Michelle A. Fleskes

Michelle 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 probate proceedings, simple estates, trust administration, and the preparation of federal, Oregon, and Washington estate tax returns. Michelle works closely with attorneys and clients throughout the administration process, providing essential support that helps streamline matters while ensuring clients feel heard, supported, and well cared for during some of life’s most difficult transitions.

Michelle provides comprehensive support in probate and trust administration matters, managing case progress and court deadlines while preparing detailed probate filings, accountings, and related documentation. She works with attorneys and clients throughout the administration process and assists with preparation of trust funding documents, including deeds, non-judicial settlement agreements, distribution agreements, and funding memorandums. Her experience also includes conducting asset and valuation research for tax reporting purposes and preparing federal and state estate tax returns.

Drawing on the same attention to detail and deadline management that supports her probate and trust administration work, Michelle also supports trademark matters by conducting trademark clearance searches and assisting with the preparation, filing, and maintenance of trademark applications and renewals. Working closely with attorneys, she helps manage deadlines and ensure filings are accurate, timely, and efficiently handled, contributing to a seamless experience for clients.

Michelle's background extends beyond traditional paralegal work to include substantial experience in docketing, training, and legal operations. Her comprehensive understanding of administrative systems, deadline management, and workflow coordination enables her to support matters efficiently from inception through completion. By helping maintain organized processes and fostering operational excellence, Michelle contributes to a seamless client experience and the effective delivery of legal services.

Outside of work, Michelle's children and extended family occupy most of her free time—and, occasionally, her sleep schedule. She enjoys being actively involved in family life and cherishes the time spent with those closest to her.

Michelle has dedicated more than 25 years to Black Helterline LLP, advancing through a variety of roles that have given her a deep understanding of legal operations, attorney support, and client service. Beginning in office services and later serving as a receptionist and legal assistant, she gained broad experience across multiple practice areas before focusing on estate planning, probate, trust administration, and litigation. As a paralegal, Michelle draws on decades of experience in legal administration, docketing, workflow management, and substantive legal work to help attorneys efficiently manage matters and provide exceptional service to clients.

• Oregon Paralegal Association
• NALS

Michelle enjoys giving back to her community through neighborhood cleanup efforts and coordinating donations of food, clothing, and household items to local charitable organizations, including SnowCap Community Charities and Community Warehouse.