William F. Buchanan

Bio

Bill Buchanan was born in Bend and raised as one of eight siblings. He split his time growing up in Bend and on an Eastern Oregon wheat and cattle ranch. After obtaining undergraduate degrees at Oregon State University and interning for US Senator Mark Hatfield, Bill obtained his law degree from the George Washington University in Washington DC. During law school, Bill clerked for VanNess Feldman, a DC firm specializing in energy and natural resource matters. After law school in 1993, Bill began his practice with a regional law firm in Portland and then returned home to practice in Bend in 1999.

In 2014, Bill joined forces with two former colleagues to form what is now Buchanan Schmid LLC. He continues to solve problems for clients involved in a wide variety of complex civil litigation matters. Such problems often involve issues pertaining to natural resources, real estate development, property, business, employment, OLCC regulation, infrastructure, condemnation, and shareholder derivative actions. Bill also has expertise in representing clients in fiduciary, trust, probate, and elder abuse litigation.

Bill maintains an active presence in the community and has been a member of several professional, charitable, and civic boards and organizations. Bill is a board member and past president for City Club of Central Oregon and Sparrow Clubs, USA, a non-profit that is changing youth culture by helping kids help kids in medical crisis.

Bill speaks to groups on a variety of topics including litigation, infrastructure planning, prosecuting and defending financial elder abuse cases, youth culture, and other matters of public interest. Bill regularly moderates community forums on a number of local and regional topics ranging from urban growth and tourism to mental health and civility.

Perhaps more important than speaking, Bill is a good listener—especially to his wife and three children with whom he enjoys recreating in Central Oregon’s great outdoors. He is an avid skier, backpacker and water sports enthusiast.

Direct: (541) 382-4355
Cell: (541) 280-1420
Email: bill@buchananschmid.com

Experience

Shareholder Oppression/Elder Abuse Litigation: Served as plaintiffs’ lead trial counsel in a multimillion dollar shareholder oppression and elder abuse trial that settled favorably after just two weeks of a months-long trial after offering surprise testimony that the principal defendant paid his employees to burn several boxes of documents on the eve of inspection.

Utility Condemnation:Represented a developer and private utility company in a two-phase five-month trial that resulted in an eight figure award for his client together with a substantial attorney fee award.

Class Action Antitrust Trial:Represented the plaintiff class as co-counsel in an antitrust class action against a Fortune 500 defendant that resulted in a $84 million jury verdict.

Health Care Valuation Arbitration:Successfully challenged and modified the purchase price by a non-profit of a wholly-owned “for profit” healthcare subsidiary based on application of the anti-kickback statute, private inurement prohibitions, and Stark law.

OLCC Contested Cases: Successfully represented licensees in contested cases that resulted in an Oregon DOJ investigation of OLCC’s regional director.

Elder Abuse Case:Successfully represented plaintiff in a complex estate and elder abuse case resulting in high seven-figure settlement after five days of mediation.

Probate Challenge: Successful represented plaintiffs in challenge of an estate plan that purported to alter deceased spouses wishes, resulting in a seven-figure settlement.

Community Foundation Fiduciary Litigation: Represented a non-profit beneficiary of a trust to replace the existing trustee and to obtain both injunctive relief and a substantial judgment against that trustee for breach of fiduciary duty.

Advocacy Group Representation:Successfully represented multiple advocacy groups relating to public works projects and development of municipal properties.

Ranch Litigation: Successfully challenged the defendant’s interpretation of an estate plan enabling the clients to retake possession of a historic Southeastern Oregon ranch after the passing of their parents.

Public Utility Commission Litigation:Successfully defended against Public Utility Commission’s attempt to take over control of a private utility company, without compensation, through exercise of its police power.