Victoria Blachly:: Attorney - Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP

Victoria Blachly is a fiduciary litigator. She is a trial attorney, representing individual trustees, corporate trustees, beneficiaries, and personal representatives in often difficult and challenging cases. Mrs. Blachly’s cases including trust and estate litigation, will contests, trust disputes, undue influence, capacity cases, claims of fiduciary breach, financial elder abuse cases, and petitioning for court instructions, as well as contested guardianship and conservatorship cases. Since moving on from her state and then federal clerkships in the 1990’s, she has found reward in helping her clients with complex family situations. Mrs. Blachly is licensed in both Oregon and Washington.

A national speaker and expert in her field.

Blachly has been writing for and lecturing at national and state legal seminars pertaining to trusts and estates since 2001; she has engaged in state and national lobbying for updating laws for fiduciaries and vulnerable adults.

Recognized by her peers and her clients.

Since 2014, she has been recognized as an Oregon Super Lawyers in the areas of Trust and Estate Litigation. Only 5% of Oregon attorneys are selected by Super Lawyers; these attorneys have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. In 2014, she was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services. And in 2016, Blachly was appointed to the Oregon Commission on Uniform State Law; the commission works on nonpartisan proposed legislation to “bring clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law.” She was named a 2015 Portland Business Journal “Woman of Influence”. In addition, Blachly was “described by a peer as ‘very thorough,’ and is well known in the Oregon legal community for her expertise in fiduciary litigation,” in the Chambers High Net Worth 2016 publication.

Professional Affiliations

Oregon Super Lawyers for Trust and Estate Litigation
Oregon State Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association
Admitted to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Tribal Court Bar
Appointed by the Governor as an Oregon Uniform Law Commissioner, 2017
- Since 1892, the ULC has worked on proposed state legislation. “It provides states with non-partisan, well conceived and well drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of statutory law.”
Appointed to Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, 2014
- The GCSS is dedicated to enhancing and protecting the quality of life of all older Oregonians
Multnomah Bar Foundation
- Secretary/Treasurer, 2020
- Board Member, 2019 – Present
- The MBF is a non-profit, promoting civic education and community understanding of the legal system
Elected House of Delegates for the Oregon State Bar, 2013 – 2016
Estate Planning Council of Portland
WINGS: Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders
- Member, 2018 – Present
Oregon Women Lawyers
Oregon State Bar Elder Law Section Executive Committee
- Member, 2013 – 2015
Appointed to the Oregon Uniform Law Commission Probate Modernization Work Group, 2016
Chair of OSB Work Group on Digital Asset Legislation, 2011 – 2016
Observer to Uniform Law Commission UFADAA: Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Accounts Act, 2011 – 2015, current member of Enactment Committee
Subcommittee Member studying the Uniform Trust Code for Oregon 2005 legislature
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

Community & Charity Involvement

Oregon Alzheimer’s Association, Leadership Board Member, 2016 to present
Play it Forward, Advisory Board Member, 2017 to present
The Link for Women, a Northwest based organization that connects women from many walks of life
- Ambassador, 2014 – 2015
Vote ERA, Advisory Board Member for the passage of Oregon’s Equal Rights Amendment, 2014
Housecall Providers, Inc., an Oregon nonprofit that provides in-home medical and hospice care.
- Board Member, 2009 – 2015
The Office of Philanthropy at Legacy Health, member of Allied Professionals Council, 2014 to present
Founding member of SAVO: Special Advocates for Vulnerable Oregonians, now Guardian Partners
Dress for Success, Oregon, Board Member, 2006-2007
Oregon Lawyers Against Hunger, Board Member, 2003 – 2004
High School Dropout Prevent Program Coordinator for Multnomah Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, in conjunction with the Oregon State Bar New Lawyers Division, 2001 – 2003
Volunteer for Oregon Advocacy Center, Southeast Legal Clinic, 2000 – 2002

Select Honors & Achievements

Appointed to the Oregon Commission on Uniform State Laws, 2016
Selected for inclusion in Oregon Super Lawyers, 2014 – 2020
Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth: Private Wealth Law, 2016 – Present
- Chambers HNW recommended Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP among only 7 law firms in Oregon for its tax and estate planning, as well as our experience with “contentious trust and estate matters.” The publication covers 35 countries across the world, ranking attorneys, law firms, and other advisers.
Recipient of the Portland Business Journal “Woman of Influence” Orchid Award, 2015

Speaking Engagements & Publications

Author, “COVID-19 Lawyer Stress: SOS,” Multnomah Lawyer, June 2020
Speaker, “Recent Tools to Combat Financial Elder Abuse: Mandatory and Permissive Conduct Under FINRA Rules and Oregon Law for Securities Professionals,” Portland, 2019
Speaker, “Senate Bill 95: Safeguarding Seniors,” FPA of Oregon & SW Washington, Portland, OR, February 2018
Speaker, Brighton Jones “Women Living a Richer Life” Summit, Portland, 2017
Speaker, Oregon Public Health Association 72nd Annual Conference, “Inspiring & Education the 2017 Legislative Session,” Corvallis, 2016
Women, Wine & Word of Wisdom – Emerging Leaders for Oregon, Portland, 2016
Speaker, Estate Planning Council of Portland “War & PEAC: Battling the Tech Industry Back to the Negotiating Table,” Portland, 2016
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Speaker, “New Uniform State Law Ensures Fiduciary Access,” Monterey, California, 2015
Oregon Community Foundation Professional Advisor Philanthropy Forum Speaker, “Estate Planning & Elder Law Matters – Aging with Dignity,” Portland & Eugene, 2015
Oregon’s White House Conference on Aging, Speaker, “Retiring Security,” Lebanon, 2015
American Bar Association Speaker, “The Digital Estate,” Washington D.C., 2015
American Bar Association, Probate & Property, “What UFADAA Know,” national publication, 2015
American Bar Association, Probate & Property, “Planning for Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets,” national publication, 2015
Testified for Uniform Law Commission on legislative proposals, before House of Senate Committees, Salem, Oregon, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Helena, Montana, 2015
Oregon Women Lawyers Queen’s Bench Speaker, “Authentic Communication and Representing Elderly Clients,” Portland, 2014
Northwest Planned Giving Speaker, “Digital Asset Planning,” Portland, 2014
Presented on Guardianship Reform to Oregon 2014 legislature
The Seminar Group Speaker, “Virtual Assets: Integrating Virtual and Online Assets and Information into Estate Planning,” 2011
Oregon State Bar Speaker, “Administering the Basic Estate and Trust: Not So Basic Anymore“, Portland, November 2011
- Virtual Assets and Estate Administration
Oregon Law Institute Speaker, “ABCs of Decedent’s Estate Administration,” March 2011
ALI-ABA Speaker, “Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries,” Boston 2004, New Orleans 2005, San Francisco 2005, and Chicago 2011
The Seminar Group Speaker, “Best of CLE: Trusts and Estates,” Portland, 2008, 2009, and 2010
Lorman Education Services Moderator and Speaker, “Oregon Trust Law,” Portland, 2008
United States Law Firm Group Speaker, “Drafting to Avoid Fiduciary Litigation,” Seattle, 2008
Lorman Education Services Speaker, “Advising Fiduciaries in Oregon,” Portland, 2001

Victoria Blachly