Helsell Fetterman LLP

Attorney: Kameron Kirkevold and Mike Olver
Yuri’s complete and accurate review of Kameron is so well articulated; it doesn’t leave much room for any more accolades! Nonetheless, kudos! The team leader on my case was Mike Olver. Together, Mike and Kameron brought my last 15 months of sister-​hell to an end. Details of this estate-​planning case is your worst nightmare. My estate planning attorney, not a litigator, recommended Mike. I highly value her input. Having worked previous cases with him she thought Mike to be extremely smart, savvy and most importantly, she valued his integrity. I agree. Mike was all that and more. He assembled a team of attorneys and took my case by storm. (My first litigator had the case for 8 months and was ineffective) In 5 months Mike and Kameron guided me through mediation, extracted me from sister-​hell so I could find and restore my peaceful existance. It wasn’t cheap but you get what you pay for! I needed the best and that’s exactly what I got!

Attorney: Kameron L. Kirkevold
Law: Estate Law
My role as client: Personal representative/​executor to my late mother’s estate.
How did I find him: Recommended by attorneys not affiliated with Kameron that practice other types of law and have no personal relationship with him.
Why did I choose Kameron? The lawyers that are personal friends of my family all know of his great work and also of his father who also practices estate law (Kevin Kirkevold, Yakima, WA)
Cost & Case Presentation
Kameron presented the initial costs upfront to review the case and get the initial process started which was in the ballpark of a $ 2500. *Please note that the complexity of the case may affect cost. My mother’s situation was very difficult and messy because of the following:
1. Owed several creditors (many I was unaware of).
2. Unpaid house from a reverse mortgage and the issue of selling it, deed in lieu of foreclosure issues, foreclosure, etc. (went into foreclosure, my choice)
3. Social Security was after her for a overpayment of almost $ 10K
4. A Labor & Industries settlement that was still being fought after her death in which monetary compensation was involved.
5. Properties that were under my late mother’s name and mine.
6. My mom never made an official, legal will.
7. If money arrived to her after her death, how would that get taken care of?
Personality:
Kameron is very committed to doing a good job, well-​versed and proved himself to be absolutely true to his word on getting things done. Also sympathetic and apathetic too. If anything, reminds me of a very modest version of television character lawyer Jeff Winger from the NBC show «Community.»
Competency:
If Kameron doesn’t know, he’ll flat out tell you he doesn’t know but he’ll look into it. Mind you, there were a lot of twists in my mom’s case that were uncanny and completely atypical of usual estate cases. Kameron consulted with other attorneys on their opinions on matters and never failed to follow up with me. Never did Kameron give me a feeling of doubt.
As a client experience:
Kameron always provided me informed choices laying out the good, bad and ugly of each of them. I always had a complete sense of informed decision. Very good about letting me know when he would be out of the office, following up via email and answering every question thoroughly.
Service to value:
I’m about 99.9% sure that if I took this to any other lawyer who practices estate law, I’d owe a lot of money or they turn the case away because of its complexity and difficulty.
Would I recommend Kameron Kirkevold as an estate lawyer?:
Yes.
Would I have chosen Kameron if I had to do this all over again?
Absolutely. For once, I could talk to a lawyer without being thrown a lot of unexplained law jargon at me.
Case duration: ¹⁰⁄₂₀₀₉ — 2012.
The house was finally foreclosed and sold which relieved me of my duties as executor.
Other notes:
Kameron Kirkevold does estate planning and also practices Elder Law for those who are dealing with medicare/​medicaid issues, etc. I cannot say enough, I have complete confidence in Kameron and am a firm believer you are in the best hands possible with him and Helsell Fetterman. I hope Kameron makes partner, this guy deserves it!
Their website:

The lawyer we met with was very well versed in Elder law. He answered all my questions and was very honest about some possibly outcomes of my situation. He also guided me in the next steps I need to take to handle some issues I’ve been having with another family member taking advantage of my grandmother.
He was sympathetic but also stayed on track. He definitely is experienced and appears to leave no stone unturned.
I am glad to have spoke with him and have confidence he will take care of my grandmother. I will update after we have moved forward.
Also, he was upfront about all fees– which I appreciated.