Merrill 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...

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

Rob Le Chevallier practices business law, business formation, estate planning, trust administration, real estate law, and corporate financing. Rob serves as corporate counsel for a variety of manufacturing and service companies. He has been described by the Oregonian as “the legal profession’s equivalent of a midwife” to hundreds of businesses in the Portland area.

Rob particularly focuses on the estate planning needs of business owners, who are often so preoccupied with their business that they neglect their own succession issues. Rob prepares estate plans for business owners and other high net-worth individuals and their families with an...

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...

Wendy’s practice includes dissolution of marriage proceedings, legal separations, modifications of child custody, child support and spousal support, and contempt and enforcement proceedings. Wendy’s practice also includes probate administration, estate planning, and protective proceedings.

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...

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...

Lauren Barnhart was always fascinated with “the rules.” She believes that rules create predictability and clarity, and apply to everyone equally. It was this fascination with rules that led Lauren to become an attorney. As an attorney, Lauren helps families navigate through what can be the most difficult time of their lives-divorce. She works to develop a relationship with her clients and demonstrate that their case genuinely matters. Lauren was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington, and was a member in the Tacoma Youth Symphony where she performed at Carnegie Hall. When Lauren is not assisting...

Attorney at Caress Law, PC, 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.

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...

Masters in Taxation, New York University School of Law

Benjamin Ybarra, Attorney at Law is a general practice that serves the Portland metropolitan area. I work with individuals and businesses in a variety of transactional areas and legal disputes.

Jessica values the preservation of familial relationships for the sake of family unity and ensuring simplicity in future dispute resolutions. She understands that each family is different, and is committed to working toward solutions that best fit the needs of you and your family.

Jonathan D. Mishkin, LL.M., has 15+ years as a practicing tax and estate planning attorney where he utilizes his extensive background in individual, corporate, international and real estate taxation along with knowledge in asset protection/estate planning techniques to consult with clients in matters of estate planning and tax mitigation strategies.

Mr. Mishkin has an economics and political science degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center where he served as the Graduate Tax Policy Scholar advising the United...

Katie is a shareholder at Hurley Re, P.C. practicing in the areas of Estate Planning & Administration, Probate, Guardianships and Conservatorships, and Elder Law. Prior to joining Hurley Re, she spent seven years as a Deschutes County deputy district attorney and two years practicing civil litigation, business law, and municipal law. During her time at the district attorney’s office, Katie led the Deschutes County Senior and Disabled Adult Multidisciplinary Team. Katie attended Mountain View High School in Bend, and went on to receive her B.A. in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University, and her J.D. from University of Denver, Sturm College...

Jason Pierson became a lawyer to be a voice for people who feel trivialized by divorce-especially children. During a divorce, a child can sometimes feel as though their opinion doesn’t matter. Jason’s passion is to advocate for his client's children and help them succeed. Prior to attending law school, Jason worked as a paralegal in Las Vegas mostly in construction defect law firms for about eight years.

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.

Sam began his legal career auditing court guardianships, conservatorships and probate estates in Multnomah County Circuit Court. He joined the firm in 1987 to focus on those issues, long-term care cost planning (including Medicaid) and to advise on trust and estate administration. Currently he also has many clients for estate planning and inheritance/estate tax advice. Sam is one of the original members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Sam has always devoted a lot of time to public policy issues. Sam has served on committees that drafted the guardianship and conservatorship statutes, drafted the probate accounting rules, prepared the...

J.D. University of Oregon Law School 2013 - Statement of Completion in the Estate Planning Program

With experience planning and administering Oregon estates of all sizes, I am a firm believer that quality representation can be both comprehensive and affordable. Consideration for each client's unique financial, family, and health interests is the key to determining the best way to protect those interests. I work closely with each of my clients to ensure their needs come first, whether preparing a will or assisting after the death of a loved one. I am committed to providing my clients with experienced representation that is personalized and affordable for everyone. Services Provided: - Probate - Wills - Trusts - Tax & Estate...

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...

Attorney Adam Famulary is dedicated to providing asset protection and estate planning to Oregon residents, and enjoys spending time each month analyzing virtually every new court case in the United States that deals with asset protection in order to offer the best services to his clients. He prides himself in tailoring estate plans to each client's needs, regardless of how large or small their estate is. He has worked on estates of over $10 million dollars in value. Adam's trusts have held up under scrutinization of opposing counsel. Prior to opening his own law firm, Adam...

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...

Lesley V. Herring is a native of Louisiana who moved to Portland, Oregon in 2011. She completed her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in 2003 and obtained her Master’s Degree in Philosophy in 2005. Ms. Herring received her J.D. from Michigan State University in 2010. She has dedicated her legal practice to the areas of family law and estate planning. Ms. Herring takes a direct and pragmatic approach in advising her clients and developing solutions which fit their needs. She is a strong advocate for children’s rights.

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...

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.

I was raised near McMinnville and am a 5th generation Oregonian. I completed my bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management at Oregon State University. Upon graduating I moved home to join my family’s vineyard management and winemaking business, and start my own business, a tavern in downtown McMinnville.

During my experience working for my family’s company, I partnered with my parents and siblings through difficult business decisions. This led to an interest in the legal profession and eventually the decision to go to law school. I graduated from Willamette University College of Law cum laude. I also completed the estate planning...

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...

I am the President of Hillsboro Law Group PC, an Oregon law firm dedicated to helping clients find long-term solutions to difficult legal issues. My practice focuses on family law and wills, trusts, and estates.

Serving clients in Northwest Oregon, including St. Helens, Scappoose, Rainier, Clatskanie, and Astoria, since 1976. I have always advocated with thoroughness, passion, and compassion, for fairness and justice for all.

Jeff moved his practice to Lake Oswego in 2006. Since then, he and his team have helped numerous businesses and individuals navigate through turbulent legal waters. When the housing and banking crisis hit hard, Jeff was one of the few attorneys in Oregon who was willing to take on the complex defense litigation against the banks and mortgage servicers to help Oregon homeowners fight to save their homes from foreclosure. He has been instrumental in shaping Oregon foreclosure practice, most notably with successful appeals in US Bank vs. Vettrus, 285 Or App 629 (2017) and US Bank vs. McCoy, 290...