Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Bellingham, WA

Scholarly Lectures/Writings

• "Business Succession Planning: Constructing and Implementing a Succession Plan for Closely Held and Family Business,” Co-Author with Garon Jones, Business Law Section, WSBA (Winter 2010-2011)., www.stokeslaw.com/publications/businesslaw2011winter.pdf
• Speaker, "Probate Process from A to Z," National Business Institute CLE (December 2010)
• Speaker, "Drafting Basic Estate Planning Documents," National Business Institute CLE (November 2010)
• Speaker, "Ethical Management of Client Trust Accounts," National Business Institute and West LegalEdcenter (January 2010)
• Speaker, "Ethical Considerations," Trusts 101, National Business Institute CLE (May 2009, May 2010)
• Speaker, "Annual Case Law and Legislative Update," Annual Trust and Estate Litigation Seminar: Handling the Challenges, WSBA CLE (April 2009)
• Speaker, "Drafting Wills and Common Trusts: Best Practices," Estate Planning: Fundamentals, Forms and Ethics, WSBA CLE (August 2011)
• "Upcoming Changes to Washington Probate and Trust Law," Speaker, Washington Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 2011 Fall CLE and Annual Meeting (October 2011)
• "Estate Administration Procedures", Speaker, NBI, 2013
• "Guardian's Fees", Speaker, WSBA, 2013
• Impact of Marriage on Estate Planning and Probate, Speaker, Whatcom County Bar Association, 2013
• Guardianship Fees in DSHS Cases, Author, WSBA Real Property Probate & Trust Section Newsletter, 2013
• "Estate Planning Fundamentals", Speaker, WSBA, 2012
• "Trusts Used for Tax Reduction", Speaker, Trusts 101, National Business Institute, 2015
• "Marital Deduction Planning in the Age of Portability", WSBA Real Property Probate and Trust Midyear Meeting, Presenter, 2017

Educational Background

• University of Arizona, BS, 2001
• University of Oregon, JD, 2005

Honors/Awards

• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, 2019
• Recognized in Trust and Estates, Best Lawyers in America (2020), 2019

Pro bono/Community Service

• Board of Directors, Whatcom Museum, 2017

Bar/Professional Activity

• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, 2019
• Board of Directors, Peahealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation, 2019
• Secretary, Northwest Washington Estate Planning Council, 2017
• WSBA Representative to the Certified Professional Guardian Board, 2015
• Editorial Board Member, Real Property Probate and Trust Section of the Washington State Bar Association, 2015