Portland Estate Planning Lawyers

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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

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...

Mark Kramer, Attorney, specializes in family law and civil litigation including personal injury, civil rights, and employment cases. He has more than 35 years of trial experience and extensive experience in family law issues ranging from adoption and contested custody to grandparent and psychological parent rights. Mark has served as a pro-tem judge for the Multnomah County Circuit Court. As co-counsel for the Oregon State Judiciary Committee and in private practice, Mark drafted family law legislation that is now Oregon law. Mark is the author of several articles about family law and is a frequent speaker on the subjects of...

Masters in Taxation, New York University School of Law

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...

Paul Loney has practiced law for over 27 years. In 2009, Mr. Loney developed the legal blueprint for Oregon’s first private cannabis club, “Highway 420,” and the first National high-profile cannabis café, “Oregon NORML’s Cannabis Café.” Mr. Loney’s practice focuses on a variety of legal issues associated with cannabis and hemp, specifically in the areas of business law and regulatory compliance.

Paul Loney has served as Oregon NORML’s legal counsel for over 13 years and has helped draft numerous cannabis-related legislative initiatives involving Oregon’s medical marijuana and recreational marijuana issues. He has assisted clients in drafting language for proposed additions...

Mr. Kane grew up in Oregon and obtained his bachelor's degree in Economics from Portland State University in 1991. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College in 1994 and became a member of the Oregon State Bar in 1995. He is admitted to practice in both state and federal courts in the State of Oregon. Mr. Kane has always focused on helping "the little guy" and has represented hundreds of individuals and small businesses in many areas of the law in both state and federal courts, including...

Samuel Hayden's practice focuses on the areas of estate planning, personal bankruptcy and criminal law. Prior to co-founding Hayden Bonucci, LLC, Sam accepted a clerkship with the Honorable Marilyn Litzenberger, in Multnomah County Circuit Court. During his time at the courthouse, Sam worked on matters ranging from small criminal proceedings to complex civil cases. Sam received his law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School. Prior to graduating, he received honors as a Best Oral Advocate and for his Pro Bono work. Sam also worked at the schools legal clinic helping low income clients deal with a variety of legal issues...

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...

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,...

Tax with emphasis in estate planning, trust and estate administration, and related business and real estate matters.

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...