Education

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

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. 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 found reward in helping her clients with complex family situations. Blachly is licensed in both Oregon and Washington.

Recognized by her peers and her clients.

Since 2014, she has been recognized as an Oregon Super Lawyer in the areas of Trust and Estate Litigation. Only 5 percent of Oregon attorneys are selected by Super Lawyers; these attorneys have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Since 2018, she has been included in Best Lawyers in America ©, for trust and estate litigation. In 2014, she was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, in 2016, Blachly was appointed to the Uniform Law Commission. The ULC 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.

A national speaker.

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

Jessica McConnell
Walker Clark

Professional Affiliations

  • Oregon Super Lawyer for Trust and Estate Litigation
  • Oregon State Bar Association
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Bar
  • Appointed by the Governor as an Oregon Uniform Law Commissioner, 2016 – present
    • 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.”
  • Commissioner, Uniform Law Commission Committee UDDA: Revisions to Uniform Determination of Death Act, 2020-present
    • Issues to be considered include the medical criteria for determining death, the distinction between irreversible versus permanent cessation of brain functions, the relevant regions of the brain, and several other issues.
  • Appointed to Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, 2014 – 2020
    • The GCSS is dedicated to enhancing and protecting the quality of life of all older Oregonians
  • Multnomah Bar Foundation
    • President, 2022
    • Secretary/Treasurer, 2020, Vice President, 2021
    • 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, 2016-2021
  • 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 – present
  • Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers in America©
    • Litigation – Trust and Estates, 2018 – present
  • 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, “Negotiating Tips for Parent Lawyers: Times Outs Aren’t Only for Toddlers”,Multnomah Lawyer, 2022
  • Speaker, “Our Aging Parents, How to Protect Them (or Ourselves) from Elder Abuse and Financial Fraud,” Northern Trust The Morning Scoop, 2022
  • Speaker, “Partnership Track,” Oregon New Lawyers Division, 2022
  • Interviewed, A Check on Our Justice System, Pro Bono Spotlight, Multnomah Lawyer, 2021
  • Speaker, “Phoenixes Rising, Women in Wonderland,” Queen’s Bench, Multnomah County Chapter of Oregon Women Lawyers, Portland, 2021
  • Author, “Court Appointed Guardians: Angels or Devils,” Multnomah Bar Association, Page 2, 2021
  • Author, “COVID-19 Lawyer Stress: SOS,” Multnomah Lawyer, 2020
  • Speaker, “Capacity and Substitute Decision Making,” Multnomah Bar Association Young Lawyers Section CLE, 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, 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

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