Rufus Probate Lawyers

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. ...

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.

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 represent individuals and small business owners in Oregon and SW Washington. I specialize in complex and business related dissolution actions. My cases are typically in Washington, Multnomah or Clackamas Counties in Oregon and Clark, Cowlitz or Skamania Counties in Washington. I also handle cases other counties throughout Oregon and Washington, including Clatsop County, Lane County, Linn County, Marion County, Columbia County, and Grant County. Each county has different local rules that apply to family law cases. I am committed to making sure that I keep up to date on changes to rules of practice for each county I...

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...

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...

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...

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.

Sean was raised in the Portland area then attended college at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he met his wife Danielle. After college, Sean worked for Enterprise Rent A Car in Spokane and Coeur D’Alene. Managing the various aspects of contracts inspired Sean to seek a law degree. He moved back to the Portland area to attend Willamette University College of Law. There, Sean was an Associate Editor of the Law Review, received a certificate in dispute resolution and graduated with honors.

Prior to moving to Redmond in 2013, Sean worked for the Marion...

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.

Third generation Oregonian; Lewis & Clark College BA and U of O JD; Practicing since 1981: Debt issues, Estates and Probate; Municipal Judge for over 15 years

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...

Jeff focuses his practice on estate planning, administration, and litigation. His practice grows from his experience in academic and pharmaceutical research, where he worked closely with oncology patients undergoing experimental treatments. He enjoys tackling complex issues, while keeping his clients’ real-world needs at the forefront of every decision. Jeff listens carefully to his clients to help them find the solution that’s right for them. His experience with scientific research taught him to be resilient and creative, and he enjoys applying this approach to advocate for his clients today.

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...

Masters in Taxation, New York University School of Law

Born and raised in Clackamas County, attended Law School in San Francisco, came back to Oregon in 2012. Father of two boys. My practice is primarily civil litigation with an emphasis on real estate. I also handle personal injury actions, estate planning and probate, and landlord-tenant law.

Firm Founder/Managing Attorney. Randal attended Portland’s Wilson High School before heading to California for college and then New York for law school. He was lured back to Portland in 1991 to work for a large, regional law firm. Thereafter, he started his own practice in Portland, OR. Randal offers significant trial experience and has represented a variety of businesses in most industries. Randal oversees all firm matters and focuses primarily on business representation and litigation

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.

Raised in the foothills of Mt. St. Helens, Amanda grew to love nature and commuting by bicycle in the city. She graduated magna cum laude from Western Washington University and with honors from Lewis and Clark Law School, as a member of the Cornelius Honor Society and recipient of the Environmental Leadership Award. For more than twenty-five years, teams have relied on her to build energy out of ideas. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, she received awards for her work with The Commons Law Center, including the Oregon State Bar's Oregon New Lawyer's Division's Public Service Award, the Oregon State...

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...

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...

Over 20 years practicing law in Bend, Oregon (Jan 1996). Extensive knowledge in Bankruptcy Law including consistent success with complicated Chapter 11 Bankruptcy cases. Extensive knowledge in Estate Planning and Probate Law. Member, Oregon State Bar House of Delegates. J.R. Campbell Inns of Court. Oregon State Bar Leadership College (2006) Personal: Married since 1996 with two children. Interests include skiing, tennis, backpacking, and classical piano.

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 Evans is an experienced attorney with over 40 years of experience representing individuals, families, farmers, ranchers, and business owners with their real estate, will and trust administration, estate planning, probate, and business related concerns. Mr. Evans is a member of the Marion County Bar Association and the Oregon State Bar Association as well as Oregon State Bar sections concerning Elder Law, Estate Planning and Administration, Agricultural Law, and Real Estate and Land Use law. Mr. Evans is licensed to practice in Oregon state courts and Federal U.S. District Court, and is appointed to serve as an arbitrator...

I grew up in Eugene, and live here with my family. I am a Sheldon High School graduate, Go Irish. I attended college at Oregon State University, but returned to Eugene to study law at the University of Oregon. I started my practice in 2015 and truly enjoy helping people put an estate plan in place.

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...