Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Licensed as an Oregon lawyer in 1978, Mr. Anderson was admitted to practice before the US District Court for the District of Oregon and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1979. A tax and debt relief practitioner and consumer advocate, Mr. Anderson has also been certified in Consumer Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. He has practiced in the Oregon Bankruptcy Court since being admitted to the federal court bar. He is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. Mr. Anderson is also a member of the Bankruptcy Law Network, a loosely affiliated group of bankruptcy attorney who collaborate in one of the most comprehensive publications on bankruptcy and consumer matters available on the Worldwide Web.

Mr. Anderson is a frequent speaker for lawyers, tax groups and conferences. Recent presentations have included the Oregon Society of Tax Consultants: Bankruptcy Discharge of Tax Liability, in addition to many presentations related to debt relief and consumer advocacy.

Mr. Anderson stays current with trends and new information. He has completed both the Max Gardner Bankruptcy Litigation Boot Camp and the Peter Barry Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Boot Camp. He has recently expanded his services to include Mortgage Service abuse "correction" through bankruptcy adversary proceedings.

Since 1992 Mr. Harrell’s principal area of practice has been family law, including
divorce, annulment, prenuptial agreements, paternity establishment and disestablishment,
filiation, dissolution of domestic partnerships, step parent and grandparents rights,
step parent adoption, juvenile court, Family Abuse prevention Act restraining orders,
stalking orders, and establishing, modifying and enforcing child custody, parenting
time, child support and spousal support.
His practice also includes a wide variety of law, such as bankruptcy, consumer protection,
creditor/debtor rights and remedies, employee rights, wrongful termination, statutory
wage penalty claims, general employment law and employment contracts, unlawful trade
practices, civil fraud, conversion, defamation, libel and slander, landlord-tenant
rights and remedies, residential real property foreclosure, real property contracts
and litigation, and general civil litigation which itself spans many areas of law.

Mr. Harrell practices out of his home and prefers to be informal with his clients.
It is important that you feel comfortable and taken care of. He encourages his clients
to bring a tape recorder if they so wish so they can review his advice. Legal matters
are often confusing and difficult to understand, and many of his clients come to
him in trouble, needing help, and upset about what’s happening to them.
Mr. Harrell’s practice in Los Angeles largely consisted of legal malpractice defense.
From this experience he learned the most common complaints about lawyers. As a consequence,
he and his staff make sure they return all telephone messages within 24 hours of
receiving them. Mr. Harrell also makes sure he is accessible to his clients if they
need to meet with him to discuss their case or other legal matters. Mr. Harrell charges
$180 per hour for his time, but his attitude and philosophy are that he works for
his clients, not the other way around, so he is as available as he can be when clients
needs his time.
In the plus quarter century Mr. Harrell has been licensed to practice law, he has
primarily been a trial lawyer, aggressive, tenacious, and yet reasonable whenever
it is possible to reach a resolution by settlement on terms acceptable to his clients.
He urges clients to settle whenever they can do so on acceptable terms because, as
he puts it, often going to court means that only the lawyers win, and reaching an
acceptable settlement eliminates the risk attending the decision being made by a
judge who may not fully appreciate the client’s situation and rights. However, there
is no question when it comes to having to go to court. Bruce Harrell does not approach
trial by half measures. His clients expect a full commitment to their cause, and
they have a right to expect it.

Mike Arnold grew up in Parkville, Missouri, outside of Kansas City. He received his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law, where he was a Wayne Morse Fellow.

During law school Mike clerked at the Lane County District Attorney's Office. Before joining Arnold Law Office, Mike was an associate at a Eugene personal injury firm. Mike represents clients in both state and federal courts and has extensive jury trial experience as both a civil litigator and a criminal prosecutor for the city of Eugene.

Since 1998, Mike has been a member of Eugene Rugby Football Club, competing in the Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union. He also enjoys spending time with his wife Jacy while working their small farm and winemaking. When not farming, they tend to spend their time hiking or whitewater rafting.

Practice Emphasis: Trial Lawyer

Organizations & Activities:

Oregon State Bar
Federal Bar (United States District Court for the District of Oregon & United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Lane County Bar Association
Roland K. Rodman American Inn of Court
Trial Practice Instructor, University of Oregon School of Law (2003, 2005, & 2006)

Tom has worked both as a public defender and in private practice. He has appeared in Oregon courts from the Oregon Supreme Court down to the local Justice courts. He has had a litigation based practice for more than three decades.

Tom has two main interests in the law--aggressive defense of adults and children charged with crimes and zealous representation of children and adults in the juvenile dependency system. Tom is often asked to speak about his experiences and provide trainings to attorneys and to groups such as CASA, caseworkers, mental health providers, foster parents and others.

Tom is an avid reader, proud father and grandfather and a long suffering fan of the Detroit Lions, the latter fact proving he has an affection for underdogs and under achievers.

Jacy, the firm's managing partner, grew up on a north-central Missouri farm and received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where she graduated magna cum laude. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Presently she is serving on the board of directors for the Lane County Bar Association and is the former chair of the Family Law and Program committees. In her free time, Jacy enjoys gardening, canning, beekeeping, crabbing at the Oregon Coast, whitewater rafting, and other outdoor activities.

Organizations:

Lane County Bar Association Board Member - 2006-present
Public Defenders Services of Lane County Board Member - 2007-present
Family Law Committee, Lane County Bar Association - 2003-2004 Chair
Program Committee, Lane County Bar Association - 2004-2006 Chair
Roland K. Rodman American Inn of Court - Secretary - 2002-present
Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
Oregon State Bar
Lane County Bar Association
Oregon Women Lawyers
Oregon Mediation Association
Lane County Women Lawyers
Professional Women's Forum

Service:

Junior League of Eugene (President 2008-2009; President Elect 2007-2008)

Dan Rayfield was born in Orange County, California. He later moved to Oregon and Graduated from Western Oregon University. While at Western Oregon University he participated in a four-month internship at Walt Disney World in Florida as a "Jungle Cruise Skipper." Following his graduation from Western Oregon University he attended law school at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

In 2005, he clerked for the Benton County District Attorney's office. During his time at the District Attorney's office he gained valuable trial experience prosecuting DUIIs and other misdemeanor charges. In 2006, Dan went into private practice for himself specializing in personal injury and civil litigation. Longing to be back in the Linn and Benton County area, he was hired on as an associate with the Albany firm of Weatherford Thompson in 2007. His practice focused on civil rights, personal injury, and general civil litigation. In 2009, he graciously accepted a position with the firm of Nelson & MacNeil narrowing his area of practice to civil rights and personal injury.

Dan currently lives in Corvallis and can be found volunteering his time to the Greater Corvallis Rotary Club and the Majestic Theatre. Dan's practice focuses on personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights, and police misconduct.

Joel joined Weatherford Thompson in 2002 after working one year with a law firm in Eugene, Oregon. A Washington state native before moving to Oregon in 1998, Joel utilizes his experience to assist individuals, businesses, developers, property owners, employers, and farmers in the Linn and Benton Counties. Joel is active in the Linn County Bar and the state bars, serving as a member of the Oregon House of Delegates. He also volunteers for the Mid-Willamette YMCA, the Corvallis Community Children’s Centers, Peer Court, as well as several other smaller non-profit organizations.

On his off time, Joel can usually be found herding his three small children around, snowboarding, hiking, camping, biking, and fishing. He also enjoys cooking, and most of all, spending time with his wife, Ketty.