Chelsie M. Elliott

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.

Jaimie has been a practicing attorney in the Portland metro area since 2012. She joined Black Helterline LLP in 2022 after four years working at a Portland insurance defense firm focusing on construction defect and general liability defense. Prior to that, Jaimie served as the first ever volunteer prosecutor for the Washington County District Attorney’s Office; worked for a Seattle-based firm focusing on lending litigation; and worked with Stuart M. Brown, a highly regarded business and...

Nicole has defended individuals and businesses in a wide variety of complex litigation matters over her 22-year legal career, including trucking and automobile liability, liquor liability, legal malpractice, and hospitality and hotel-related claims. She is a strong advocate for her clients and an experienced and effective trial/arbitration attorney. Nicole is often retained to defend cases which are of a sensitive nature, such as defending businesses in vicarious liability claims involving se...

EXPERIENCED, STRATEGIC, RESPECTED, COMMITTED An experienced legal ethics practitioner and commercial and employment litigator, I focus my practice on the provision of legal and government ethics and risk management advice to lawyers, law firms, corporate in-house counsel, government attorneys, elected officials and political parties. I defend, advise, and serve as an expert on all aspects of the law governing lawyers and government officials including the defense of state bar and government e...

Jeff Hunter, a partner, focuses his practice on environmental and natural resources law, real estate and land use and environmental litigation, including white collar criminal matters. Jeff's practice includes environmental permitting and compliance, enforcement defense and civil and criminal litigation under various environmental statutes and regulations including CERCLA, hazardous waste, solid waste, water quality, water resources, air quality, regulated storage tanks, OSHA, and fertilizer ...

Elizabeth C. Crouse is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Energy Law and Tax Law. Elizabeth C., who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elizabeth C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brad is a litigator and effective risk assessor whose practice focuses on general litigation, business litigation, products liability, premises liability, and insurance defense. For 25+ years, he has assessed and managed clients' risks and litigated cases involving such diverse matters as class actions, contracts, business disputes, environmental matters, wage and hour, insurance coverage, products liability, employment termination, personal injury, real estate, and loan agreements. A recogni...

Marisa Meltebeke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Nonprofit / Charities Law and Tax Law. Marisa, 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 Marisa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Josh fuels his passion for finding the winning argument with intellect, empathy, and conviction. At his core, Josh believes in his clients’ cause, and does not shy away from conflict or complicated legal matters. Josh represents clients in a wide variety of civil matters, including trust and estate litigation, shareholder disputes, consumer and securities fraud actions, class actions, breach of professional and fiduciary duty, and property and contract disputes. In his trust and estate ...

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...