DUFFY KEKEL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- the Joint Trust in Oregon
Job Titles:
- Business Counsel, Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Real Estate
Astrid joined Duffy Kekel in 2020. Her practice includes estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable organizations, business law, and real estate law.
After attending the University of Washington, Erin La Voie joined Duffy Kekel in 2001. Erin's primary focus is the administration of probate estates and trusts, and preparing federal estate tax and state inheritance tax returns. She is also experienced in the areas of conservatorships and guardianships. Erin is a current member of the Oregon Paralegal Association.
Jamie Gilmore received her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1983. After working in the areas of real estate, insurance and finance, she obtained her Paralegal Certificate from UCLA in 1991. Since that time, Jamie's primary area of focus has been estate planning, trust and estate administration, and estate and gift tax return preparation. In 1999, Jamie became qualified by the National Association of Legal Assistants to provide Certified Paralegal services. Jamie joined Duffy Kekel LLP in 2006.
Jessica focuses her practice on estate planning and administration,
business succession planning and charitable giving. In estate planning, Jessica works with clients whose estate range from modest to high net worth. Jessica enjoys getting to know her clients and assisting them in developing an estate plan that is appropriate for their situation. She has experience with sophisticated estate planning techniques, including insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, charitable trusts and sales to grantor trusts. Jessica also works with charitable organizations. She has helped clients form private foundations and has advised charitable organizations on a range of matters.
Jessica has spoken on estate and gift tax and fiduciary income tax
topics at meetings of the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar Association. Jessica was selected as a Fellow for the American Bar Association's Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Fellows Program for 2012-2014. She continues to be involved with the leadership of the ABA Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section and is currently an Acquisitions Editor for the Real Property, Trust and Estate Journal and a Vice Chair of the Charitable Organizations Group.
Job Titles:
- Business Counsel, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Real Estate, Transfer and Income Tax
Karey's legal practice focuses on estate planning, wealth transition planning, and the business needs of individuals and owners of closely held businesses. By combining estate planning with business consulting, Karey assists her clients with their legal needs, while minimizing income, gift and estate taxes. Her goal is to advise clients in creating, building and retaining wealth, while striving to minimize friction among family members and protecting assets as they pass from one generation to the next.
Karey practices in our Vancouver, Washington office. She has an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University, and maintains her CPA license in both Oregon and Washington (however, she no longer practices as a CPA).
Lara Michell earned a bachelor's degree in Business Economics from Willamette University in 1992, and a JD from Lewis and Clark in 1999. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar, and joined Duffy Kekel LLP in 2022 after a twenty-year career path detour through the music business. Lara's focus areas include probate estate administration and trust administration.
Job Titles:
- Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration
Melissa advises clients regarding tax-efficient transfers of their assets to their family members and other beneficiaries. Her practice focuses on estate planning and the administration of estates and trusts. She also advises nonprofit organizations and their founders and funders.
Job Titles:
- Business Counsel, Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Mergers & Acquisitions, Probate & Trust Administration, Tax Dispute Resolution
- Business Counsel, Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Tax Disputes
Patricia Barnes received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Portland State University in 2012 and joined Duffy Kekel LLP in 2017. Her background in logistics management and office administration gives her excellent organizational skills and a love of spreadsheets. Patricia focuses primarily on assisting our firm's clients and attorneys with the formation and maintenance of corporations and limited liability companies, including ownership transfers and business transaction support.
Job Titles:
- Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Tax Disputes, Transfer and Income Tax
Piper Bentley graduated summa cum laude from Portland State University in 2019, majoring in History and minoring in the French language. After studying abroad in Lyon, France, she obtained her Paralegal certificate through Boston University in 2020. Since then, she has been working in the legal field of estate planning and probate, also gaining experience in the area of real estate and business law. Piper became a paralegal at Duffy Kekel in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Tax Disputes
Shannon counsels individuals and families in the areas of personal estate and tax planning, business succession, and estate administration. She collaborates with clients and their advisors to implement solutions tailored to address identified goals and anticipated needs. With an eye to minimizing overall taxes, Shannon balances left- and right-brain creativity (possibly mixed with a little humor) to provide responsive and practical advice.
Job Titles:
- Agriculture, Business Counsel, Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Real Estate, Tax Disputes
- Business Counsel
Steve graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Business Administration and worked for two years as the comptroller of a small company in Eastern Oregon before attending law school. That business background led Steve to pursue an advanced degree in taxation after law school on his way to becoming a tax attorney. Steve's background in business, combined with the advanced training he received in taxation, enables him to assist his clients not only with their tax and estate planning needs, but also with their charitable, business and real estate matters. Steve has substantial experience establishing and structuring limited liability companies (LLC's) for his clients, and in structuring Section 1031 tax-deferred exchange transactions.
Job Titles:
- Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration
Job Titles:
- Business Counsel, Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Real Estate, Tax Disputes, Transfer and Income Tax
Vanessa focuses her practice on estate and tax planning, probate, trust administration, charitable giving and organizations, and tax controversies. She assists clients in developing their estate and business succession plans with an eye towards tax efficiency and business continuity.
She also represents individuals, estates, and businesses in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and the Oregon Department of Revenue. She has experience representing clients throughout the dispute process - from audit, to appeals, and even in litigation if necessary.