When I first meet a client, he or she is often coming to me at the most vulnerable time in their lives. The client may be overwhelmed, worried, angry, stressed, and unsure of what the future will bring. The part of my practice I enjoy the best is watching that client change throughout the process; sometimes so much so that the person I first meet is hardly recognizable when compared to the person sitting across from me at the end of their case. I like knowing that the person who leaves my office was better off because I was involved.

Whether in court or in settlement, I will be the most prepared person in the room, which means not only involving the right people, such as CPA’s, financial advisors, business evaluators or psychologists; it also means having the tough conversations with my clients. I will always be honest with my client, even if what I’m saying is not what the client wants to hear. My goal is to settle every case that comes through the door because in my experience, clients and families typically have better outcomes when a settlement can be reached. However, I am not afraid to go to court when necessary and I have litigated several complex family law cases, which my adversaries know about me.

I am proud to have helped create a firm with professionals who are not just the best at what they do, but who are also very good people. Our firm is rooted in the reason we became lawyers in the first place: to help people, and that starts with having compassion for everyone’s circumstances.

I enjoy spending time with my husband and three young, active kids. I also enjoy getting away to central Oregon or the coast, golfing when I can, and having a glass of good wine.