Our Simple 3-Step Process

Working with us is easier than you think.

1- Schedule a Consultation
Tell us what’s on your mind—your goals, your concerns, and the clarity you’re looking for.
2- Get a Tailored Legal Plan
We design a personalized strategy that reflects your life, values, and long-term vision.
3- Enjoy Peace of Mind
Move forward confidently—knowing the people, work, and legacy you care about are in good hands.
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What’s It Like to Work with Res Nova Law?

At Res Nova Law, you’re not just a client—you’re someone with a story, a legacy, and people who count on you. We take the time to listen, to understand what matters most, and to guide you through planning with compassion and care.

Whether you’re protecting your family’s future or creating a succession plan for your business, our relationship is built on trust—not transactions. Our Portland estate planning attorneys are here for you, for the long term, with heartfelt counsel that honors your life’s work.

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Recognized Top Attorney

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What You Don’t Protect Today Could Be Gone Tomorrow

A Portland estate planning lawyer can help you avoid the serious financial, legal, and personal consequences that arise when families and businesses don’t have the right protections in place. Without a skilled attorney:

  • Your family may face delays, stress, and public court battles
  • Your children could end up with strangers in protective care
  • Your business might stall—or fail—without proper legal structure
  • Tax issues and liability risks could erase what you’ve built
  • Your business could be hit with lawsuits or stuck in probate
  • Loved ones and business partners may be left in conflict or chaos

At Res Nova Law, we help you close the gaps before they cause damage—protecting your people, your business, and everything you’ve worked for.

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Our Team

Meet our team of experienced attorneys and staff, dedicated to providing expert legal solutions tailored to your unique needs.

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Practice Areas

litigation

Business Essentials
Foreclosure Defense

Estate Planning Services
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Trusts

Wills

What Our Clients Are Saying

Don’t just take our word for it. Hear from the people who trusted us with their most important legal matters.

We are new clients of Res Nova Law and recently finished having our existing California family trust updated to reflect potential Washington estate taxes. We are both retired attorneys and, although unfamiliar with trust and estate law, we definitely expect quality from any money spent. We were extremely happy with the personal service we received from Susan and Vanessa. All of our many questions were answered quickly and thoroughly (and patiently!) until we were both completely satisfied with our new plan. Furthermore, we are secure in knowing we will be contacted in a few years to make sure our estate plan still works for us. Highly recommend Res Nova Law.
I had the absolute pleasure of working with Susan Ford for my estate planning, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. She is professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient in explaining every detail so that I felt confident and informed throughout the entire process. Susan truly listened to my needs, asked the right questions, and tailored everything to fit my situation perfectly. She made what could have been a stressful and overwhelming process feel smooth, organized, and stress-free. If you’re looking for an attorney who genuinely cares about her clients, goes above and beyond, and provides outstanding guidance, Susan Ford is the one. I’m so grateful for her help and peace of mind she has given me for the future.
Susan and Vanessa were very professional, easy and friendly to work with. Estate planning was a task that had been put off for a long time, but my experience with Res Nova Law was smooth and accomplished the goals, that I had set out to be accomplished! Thank you very much Susan and Vanessa!! It was a pleasure to meet you and work with you! Hanne Karman
Susan Ford helped me prepare for a small claims case (where I represented my company) for a customer that sued us for nearly $5,000. Before hiring Susan I had checked with two other lawyers but I did not feel confident. Susan helped with both the mediation and the final court hearing. With her knowledge in my brain, I was able to make a clear and coherent explanation of events. The judge decided the case in my favor. I recommend Res Nova for anyone dealing with business issues in Oregon.
I am so grateful to have found Susan and her colleagues at Res Nova Law. Over the last two years they have helped me with a patent, trademark, contract documents, and also have provided wonderful general business support. As a first-time business owner, I am eternally grateful to Susan and her team for their guidance that has given me confidence in my path forward. I highly recommend Res Nova Law!
What a wonderful group of professionals to work with. So many great conversations and outreach that truly made building our Trust an easy process, in every sense!
I turn to Susan Ford at Res Nova Law whenever I have a client who needs business-related advice. She was very responsive and tremendously helpful when I asked her to weigh in recently when my client needed copyright advice regarding materials she’d created at her former place of employment. Susan is smart, thoughtful and attentive.
We’ve worked with Susan Ford for many years and have always had excellent advice and counsel. We’ve established a number of Trademarks, and Susan has helped defend those trademarks. She has also helped us evolve from a sole proprietorship to a partnership to an LLC and provided all the legal advice and services necessary to get it right. When it comes to legal and business advice, Susan is our “go-to” resource.
Susan Ford explains everything in detail and made the process a better learning experience. She helped me out big time, felt at ease during the whole process. Susan is experienced litigators who fight aggressively to achieve the best possible outcome and protect her clients’ business interests. Her area of expertise is not limited to litigating partnership disputes, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty or corporate opportunity disputes. She knows litigation is not about her, but about achieving the best outcome and she knows how to do it. She is a very nice attorney and is super reasonable with her prices. I definitely recommend Susan!
I hired Susan to help me with estate planning documents, a task that was long overdue. Susan and her staff answered all my questions, provided excellent service and I received the documentation in a timely manner. I would definitely hire Res Nova Law again (and will be doing so in the near future).
Susan Ford is exactly the kind of professional that every entrepreneur should have on her team! What we have learned about and accomplished with our Intellectual Property is extremely critical to scaling our business. Most recently, with Susan’s expert navigating and negotiation, we secured a trademark that was, at the time of initial research, off the table. After months of careful maneuvering, it is now ours! Linda Stimac, Co-founder, CHROMACORE

Faqs

A Will outlines how your assets should be distributed after your death, while a trust takes effect during your lifetime and can help avoid probate. Many estate plans include both to maximize protection and control.

The cost of estate planning varies based on the complexity of your needs. At Res Nova Law, we offer transparent pricing and solutions tailored to your goals and budget.

A Will only takes effect after you pass away. A Power of Attorney ensures someone you trust can make financial or medical decisions on your behalf while you’re still alive but unable to act.

Succession planning for business owners includes choosing future leadership, transferring ownership, and creating legal and financial strategies to ensure your business continues smoothly without you.

Working with an experienced intellectual property attorney helps you safeguard your brands, creative works, inventions and trade secrets.

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6th Ave. Ste. 1100
1050 SW
Portland, Or 97204

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1220 Main St. 437-400,
Vancouver, WA. 98660

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2005 SE 192nd Ave.,
Suite 200,
Camas, WA. 98607

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