Erin M. LaVoie

Erin is a paralegal on the estate and trust administration team, bringing more than 20 years of experience to her practice. Her primary areas of focus include Oregon and Washington probates, simple estates, trust administration, and the preparation of federal, Oregon, and Washington estate tax returns. She also has extensive experience handling wrongful death probates, complex and contested estate and trust administrations, and uncontested Oregon guardianships and conservatorships. Erin works closely with attorneys and clients throughout the administration process, providing diligent support, anticipating needs, and helping ensure matters are handled efficiently, accurately, and with the attention they deserve.

Erin provides comprehensive support throughout the probate and trust administration process, helping attorneys and clients navigate matters from initial administration through final distribution. She manages complex cases and court deadlines, prepares probate filings and fiduciary accountings, and assists with all aspects of trust administration. She works closely with clients to guide them through each stage of administration and handles the preparation of trust funding documents, including deeds, non‑judicial settlement agreements, distribution agreements, and funding memorandums. Erin also conducts asset and valuation research for tax reporting and the preparation of estate tax returns.

Prior to joining Black Helterline, Erin spent nearly three decades supporting attorneys in a variety of legal disciplines. She began her legal career as a project assistant in intellectual property litigation before transitioning into estate planning, where she worked as a legal assistant supporting attorneys and clients in the preparation of estate planning documents. Building on that foundation, Erin spent more than 18 years as an estate and trust administration paralegal, developing extensive experience in probate proceedings, trust administration, fiduciary accountings, and estate tax reporting. Her long-standing focus on estates and trusts has provided her with a deep understanding of the legal, financial, and practical issues that arise during the administration process.