My goal is to give clients the personal attention of a small firm with the depth and resources of a larger team behind them.
How I represent clients at Schwabe
I am an estate planning and elder law attorney with more than 15 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate complex planning and administration matters. My practice focuses on estate planning, special needs planning, trust and estate administration, incapacity planning, and guardianship and conservatorship matters. I work closely with clients to develop practical, personalized plans that protect their families and reflect their goals.
I advise clients on a broad range of estate planning matters, including estate tax mitigation, disclaimer planning, and probate avoidance. I also counsel fiduciaries and families in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, particularly where special needs considerations are involved.
I present on topics such as trustee selection, special needs planning, incapacity planning, fiduciary duties, and estate tax planning. I have authored and co-authored publications and practice resources, including chapters in Oregon State Bar BarBooks™ addressing special needs trusts and substituted decision-making.
Experience
- Assists clients with special needs trust planning and administration.
- Represents and advises petitioners, fiduciaries, and families in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings in Oregon.
- Drafts estate plans ranging from simple to complex, including estate tax mitigation and disclaimer planning.
- Prepares incapacity planning documents, including powers of attorney and advance directives.
- Represents personal representatives in probate pleadings in courts throughout Oregon.
- Assists trustees with after-death trust administration.
- Guides high-net-worth clients through complex trust administrations, including practical advice on trust terms and the disposition of assets.
- Prepares Oregon estate tax returns.
Education
- Lewis & Clark Law School, Juris Doctor degree (2009)
- New York University, Bachelor of Arts (2003)
Admissions
- Oregon State Courts
Memberships
- Oregon State Bar Elder Law Section, Executive Committee Member (2019 – present)
- Oregon State Bar Executive Committee Chair (2023)
- Oregon State Bar Newsletter Committee Chair, Estate Planning Section (2021-2024)
Awards
Oregon Rising Stars List, Elder Law (2020)
Additional Publications
- Chapter 12, “Special Needs Trusts,” Administering Trusts in Oregon (Oregon State Bar BarBooks 2018 ed. and 2024 rev.)
- Chapter 2, “Substituted Decision-Making: Responding to Declining Capacity,” (Co-Author), Elder Law (Oregon State Bar BarBooks 2017 ed.)
- Rules implementing new definitions of income and assets under Section 8 program go into effect January 1, 2024, (Co-Author), Oregon State Bar Elder Law Newsletter, Vol. 26, No. 4 (November 2023)
- Effects of special needs trusts on Section 8 housing, Oregon State Bar Elder Law Newsletter, Vol. 25, No. 3 (July 2022)
- Transferring a home to a caregiving daughter or son, Oregon State Bar Elder Law Newsletter, Vol. 23, No. 2 (April 2020)
Additional Events
- Medicaid Eligibility Standards and Practices, (co-presenter), Oregon State Bar CLE, The Art of Elder Law: A Broad Brushstroke Overview, October 1, 2021
- Trustee Selection and Asset Protection Planning, HalfMoon Education CLE, Estate Planning, December 6, 2018
- Events That Affect Eligibility for Benefits, Oregon State Bar CLE, Elder Law: Preparing Clients for the Future, October 5, 2018
- Medicaid Eligibility for Long Term Care and Medicaid Issues and Planning Strategies, (co-presenter), Oregon State Bar CLE, Elder Law Elements, October 2, 2015
Services
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