Charles J. "Chip" Paternoster

A partner with Ball Janik LLP, Chris Walters has practiced at the firm for over 25 years. His areas of practice include real estate, construction, finance, sales and leasing, venture formation and representation, public contracting, and all aspects of project funding, development and management. He has assisted developers, investors, landlords, tenants, lenders, corporations, public agencies, contractors, design professionals, health organizations, resort and hospitality providers, and religi...

Lisa Rackner is a Portland, Oregon attorney with a practice focused on Administrative / Regulatory Law, Communications Law , Energy Law , and Energy Regulatory Law. She advises natural gas and electric utilities, energy companies, and telecommunications carriers on regulatory compliance, transactions, and policy matters. Lisa regularly appears before the Public Utility Commission of Oregon and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and she has represented clients in proceedin...

Troy Nixon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Troy, who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Troy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steve D. Osborne is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Native American Law. Steve D., who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steve D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Charley joined the firm in 1985. His practice focuses on representation of closely held businesses in a wide variety of business transactions, including significant work in real estate ownership, development and construction. Specialized areas include business start-up, shareholder and employment agreements and representing clients in the sale or transition of their businesses. In addition to his transaction work, he represents clients in complex business litigation.

P. Andrew McStay is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. P. Andrew, who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which P. Andrew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joelle Tavan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Joelle, who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joelle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Nicole B. Erickson is a business, estate planning, and tax attorney with more than ten years of experience serving clients in Oregon, Washington, and Texas. She is the founder of Nicole B. Erickson, Attorney at Law, P.C., based in Portland, Oregon, with clients served remotely throughout the Pacific Northwest. Nicole's practice centers on estate planning and probate , including wills, trusts, trust and estate litigation, guardianship and conservatorship, charitable planning, business successi...

Approximately 50% of Kevin's Intellectual Property Law practice is devoted to preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the area of computers related to hardware, software and image processing; the remainder of his practice is devoted to client counseling , licensing , litigation and related matters. His focus includes patents , trademarks , copyrights and trade secrets . His representative clients include Planar Systems, LLC, Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc., Kam Industries, Exit E...

Katherine McDowell is an attorney at McDowell Rackner Gibson PC in Portland, Oregon, where her practice centers on Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law, with a significant focus on litigation involving regulatory enforcement matters. She advises utilities and energy companies on a broad range of regulatory and administrative law issues, including ratemaking, resource development and acquisition, compliance with environmental mandates, industry restructuring, and utility mergers and acquisitio...