Melanie is a partner with the law firm of Fitzwater Law, LLP. Her practice focuses on all aspects of estate planning and administration, including planning for high net worth clients, complex trust administration, preparation of estate tax returns, and planning for people with special needs. She received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and holds a LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law. She was an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University and taught in their LLM Program.  She is the past Chair of the Executive Committee for the Estate Planning Section of the Oregon State Bar. She has published several articles treatises and regularly gives presentations on special needs trusts.  In her spare time, Melanie enjoys hanging out with her family, listening to live music and eating her way through Portland’s many culinary delights.