We’re excited to welcome three new attorneys to the Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP family: The Honorable Donald W. Hull, Denise Gorrell and Ben Leedy.
The Honorable Donald W. Hull has joined the firm as senior counsel. Judge Hull retired in December 2011 after serving 22 years on the bench for Circuit Court, District 7, which includes Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties. Judge Hull has presided over an incredible variety of cases throughout his 22 years on the bench. His extensive knowledge of complex and, oftentimes, emotional cases — as well as his experience in private practice — provides a valuable resource for our attorneys and clients.
You can contact Judge Hull directly at dhull@samuelslaw.com.
Denise has joined the firm as a partner focusing on business and litigation. Prior to law school, Denise spent 11 years on the Seattle restaurant scene, including stints at the award-winning Wild Ginger restaurant and wine retailer Esquin. This first-hand experience helps her understand the unique challenges that food and beverage entrepreneurs face when planning, launching and running their businesses. Denise also maintains a successful business and fiduciary litigation practice, frequently representing clients in real estate disputes, business dissolutions, and trust contests.
Contact Denise at denise.gorrell@samuelslaw.com
Ben joins the firm as an associate, with a focus on the areas of commercial real estate, real estate development and finance, and retail and office leasing. He frequently represents clients in purchase and sale transactions, as well as real property secured lending transactions, including loan modifications, workouts, and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure. An experienced presenter and author, Ben has spoken and written about a variety of topics including commercial mortgage loan workouts, employment contracts and legal developments affecting the management of golf courses and private clubs.
Ben can be reached at ben.leedy@samuelslaw.com.
- Being an active community member is important to our attorneys, and we’re pleased to announce that Victoria Blachly has been named a Member-at-Large for the Elder Law Section of the Oregon State Bar. She is also a member of an Oregon State Bar work group to address modifying statutes to clarify that a personal representative, trustee, or conservator has the legal authority to access online information. In addition, she has been named to the Multnomah Bar Association’s Equality and Diversity Committee.
- Jeff Cheyne has been elected to the Portland Tax Forum Board, and was also named Treasurer for the Oregon State Bar’s Estate Planning and Administration Section.
- Eric Wieland is a member of Leadership Portland’s class of 2012. He also serves on the CLE Committee for the Oregon State Bar’s Estate Planning and Administration Section.
- Glen Goland has joined the board of Housecall Providers, the only nonprofit primary care medical practice in the Portland metropolitan area to provide in-home physician and nurse practitioner services to homebound seniors and persons with disabilities.
- Ben Leedy has been appointed to the Education Committee of the Real Estate and Land Use Section of the Oregon State Bar.
- Five of our attorneys were named to the 2011 lists for Oregon Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Firm partners Merritt Yoelin, Stephen Kantor, Steve Seymour and Jeff Cheyne were all named Oregon Super Lawyers, and Eric Wieland was named an Oregon Rising Star. Attorneys from the firm have received recognition from Super Lawyers for the past six years.
- In addition, the firm earned a “Best Law Firms 2011” ranking from U.S. News and World Report for Tax Law and Trust & Estate Law categories.
- The Samuels Yoelin Kantor letterhead, envelope, notecard and business card designs received a 2011 Gold Award from Neenah Paper, a leading international producer of fine paper products. Jeff Fisher, of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, designed the stationery package for the firm as an element of last year’s rebranding effort.
- Our attorneys are offering a full slate of educational seminars to help keep clients and colleagues informed on recent developments and industry best practices. Most of the seminars take place here in our state-of-the-art conference room on the 38th floor of the US Bancorp Tower. Seminars are complimentary, and CPA participants may qualify for (1) Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit.
- Upcoming topics through June include (dates subject to change):
- March 15: Planning for married couples and domestic partners in Oregon
- April 19: Trusts 101: maximizing control over your assets
- May 24: Understanding transfer tax fundamentals
- June 7: Trust and Estate Litigation
For details, please email events@samuelslaw.com
