Melisa Thompson

Of Counsel

The most rewarding part of my role as legal counsel is to ‎learn about the client’s goals and assist them in reaching ‎those goals in the most efficient and cost-effective way.‎

How I represent clients at Schwabe

I understand the mechanics involved in real estate ‎transactions and represent a variety of clients in both ‎commercial and residential transactions, commercial ‎lending, and forensic genealogy related to property ‎rights. As a compliment to my real estate practice, I can also assist clients in forming ‎corporate entities, facilitating corporate ‎partnerships, and creating, amending, or ‎terminating various corporate agreements. I ‎recognize that each project is unique and draw from ‎my years working in the industry to assist clients in the ‎pursuit of their goals.‎

With a unique background in real estate title examination and ‎underwriting for residential and commercial transactions, I ‎have first-hand knowledge of real estate concerns, including ‎navigating title imperfections, assisting with property distribution in ‎probate, and all aspects of real estate acquisition and sale.‎

My clients range from small companies to large commercial ‎development firms. My transaction experience includes ‎development, financing, refinancing, business formation, ‎environmental matters, and title insurance coverage. I also work with landlords and tenants with lease issues such as drafting, negotiation, defaults, and, when ‎needed, termination.‎

Experience

  • Represents clients on real property transactions including purchase, sale, development, financing, environmental matters, and title insurance coverage.
  • Represents landlords and tenants on matters including lease drafting and negotiation, lease defaults, lease amendments, option agreements, and lease termination.
  • Counsels on business matters including choice of entity, formation, amendments, and dissolution.
  • Negotiates and drafts loan workouts, loan documents, legal opinions, lot line adjustments, easements, encroachments, co-ownership agreements and covenants, and conditions and restrictions.
  • Counsels on projects that involve a variety of property types including bare land, agricultural land, residential, large multi-family projects, multi-use, industrial complexes, retail complexes, office buildings, and hospitality projects.
  • Negotiates joint venture partnership agreements, tenant-in-common agreements, and franchise agreements.

Education

  • Seattle University, School of Law, Juris Doctor (2004)‎
  • Central Washington University, Bachelor of Arts (2000)‎

Admissions

  • Idaho State Courts
  • Oregon State Courts
  • Washington State Courts
  • U.S. District Court - District of Idaho
  • U.S. District Court - District of Oregon
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of ‎Washington

Memberships

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Member

Oregon Women Lawyers, Member

Cascade Women Lawyers, Cascade Women Lawyers Chapter – Past Board Member

Oregon State Bar Real Estate and Land Use Section Member

Oregon State Bar Business Law Section Member

Washington State Bar Real Property Probate Trust Section Member

Washington State Bar Business Law Section Member

Idaho State Bar Real Property Section Member

Idaho State Bar Business & Corporate Law Section Member

Multnomah County Bar Association Member

Clark County Bar Association Member

Additional Events

“Title and Survey Overview”
Speaker – Schwabe
August 22, 2023

“Mitigating Environmental Pitfalls in Construction & Development”
Speaker – ALFA International
June 30, 2020

“The Not-So- Wonderful World of Bankruptcy Parts I & II”
Speaker – WFG National Title
February 2018

“Nonjudicial Foreclosures”
Speaker – Fidelity National Title Insurance Company
2017

“Escrow 102 – Escrow & The Exceptions”
Speaker – Western Title & Escrow
February 2016

“Escrow 101 – The Basics”
Speaker – Western Title & Escrow
February 2016

“Real Estate 101”
Speaker – Western Title & Escrow
January 2016

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