Melanie is a partner with Fitzwater Law, a small boutique estate planning firm located in Portland, OR. Her practice focuses on all aspects of estate planning, including planning for high-net-worth clients with estate/gift tax concerns, blended families, and planning for people with special needs. She received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of
Law and her LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

She is a past chair of the Executive Committee for the Estate Planning Section of the Oregon State Bar and a fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She frequently speaks on special needs trust for the Oregon State Bar Association. She has been a presenter at several of ASNP’s past annual conferences and always gives honest reviews of the comfort of the hotel robes.