Wright Van Handel LLP

Valerie Wright has been specializing in criminal law since she first became an attorney in Oregon in 1986. Her well-rounded background includes early years spent as both a public defender (in Multnomah and Clackamas counties) and a prosecutor (in both Lincoln and Deschutes counties.) Since 1994 she has been in private practice. Over the years, I have come to recognize that there is a tremendous need for skilled and compassionate lawyers who focus on sex crime allegations. No other area of criminal law is more likely to produce false charges, the threat of long prison sentences and the need to go to trial in order to have the truth shine through. While trial work is expensive and time-consuming, it is critical for an attorney to have the ability to take the matter to the mat if the prosecution cannot see the wrongfulness of the accusation or the flaws in law enforcements investigation. I am that trial warrior. Valerie specializes in serious felony allegations, defending individuals charged with sex offenses and crimes of violence. Ballot Measure 11 and Jessicas Law have had a tremendous impact on people, reducing judicial discretion, increasing the power of prosecutors and making the notion of going to trial in order to get justice a much riskier proposition. Julies focus is divorce, child custody, child support, modification of support, and related domestic relations issues. She works primarily in Deschutes County and travels to other counties in Central and Eastern Oregon. Julie is sometimes appointed by the court to represent the interests of children in complex family law disputes. Julie is delighted when presented with an opportunity to use her strong skills in mediation to resolve a dispute. Patrick Flaherty is a trial lawyer who has specialized in criminal law since 1989 and has extensive experience in both defense and prosecution, most recently serving as the Deschutes County District Attorney from 2011-2015. He has practiced criminal defense in Deschutes, Crook and Lake counties and is one of a relatively small number of Oregon trial lawyers who has successfully defended and prosecuted murder charges. His experience on both sides of the counsel table provide him with a rich and balanced perspective on our criminal justice system, a perspective that enhances his ability to obtain the right result for his clients.