Tara's practice emphasizes bankruptcy, creditors' rights, and commercial litigation. She is a tough negotiator and skilled litigator who knows how to balance clients' business interests with legal needs to save time, effort and business capital.

She represents all types of parties in all types of bankruptcy matters including business debtors in reorganization proceedings, creditors including banks and other financial service providers, bankruptcy trustees, unsecured creditors committees, and receivers. She protects clients' interests and represents them on a national level in multiple bankruptcy jurisdictions.

Tara is certified by the American Board of Certification as a business bankruptcy specialist and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Her business acumen allows her to effectively handle all aspects of complicated Chapter 11s, receiverships, workouts and other insolvency issues including adversary proceedings and contested matters.

In her litigation practice Tara has represented clients in numerous arbitration proceedings and trials in both Oregon and Washington in state and federal courts. She has litigated a diverse array of cases including bankruptcy-related matters, commercial and business disputes, employment matters, ski-industry defense, and real estate disputes. In addition, Tara provides estate planning to individuals.

Tara was recognized by her peers and selected to the Oregon Super Lawyers list in 2008 and 2009 for bankruptcy law. She has practiced with Farleigh Wada Witt since 1997, and currently serves on the firm's Executive Committee.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. C. Wesley Rhodes, Jr., et al. – U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon: Represented Receiver in case where defendants have been indicted in a $13 million securities fraud case. Duties include assisting Receiver with locating and selling assets, coordinating and managing litigation claims, seeking declaratory judgments regarding ownership of receivership estate property, reviewing fraudulent transfers, and obtaining contempt motion against individual defendants for violations of orders.

In re Orchards Village Investment LLC – U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Assisted residents at assisted living center in bankruptcy/receivership proceedings to recoup the hundreds of thousands of buy-in fees they had paid to the debtor pre-petition.

In re Kozak – U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Assisted the Chapter 7 trustee obtain an ex parte temporary restraining order and, with assistance of the US Marshall's office, searched and seized multiple properties of the debtor to recover assets for the benefit of unsecured creditors. 

In re Silvercreek Woodworks, Inc. – U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Represented business in a Chapter 11 case where debtor is one of the top cabinetry companies in Central Oregon for both commercial and residential construction; obtained confirmation of plan after negotiations with secured creditor/former shareholder and governmental authorities.

In re Carolina Tobacco Company - U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Represented Chapter 11 Debtor with $232 million in claims to reorganize business in highly regulated environment; Chapter 11 plan confirmed; obtained preliminary injunction after contested hearing against 35 state governments prohibiting them from removing debtor from state directories of authorized tobacco product sellers.

In re William Hayden - U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Represented creditors' committee in Chapter 11 individual debtor case of restaurant owner/manager/consultant. Assisted committee in negotiating a plan paying approximately 80% on unsecured claims.

In re Riverbend on the Willamette - U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon: Represented Chapter 11 Debtor with approximately $13 million in debt and obtained confirmation of plan after contested confirmation hearing allowing debtor to reorganize and continue selling high-end condominiums on the Willamette River.

McDonald and Lynch v. Old West Annuity and Life Insurance Co. - Multnomah County Circuit Court for the State of Oregon: Represented defendant in lender liability lawsuit involving Little Whale Cove property. Settled case for less than 10% of amount sought by plaintiffs.

Snedecor v. Northwest Mortgage Group, Inc. - United States District Court for the District of Oregon. Represented defendant in Truth in Lending Act claims. Settled case for less than 2% of amount sought by plaintiffs.

In re Agripac, Inc. - Represented Chapter 11/7 trustee in bankruptcy proceeding of agricultural cooperative; obtained summary judgment that purchasers of debtor's frozen foods/canning operations were not entitled to administrative expense priority for vacation pay paid to employees pursuant to collective bargaining agreements; successfully represented trustee in adversary proceeding for declaratory judgment that Perishable Agricultural Commodity Act (PACA) claims of growers were invalid.

Yocum v. Fibre Federal Credit Union - Cowlitz County Superior Court, Washington. Successfully represented defendant in adverse possession claim and established defendant's right to real property at issue.

Final Judgments in State Courts Not Necessarily Preclusive in Bankruptcy Courts - Oregon State Bar Litigation Section The Litigation Journal.

Costs and Disbursements Chapter in the 2004 Oregon State Bar "Civil Litigation Manual."

"A Tale of Two Courts: Differences Between Oregon's Approach and the United State Supreme Court's Approach to Fifth Amendment Takings Claims," 31 Willamette L.R. 817 (Fall, 1995).

"Post-Chicago Antitrust Theory: Implications for Marketing Practice," Journal of Public Policy and Marketing (Fall 1997) Best Student Paper Award at 1996 Marketing and Public Policy Conference. Presented paper at conference in Washington D.C. (May, 1996)

Tara presents seminars on topics such as bankruptcy, creditors' rights, estate planning, and probate.

National Association of Credit Managers (NACM) - Frequent Speaker.

Tara is Treasurer for the Oregon State Bar Debtor-Creditor Executive Committee. She is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and Turnaround Management Association, and certified in business bankruptcy law from the American Board of Certification.