Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration

Our estate planning practice group focuses on assisting individuals, families, and businesses with managing and transferring their assets. To help our clients develop estate plans, we use various tools to create effective business succession plans, decrease estate and gift taxes, and avoid probate when appropriate. We also counsel clients on ways to manage their assets during their lifetimes, especially in the event of incapacity.

Estate and Lifetime Planning

We help clients develop plans for the disposition of their assets after death. We also assist clients in planning and implementing lifetime gifts, and we counsel clients on post-death tax planning, including the preparation of federal and state estate tax returns. We have experience in estates utilizing the special valuation rules for farm property.

Business and Succession Planning

As counsel for some of the largest family-owned businesses in Oregon, we have helped them plan and deal with the transfer of ownership and/or management from one generation to the next. This includes buy-sell agreements, tax planning, liquidity, and employment agreements.

Probate and Trust Administration

Our firm handles both simple and complex probate and trust administration matters. While we use the Oregon small estate procedure whenever available, we also help clients administer estates and trusts that contain complex assets, such as family businesses or commercial real estate, collectibles (e.g., antiques and art collections), and timber interests. In addition, our attorneys handle ancillary probate proceedings.

Conservatorships and Guardianships

Our firm also works with clients who need to have a conservator or guardian appointed for a family member no longer capable of managing his or her own personal affairs.