After passing the California State Bar Exam in 1977, I opened a private practice at Tahoe Paradise, California. A year later, my practice was joined by Jon Robbins. Our practice handled Estate Planning matters, Real Estate Transactions, and other general civil matters.
After four years of private practice, I became a floor trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange for six years with a seat on the options floor of the Exchange serving as a Market Maker.
After my wife and I had our two daughters, we decided it was time for me to get back into the full time practice of law. After much discussion, we decided to move to the state of Idaho in the hope that raising our children there would be more like our own childhoods in Lafayette and Walnut Creek, California.
In Idaho, after passing the Idaho State Bar exam, I went to work with Hamlin & Sasser in downtown Boise. While there I represented all three of the Bankruptcy Trustees then serving in Idaho. I also continued my Estate Planning practice and handled other civil matters for the firm until 1992 when I opened my own office.
Initially, my practice consisted of the continued representation of the local Bankruptcy Trustees. But after several more years of that, I realized that my heart was better aligned with a practice consisting of both Estate Planning and Real Estate Contracts.
Between 1995 and 2008, I had the privilege of preparing approximately 2,500 real estate sales contracts for by-owner transactions and then coaching those sales to a successful closing.
With the Great Recession, my work shifted to exclusively focus on Estate Planning and Probate work. The practice continued to grow until it was joined by my longtime friend and new attorney, Daniel Patchin, in 2017. We were, in turn, joined by our friend and new attorney, Ben Monaghan, in 2018.
From 2013 to 2019, it was my privilege to train up Daniel and Ben in the best ways to handle both Estate Planning and Probate matters in a fashion that provides affordable and efficient services to those with needs in those areas. To have them join the practice after having known them for so many years – long before they ever thought about becoming lawyers — has been a delight.
Beginning in 2019, I stepped back and no longer work actively with clients. But I am still the Founding Member of the firm, helping to keep the administrative wheels of the firm turning smoothly and the practice on track.
Featured Pro Bono Activities
President and Legal Advisor for Homeschool Idaho
Helped establish Idaho Coalition of Home Educators in 1992 to gain the legal right to homeschool in Idaho free from government interference. In 2018, ICHE merged with Christian Homeschoolers of Idaho state to form Homeschool Idaho.
Board Member of Family Policy Alliance of Idaho
Served as a board member for Family Policy Alliance of Idaho working with the Idaho Legislature on pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, and pro-choice-in-education issues.
Non-Legal Activities
Active backpacking in the high mountains of Idaho. Birdwatching. Snow skiing. English riding. Paddle boarding. International travel. Reading everything from Economics to thrillers and political intrigue. Helped design, construct, and operate a 96-unit townhome project in Meridian, Idaho since 2014.
Bar Associations
- California State Bar
Member Since: 1977
- Idaho State Bar
Member Since: 1988
Education
- Armstrong College School of Law (Berkeley, CA) - J.D. - 1977
- University of California Santa Barbara - B.A. - 1973
Majors: Black Studies & Religious Studies
Client Reviews
Daniel made the entire process simple and easy to understand. He took our questions and made sure we understood all the legal aspects and responsibilities seamless.
We want to thank Matt, he was very helpful in answering our questions and walking us through the process of setting up our Family Trust.
Marcus West was so helpful in setting up our trust. We had several questions and a lot of properties to manage. He was professional & has a great personality.
Ben, you were very thorough in your explanations, answered all of our questions & we would be happy to put our names to referrals for you.
Hello, Ben. Thank you for your assistance with out trust. Your simple, concise, efficient instructions and explanations were easy to understand and follow. We were pleasantly surprised how quickly you were able to get everything set up and ready to go.
We wanted a trust/will set up and Daniel was great to work with. We got scheduled pretty quickly and once we had our initial conference call, Daniel had all the paperwork completed within a week. I highly recommend.
We were perfectly satisfied & would recommend you to others. Our banker and other people we had to go to said you did a good job.
We appreciated your patience with us in answering our questions & your expertise in getting the title to our home & beneficiaries on our IRA’s completed. Thank you for your time.
It was a pleasure working with you, Ben. Thank you for updating our Living Trust and fitting us into your busy schedule in such short notice.
Thank you, Matt! We are so grateful we chose you as our Trust Attorney. It’s a good feeling to have this taken care of.
Everything went smoothly and well. Marcus was organized and professional. He was able to answer all our questions and guide us on the best path for us to take. Thank you, Marcus.
You made the process simple and straightforward by answering my questions and preparing the documents in a timely manner. The list of things to do after signing was clear and concise. Thank you!
Contact Us
- 1 Free Consultation
- 2 No Fees Unless You’re 100% Satisfied
- 3 We Strive for Simplicity