RACHEL L. MERRILL Phone:  425.454.3374    Fax:  425.454.0087                 Email: rmerrill@hansonbaker.com Download vCard Download Bio

PRACTICE EMPHASIS AND EXPERIENCE

• General Business
             Entity Selection, Formation and Maintenance
             Contracts, Licenses and Agreements
• Real Estate
             Real Property Finance
             Leasing
             Commercial and Residential Purchases and Sales            
• Estate Planning
             Business Succession Planning
             Gift and Tax Planning
             Guardianships
             Probate and Estate Settlement
             Wills and Trusts
• Finance and Banking
              Foreclosures
              Workouts
              Commercial Lending

Rachel L. Merrill is a shareholder with Hanson Baker Ludlow Drumheller P.S.  Rachel’s practice focuses in the areas of business and real estate transactions, estate planning, trust administration and estate settlement.  She counsels clients on entity selection, formation, maintenance and dissolution, business succession planning, and real estate transactions including lease agreements, purchase and sale agreements, options to purchase and easements. Rachel also assists clients with guardianships and estate matters such as probate, wills and trusts, estate and gift tax planning, and other wealth transfers. 

AREAS OF PRACTICE

General Business: Rachel counsels individuals and businesses on a range of legal issues including entity selection, formation and maintenance, mergers and acquisitions, buy/sell agreements, shareholder agreements, contract drafting and review, redemptions, dissolution and financing.  Rachel is a frequent speaker on business related topics.

Real Estate: Rachel works with property owners, lenders, individuals and businesses on a range of real estate matters including lease agreements, options to purchase, easements and purchase and sale agreements.  Such work often includes agreement negotiation, review and drafting, and dispute resolution.

Estate Planning: Rachel assists clients with a wide range of estate related issues, including guardianships, wills, trusts, powers of attorney and health care directives, estate settlement, gift and tax planning, and trust and estate litigation.

Finance and Banking: Rachel’s finance practice includes drafting and review of loan documents, loan work outs and modifications, loan structuring and receiverships.  Rachel has advised both borrowers and lenders, including representation of community banks, businesses and individuals.

EDUCATION

J.D., Seattle University School of Law, magna cum laude
     Presidential Scholarship
     Staff Member, Seattle Journal for Social Justice
B.A., Gonzaga University, cum laude
     Economics
     Academic Scholarship
     Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society
B.A., Gonzaga University, cum laude
     Political Science
     Academic Scholarship

ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS

Basics of Estate Planning and Trust Administration, Norman & Kitto (May 2014)
How to Comply Under State Law, Limited Liability Companies, National Business Institute (December 2013)
Forming and Funding an LLC, LLC Workshop: Choose, Draft and Maintain; National Business Institute (December 2012)

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Washington State Bar Association
King County Bar Association Real Property Probate and Trust Section, Treasurer

East King County Bar Association
East King County Estate Planning Council
Washington Women Lawyers
Washington Women Real Estate Lawyers
Master Builders Association, Professional Women in Building Member
Bellevue Chamber of Commerce
Issaquah Schools Foundation, Member of Board of Trustees and Major Gifts Committee

BAR / COURT ADMISSIONS

Admitted to Washington, 2006
Admitted to U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2006

HONORS / AWARDS / UNIQUE RECOGNITION

Named Super Lawyer Rising Star by Washington Law & Politics in 2013 - 2017

PERSONAL

When she is not at the office, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband, Marty, and their two children and three pets. Rachel also enjoys gardening and hiking.