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With roots dating back to 1927, Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP ranks as one of Oregon’s oldest law firms. We pride ourselves on being able to provide a relatively wide variety of legal services for our business and individual clients while having the expertise to handle various issues.

Victoria Blachly is a civil trial attorney located in Portland, Oregon, and licensed in the states of Oregon and Washington. She works on a wide range of litigation issues, with a primary focus on fiduciary litigation for individual trustees, corporate trustees, beneficiaries, and personal representatives, including trust and estate litigation, will contests, trust disputes, undue influence, capacity cases, claims of fiduciary breach, and financial elder abuse cases.

Victoria has a rating of 10.0 for her experience, industry recognition, and professional conduct. Read comments from her legal peers at Avvo.com.

Victoria is also a board member for Housecall Providers, Inc., a non-profit medical practice dedicated to delivering, coordinating and advocating for the quality medical care that homebound older adults need to experience healthful lives in their own homes. Housecall Providers grew from Executive Medical Director Benneth Husted, D.O.’s commitment to making housecalls, and in 2007, Housecall Providers made 9,444 home visits in the Portland area. As of August 2009, Housecall Providers was providing primary medical care for 1022 medically needy homebound individuals, with an average age of 82. For more information on their services or to make a donation, visit the Housecall Providers website. Victoria can be reached via email at vblachly@SamuelsLaw.com.

Practice Areas

• Business and Corporate
• Litigation
• Employment
• Mediation And Arbitration

Professional Associations

• Oregon State Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association
• Multnomah Bar Association
• Multnomah Bar Association, Service to the Public Committee
  • Member, 2001 – 2004, (secretary 2004)
• Oregon State Bar Federal Practice and Procedure Committee
  • Member, 1999 – 2004 (secretary 2004)
• American Inns of Court, Gus J. Solomon Chapter
  • Member, 1999 – 2004
• Subcommittee Member Studying the Uniform Trust Code to Oregon 2005 legislature
• Lorman Education Services Speaker, "Advising Fiduciaries in Oregon," 2001 Portland
• ALI-ABA Speaker, "Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries," 2004 Boston and 2005 New Orleans
• Lorman Education Services Moderator and Speaker, "Oregon Trust Law," 2008 Portland
• United States Law Firm Group Speaker, "Drafting to Avoid Fiduciary Litigation," 2008 Seattle
• The Seminar Group Speaker, "Best of CLE: Trusts and Estates," 2008 Portland

Education

• Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College (J.D., 1997)
  • Moot Court Honor Board Graduate
• Washington State University, Pullman, WA (B.S., Biology 1993)
  • Honors Program Graduate

Bar Admissions

• Admitted to Oregon State Bar (1997)
• Admitted to Washington State Bar (2000)
• Admitted to United States District Court for the District of Oregon
• Admitted to United States District Court for the District of Washington Bar

Steven W. Seymour is an accomplished litigator with an emphasis on labor and employment law. As an expert in civil litigation, Steve focuses primarily on cases involving disability, and sexual discrimination, wrongful termination, and non-compete agreements. Municipal judge for the City of Mosier, he formerly served as past Chairman of the Litigation Section of the Oregon State Bar. He is licensed to practice law in Oregon and Washington.

Over the past decade, Steve has argued and won a case before the US Supreme Court that received national media attention, including a feature article in Business Week. A trusted resource, Steve provides background information for radio and television stories and has been invited to lecture at venues including the Willamette University Law School, the American Bar Association Convention, and the National Monument Builders Association Convention. Steve has been invited to lecture at the University of Passau School of International Law in Passau, Germany during fall term, 2009. He will lecture on "Trial as Theater, The American Jury System."

Steve actively builds community by serving on the United Methodist Church Camp and Retreat Ministries Board, which owns and operates six church camps and retreat centers in Oregon and Idaho. His committee coordinates the health, safety, and operational infrastructure of these facilities to ensure opportunities for families, adults, and children to grow in wisdom and faith. As the Adjutant for Mosier Post 55 of the American Legion, he serves veterans of the US military and promotes patriotism in the community.

Steve also continues his lifelong commitment to the Boy Scouts of America, a program that builds leaders and teaches life skills.

Areas of Practice

• Litigation
• Employment

Emphasizing

• Employment Law Litigation
• Trial and Appellate Practice
• Business & Corporation Governance
• Trust & Estate Disputes

Professional Affiliations, present

• American Bar Association (Member, Litigation Section, Labor & Employment Section)
• City of Mosier (Municipal Judge)
• Multnomah County Bar Association
• Oregon State Bar Association (former Chairman, Litigation Section)
• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Court for the District of Oregon
• Washington State Bar Association

Professional Affiliations, past

• Deputy District Attorney for Multnomah County (1975–80)
• Oregon Legislative Assembly (Legislative Counsel Law Clerk, 1975 Session)
• U.S. Army Reserve (Lieutenant Colonel, Ret.)

Education

• Willamette University School of Law (J.D., 1975)
• University of Tubingen, West Germany (Graduate Studies, 1970–71)
• University of Iowa (B.A., 1968)

 Bar Admissions

Admitted to Oregon State Bar (1975)
Admitted to Washington State Bar (2002)

Michael D. Walker is a business, tax, and estate planning attorney who has worked with individuals and small to medium-sized businesses for over 20 years. Michael enjoys the challenge of guiding his clients through the wide variety of legal challenges they face in today’s complex world.

Michael graduated with high honors from both Northwestern School of Law and The College of Idaho. Michael is licensed to practice law in both Oregon and Washington, and is also admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court.

Authoring articles, conducting seminars, and speaking for organizations and businesses, Michael covers such topics as sophisticated estate planning, business transactions, corporations, limited liability companies, family limited partnerships, joint ventures, and 1031 exchanges.

An active member of the Portland community, Michael has served on the Estate Planning Council of Portland, and is past President of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Beaverton, Oregon. Michael can be reached via email at mwalker@SamuelsLaw.com.

Practice Areas

• Taxation
• Real Estate
• Business and Corporate 
• Estate Planning

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association (Member, Sections on Business Law, Taxation, & Real Property, Probate, & Trust Law)
• Multnomah County Bar Association (Member)
• Oregon State Bar Association (Member, Sections on Business Law, Debtor/Creditor Law, Estate Planning & Administration, Real Estate & Land Use Law, and Taxation)
• Washington State Bar Association
• United States Tax Court
• Estate Planning Council of Portland

Education

• Northwestern School of Law (J.D., 1988, magna cum laude)
• The College of Idaho (B.A., 1985, magna cum laude; Lawrence Henry Gibson Scholar in Political Science & History)

Bar Admissions

• Admitted to Oregon State Bar (1988)
• Admitted to Washington State Bar (2009)