• Business and Corporate Law
• Real Estate
• Estate Planning and Probate
• Elder Law
• School and Municipal Law
• Civil Litigation
• Taxation
• Construction Law
• Employment Law
• Insurance Law and Defense
• Land Use
• Water Law
• Business and Corporate Law
Our business and corporate attorneys have the skill and experience to assist with the organization, growth, management and sale or transfer of your business. We counsel our clients on appropriate business entity selection when starting (or “entering into”) a new business, including the use of limited liability companies, corporations, or partnerships. When contemplating a major business transaction, such as the purchase or sale of an asset or an entire business, we provide our clients with practical advice about potential deal structures and financing alternatives. Our goal is to give timely and practical business advice to limit our clients’ exposure to liabilities and ensure they are in compliance with the law.
• Real Estate
Our real estate law group advises real estate investors, lenders, developers, landlords, tenants, homeowner associations and municipalities on a wide variety of real estate transactions including leasing, sales, financing, and exchanges.
• Estate Planning and Probate
Our estate planning attorneys help clients design and implement comprehensive estate plans that minimize taxes and achieve the client’s goals for property distribution and family business succession and preservation. Through the estate planning process, we counsel our clients on the use of wills, revocable living trusts, health-care directives and powers of attorney. We also assist our clients to carry out their family and charitable gifting plans through the use of charitable trusts and family limited liability companies. When a family member dies, we help our clients properly administer the estate either through a probate proceeding or trust administration.
• Elder Law
We provide assistance with financial and health-care planning, protecting and preserving family assets, protective proceedings (conservatorships and guardianships) and related issues that face the elderly and those who care for them.
• School and Municipal Law
Through our school and municipal law group, our attorneys regularly provide guidance and advice in the capacity of both special and general counsel to school districts, cities, counties, and other municipal entities on a broad array of legal matters including public contracting, governmental regulation, proposing legislation and advising on employment matters.
• Civil Litigation
Our civil litigation team assists clients in resolving their disputes in a cost effective and efficient manner. We handle a wide variety of civil litigation matters including employment, construction, contract, landlord issues, and real estate disputes. We practice in both state and federal courts as well as alternative dispute resolution forums including mediation and arbitration.
• Taxation
Our attorneys have the expertise you need to make sound decisions that minimize tax obligations. We provide tax planning solutions and structures for complex real estate and business transactions, and business sales, mergers, and acquisitions.
• Construction Law
Our construction law practice group provides legal advice to developers, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and material and equipment dealers and suppliers. Legal services provided to our construction industry clients include the preparation and negotiation of construction, financing, and leasing agreements used in the development and construction of commercial, residential and industrial projects. If one of our construction industry clients is involved in a construction related dispute, our litigation department has extensive experience resolving such disputes by negotiation, mediation, arbitration and, if necessary, litigation.
• Employment Law
We provide business owners, employers and employer management representatives with up to date guidance and advice on matters of labor and employment law including labor/management relations, wrongful termination, equal employment opportunity, disability discrimination and other related subjects. Our attorneys help clients manage their workforce to minimize their liability exposure through training, education, and timely response to employer and management questions and problems.
• Insurance Law and Defense
We provide comprehensive legal services to insurance carriers and their insureds including defense of first and third party auto claims as well as premises liability, commercial general, and farm policy claims.
• Land Use
Our land use group advises developers and individuals on a variety of residential, commercial, and development projects, including zoning, entitlements, mixed use developments, condominiums, large and small scale commercial developments, and resort development. We also provide advice to cities and public entities on ordinance drafting, land use procedures, and writing land use laws. Sharon Smith has been a City of Bend Land Use Hearings Officer since 2001.
• Water Law
The members of our water law practice group represent Oregon municipalities, irrigation districts, individuals and businesses in a variety of water management issues. We represent clients in federal and state court litigation, and regularly deal with state and federal agencies. We are involved in state and federal legislative issues, particularly in the Deschutes basin.
