Karen Oakes

Karen Oakes brings a wealth of experience to her practice in Ashland, Oregon, focusing on consumer protection, bankruptcy, and estate planning. Born in Michigan, she grew up in a military family, living in diverse locations including Georgia, California, South Carolina, Virginia, and Idaho. Her life in California marked the beginning of her own family, which expanded significantly in 1984 with the addition of three nieces and a nephew.

During her third year at law school, Ms. Oakes was chosen as the student director for the national Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, a position funded by the American Bar Association/Tax Section. She traveled to over 13 conferences, mentoring student leaders to establish low-income taxpayer assistance programs at their schools. She completed her juris doctorate in 1998 and moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon.

In 1998, Ms. Oakes served as a law clerk for the circuit court judges of Klamath and Lake Counties. The following year, she joined the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district counsel, focusing on domestic violence prosecution. Concurrently, she began teaching as an adjunct professor in the paralegal studies program at the Oregon Institute of Technology.

Following a county budget crisis in 2001, Ms. Oakes transitioned to private practice, initially offering general legal services. By 2001, her practice evolved into a consumer protection office, specializing exclusively in bankruptcy cases, FDCPA cases, and estate planning. Between 2001 and 2004, her practice primarily handled family law, estate planning, and tenant representation in landlord-tenant disputes.