Elaine has practiced law for 16 years. Since she opened her own law office in Salem four years ago, she has specialized in Family Law, including divorce, legal separation, property division and valuation, debt allocation, child custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, filiation, paternity, modifications, Family Abuse Prevention Act restraining orders, contempt, and appeals.

Elaine graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 1990 with her Doctorate of Jurisprudence degree. During law school, Elaine clerked at the Oregon Department of Justice from 1988 to1989, and at the Marion County District Attorney's Office from 1989 to1990. She was a member of the Willamette Law Review from 1988 to1990, and Articles Editor from 1989 to 1990.

Following law school, Elaine clerked for the Honorables John W. Hitchcock (dec.) and Donald R. Blensley (dec.) in Yamhill County Circuit Court in McMinnville, from 1990 to 1991. She then served as a Deputy District Attorney for the Yamhill County District Attorney's Office in 1991. She then joined the law firm of Brown, Tarlow, Smith & Bridges in Newberg, where she was an associate attorney from 1991 to 2001.

Elaine has been licensed to practice law in the State of Oregon since 1990, and in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon since 1991.

Oregon State Bar license # 90485.

Areas of Practice

• Divorce
• Property Division
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Spousal Support
• Parenting Time
• Modification of Custody & Support
• Restraining Orders
• Paternity
• Appeals

Litigation Percentage

• 75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Oregon, 1990
• U.S. District Court District of Oregon, 1991

Education

• Willamette University College of Law, Salem, Oregon, 1990
  J.D.
  Law Review: Willamette Law Review, Articles Editor, 1988 - 1990
  Law Review: Willamette Law Review, Member, 1989 - 1990
  
  
• Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1979
  B.A.
  
  
• University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1983
  B.A.
  Major: Biology
  
  
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, 1986
  Master of Science, Botany
  
  

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Willamette Law Review, 1988 - 1990
  Member
  
  
• Articles Editor, 1989 - 1990
  Member
  
  
• Oregon State Bar Association (and Family Law Section)
  Member
  
  
• Salem Area Chamber of Commerce
  Member
  
  
• Mary Leonard Law Society (Salem chapter of the Oregon Women Lawyers)
  Member
  
  
• Marion County Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• Multnomah Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• Yamhill County Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• First United Methodist Church
  Member
  
  
• West Salem Mom's Club
  Member
  
  
• Newberg City Counsel
  
  
• Newberg Planning Commission
  
  
• Newberg Library Board
  
  
• Newberg Hospital Foundation
  
  
• American Heart Association Board, Yamhill County
  
  
• Court - Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Board, Yamhill County
  
  
• Newberg Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Program
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Oregon Department of Justice, Clerk, 1988 - 1989
• Marion County District Attorney's Office, Clerk, 1989 - 1990
• Honorables John W. Hitchcock and Donald R. Blensely (dec.) in Yamhill County Circuit Court in McMinnville, Clerk, 1990 - 1991
• Yamhill County District Attorney's Office, Deputy District Attorney, 1991 - Present
• Law Firm of Brown, Tarlow, Smith & Bridges in Newberg, Associate Attorney, 1991 - 2001
• Environmental Protection Agency, Research Assistant, 1983 - 1985
• Environmental Protection Agency, Research Assistant, 1987
• University of California, Riverside, Research Assistant, 1985 - 1987