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.
About
Victoria Blachly
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
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
Valerie H. Sasaki
An energetic and talented tax attorney, Valerie is passionate about adding value to her clients’ businesses and having an immediate, positive influence. When working with individual clients, she strives to improve their lives by taking complex tax situations and breaking them into manageable pieces with achievable outcomes.
Ms. Sasaki specializes in jurisdictional tax consulting, working closely with Fortune 50 companies involved in audits before the Oregon or Washington Departments of Revenue. She also works with business owners on tax and planning issues in Oregon or Southwest Washington.
Valerie can be reached via email at vsasaki@SamuelsLaw.com
Practice Areas
Taxation
Business and Corporate
Professional Associations
Oregon State Bar
Oregon State Bar Taxation Section, Chair 2010
Oregon State Bar Tax Institute Planning Committee (2006-2011)
Washington State Bar
Portland Tax Forum, Chair elect, 2012; Executive Committee Member, 2010-Present
Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Founding Member
United States District of Oregon Courts
United States Western District of Washington Courts
United States Tax Court
Oregon Women Lawyers
Northwest Business for Culture and the Arts, Board Leadership Training Graduate, 2008
Education
Tulane University (B.A., 1998, magna cum laude)
University of Oregon School of Law (J.D., 2001)
University of Washington School of Law (LL. M., 2002)
Bar Admissions
Oregon State Bar (2001)
Washington State Bar (2001)
Steven W. Seymour
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
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)
Alan M. Spinrad
Alan M. Spinrad brings more than 30 years of experience as an attorney, arbitrator and mediator to serve his real estate industry clients. He regularly handles a broad range of real estate transactions on behalf of buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and borrowers. His clients include individuals, developers, real estate professionals, and a wide range of business entities. A skilled mediator, he also works to bring opposing parties together to resolve disputes outside of the courtroom.
Alan studied advanced mathematical methods at Carnegie-Mellon University, where he received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Industrial Administration. He then worked as a mathematical economist for an urban planning consulting firm, prior to law school at the University of Oregon. As a lawyer, Alan spent five years as a prosecutor before joining Samuels Yoelin Kantor in 1984. Alan litigated for the firm for a number of years, handling cases involving business and real estate disputes. That litigation experience has provided valuable insights for his transactional practice.
Alan enjoys time with his family, the outdoors, travel, and trying to learn other languages. He loves playing guitar and is a founding member of the Klickitat Street Basement Band.
Alan can be reached via email at ams@samuelslaw.com
Practice Areas
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington County Courts (Arbitrator)
- Oregon Court of Appeals (Mediator)
- Oregon Mediation Association
- Oregon State Bar Association (Member, Sections on Alternate Dispute Resolution, Construction, and Real Estate)
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court for the District of Oregon
- United States Tax Court
Education
- University of Oregon School of Law (J.D., 1978)
- Carnegie-Mellon University (M.S.I.A., 1974)
- Carnegie-Mellon University (B.S., 1971)
Bard Admissions
- Admitted to Oregon State Bar (1978)
Van M. White III
Van M. White, III’s practice focuses on construction law and business litigation. His legal work regularly includes construction liens and collections; contract drafting and negotiating; the prosecution and defense of construction defect claims; bond claims; and general counsel to construction contractors, material suppliers, and small business owners.
Van’s clients include property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and developers involved in residential, commercial and public works projects. He has also represented commercial lenders, title insurance companies, and investors in foreclosure and priority disputes. Significant matters recently handled include the defense of apartment developers in multiple lien foreclosure cases; the representation of a national lender in a lien foreclosure case (priority dispute involving major Central Oregon resort); and the foreclosure of an Oregon Coast property being developed as a resort.
Because Van understands that legal fees can add up quickly, he strongly advocates upfront risk management so that issues can be addressed before a project begins. He also regularly employs a cost-benefit analysis when helping a client make a decision, especially those involving payment disputes. He prides himself on being very hands-on with his cases and being a good communicator. By working with clients in a prompt, decisive manner, Van establishes solid channels of communication that allow the client to get the most out of his representation.
Van has authored a number of articles on Oregon construction law and related issues. He has also contributed to several articles in national publications. Some may recognize Van from his “Ask the Expert” column, which ran in the Sunday Oregonian real estate section and discussed how residential property owners should protect themselves with construction contracts. Van has also actively participated in construction trade associations over the years, including regular speeches and articles relating to construction law issues.
Van was a hearings advocate and law clerk at the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (“CCB”) from 1990-1992, while he attended law school at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. While at the CCB, Van prosecuted numerous enforcement cases on behalf of the State of Oregon. He also performed legal research while he clerked at the CCB.
Prior to graduating from Willamette University College of Law, Van began teaching prerequisite CCB education classes to contractors. Since 1992, Van has instructed hundreds of prerequisite CCB education classes to thousands of contractors in a wide variety of areas, including contract law, construction lien law, the CCB, and laws and business practices. Van still regularly instructs classes and CCB electives to contractors in areas related to contract law and lien law. He has also given numerous speeches over the years to construction companies, lawyers, and at trade shows.
Van is a member of the CCB’s Training and Education Advisory Board. Van has also assisted the CCB with the instruction and education of contractors, including editing and updating of the ninth edition of the Oregon Contractor’s reference manual.
Van is a graduate of Washington State University and a huge Cougar fan. Van is involved with the Cougar Business Alliance in Vancouver as well as a WSU networking group in Pullman.
Practice Areas
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- Contractor Ed (Instructor & Consultant, 1997–present)
- Multnomah County Bar Association
- Oregon State Bar Association (Member, Sections on Construction Law, Real Estate & Land Use, Labor & Employment, Business Litigation)
- United States District Court for the District of Oregon
- Washington State Bar Association (Member, Construction Section)
Education
- Willamette University College of Law (J.D., 1992)
- Washington State University (B.A., 1984)
Bar Admissions
- Admitted to Washington State Bar (1992)
- Admitted to Oregon State Bar (1993)
Michael D. Walker
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
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)
