a unique perspective on how to handle the financial aspects of family law matters. Mr. Evans also has extensive experience in interstate child custody disputes. He has presented on various topics to the legal community, including child support, property division, prenuptial agreements, and more. He has been featured in the Ask the Expert column in the Oregonian.

Bradford F. Miller began working for Stahancyk, Gearing, Rackner & Kent as a law clerk. While in law school at the University of Oregon, Brad also worked for a law firm specializing in taxation, estate planning, and business transactions and clerked for the Honorable Dennis Hubel, a federal magistrate judge in Portland. Realizing that his passion lay in family law, Brad returned to the firm, then called Stahancyk, Kent & Hook, and continued to work part-time during the school year, through his bar passage. Having learned the value of good planning, Brad was the primary associate for Senior Shareholder Jody...

Mr, Carter has been practicing law in Oregon courts for over 20 years. He speaks fluent Spanish. After graduating from law school, Mr. Carter began practicing law in 1995 at Garland and Associates in Hillsboro, Oregon. Two years later, he accepted a position as a Deputy District Attorney I Klamath County- a position he would hold or over seven years. Mr. Carter then opened his private practice,

Karen Oakes was raised as an Army officer’s daughter — living in various areas of the United States and Panama. Ms. Oakes was born in Michigan and has lived in Georgia, California, South Carolina, Virginia, and Idaho. While living in California as a young adult, she married and began her family. The family expanded dramatically in 1984 when three nieces/nephew were added to the family.

During her third year of law school, Ms. Oakes was selected for a national position with the American Bar Association/Law Student Division as the student director of the national...