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We provide friendly, calm, pragmatic, experienced, and responsive legal services. We are not interested in writing you an academic treatise on the history of the legal issue you face (unless you really want that). As a client-centered law firm, we use the law as a tool to help guide you towards a strategic solution. We want to understand your mission, vision, dreams, and challenges, so we can help you strategize and problem solve. If you would like help in cultivating clarity and some sage advice, please give us a buzz.
Stephanie Dolan, who is licensed to practice in both Oregon and California, brings several decades of nonprofit and other legal experience to assist Law Garden clients. Stephanie enjoys providing excellent, efficient, and compassionate legal services to our clients in service to their communities.
Stephanie advises a wide variety of tax-exempt organizations, including forming new nonprofit organizations (drafting Bylaws, facilitating organizational meetings, Board trainings, assistance with applications to the IRS) and advising existing nonprofit organizations with their myriad legal needs, including various employment, real estate, and intellectual property matters, governance issues, and regulatory compliance. Stephanie also conducts legal research and reviews and drafts contracts, leases, policies, and legal opinions. She loves engaging in strategic planning and coaching clients facing challenging transitions.
Stephanie was an attorney with the Center for Nonprofit Law for two years. Before joining that firm, Stephanie served as the Executive Director of the Tribally-chartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Northern California Tribal Court Coalition (NCTCC) for 17 years, where she helped to launch NCTCC’s Rights of Mother Earth Program, a culturally centered batterer intervention program, an inter-jurisdictional domestic violence court, a Tribal appellate court system, remote legal access centers, and other impactful initiatives to support equal access to justice and food sovereignty to Tribal members in their communities.
In her capacity as managing attorney at California Indian Legal Services (from 2002-2005), Stephanie represented Native American tribes, individuals, and families, and advised and provided training to Tribal clients on a wide array of legal matters, including general business, contracts and civil litigation matters, child welfare, court development and code drafting, tribal government operations and environmental programs and protections.
In her private legal practice in Southern Oregon, Stephanie assisted individuals, nonprofit organizations, and business entities with their legal needs, including estate planning, probate, contract drafting and review, and nonprofit and business formation and advising. Stephanie also served on the City Council of Talent and Planning Commission, and also volunteered with other local nonprofit organizations during that time.
Stephanie has served on the Oregon State Bar Nonprofit Organizations Law Section (“NOLS”) Executive Committee since 2022.
Stephanie moved to Eugene in 2020, where she has been spending her free time hiking outside when weather permits, and renovating an old farmhouse.
An Oregon native, Ella grew up in Eugene and currently lives in Portland. Former Client Support Supervisor with the Center for Nonprofit Law, Ella brings many years of nonprofit support and a passion for organizations making a difference in our communities. Ella studied Cultural Anthropology and Nonprofit Administration at the University of Oregon. Shortly after graduation she was trained in basic accounting and bookkeeping practices while working on a farm in the area, and continues to grow those skills in other sectors.
Ella met Stephanie a few years later while working in Eugene and quickly found similarities between their work styles, ideals, and dreams for the future. Ella supervises client support matters, and handles the Law Garden’s billing and bookkeeping .
Outside of work, Ella enjoys baking, canning, and hanging out with her cat, Bowie.
