August 22, 2007

Pridgeon Bjornsen & McCrum, LLC; Firm expands staff, takes new name

Pridgeon Bjornsen & McCrum, LLC is the new name of a long-time Lincoln County law firm with offices in both Newport and Lincoln City. Joining founding partner Jeff Pridgeon are James Bjornsen and Bruce McCrum as partners in the firm, previously known as Pridgeon & Associates, LLC. New signs with Pridgeon Bjornsen & McCrum, LLC are already in place at both the Newport and Lincoln City offices. The partners, who have worked together for several years, feel that joining together as partners will help their office and their ability to serve the community through their combined, unique legal talents.

The skills of the partners and staff at Pridgeon Bjornsen & McCrum, LLC include a broad range of legal answers to people's needs, including: accidents, real estate, wills, trusts, probate and estate planning, small business, divorce and other domestic/family issues including child support, custody and spousal support, criminal issues, DUII, juvenile cases, personal injuries, bankruptcy and wrongful death.

Pridgeon moved to Lincoln County in the summer of 1976 to clerk for the Honorable Charles P. Littlehales. At that time, Littlehales was the district attorney for Lincoln County. Pridgeon graduated from the University of Oregon Law School in 1977, passed the Oregon State Bar, and moved to this area permanently to begin his legal career officially as deputy district attorney for the Honorable Robert J. Huckleberry - who was the new district attorney at that time. Private practice began for Pridgeon in 1979 with the firm of Branford and Waarvick. Pridgeon started his own firm in 1981.

Pridgeon is an involved member of the community, currently serving on the Juvenile Court Improvement Project which is led by the Honorable Frederick L. Bennett, Jr., is an active member of the Newport Rotary, serves on the board of directors for the Lincoln County Foundation, and has been the municipal judge for the City of Newport since 1998. Pridgeon's wife, Jill Pridgeon, is also an active member of the Newport community. Currently her interests have taken her into work at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The Pridgeons have one son, Bailey, a Newport High School graduate. Bailey will be a junior at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls in the fall.

Pridgeon's work currently encompasses working with wills, trusts, estates, real estate and small business. He states, "I like the opportunities Lincoln County has given me to represent people that are my neighbors - people that become friends."

Bjornsen and McCrum are not new to the office, but have worked as co-counsel and associates for many years with Pridgeon. Bjornsen started working with Pridgeon in 1994. His legal forte is civil practice with an emphasis on tort claims, accidents and personal injuries. Bjornsen has 14 years experience to back it up. Bjornsen's work experience started in 1977 during his time in the United States Navy working with the Naval Regional Medical Center in San Diego. This beginning took him into international work in the medical field as an outpatient department manager overseeing a multinational staff of 100 people, who in turn served 75,000 optic outpatients. Bjornsen came back to the United States and received his bachelor of science in finance from the University of Utah with an emphasis on investments and real estate. He then received his master's degree in business administration from the University of Utah in 1990. Bjornsen completed his education when he received his legal degree, again from Utah, in May, 1993. In 1992, Bjornsen had the opportunity to be the judicial extern for Justice Stewart of the Utah State Supreme Court, using his writing and research skills. In 1994, the native Oregonian came "home," passed the Oregon State Bar and began practicing law with Pridgeon. Outside of his work, Bjornsen is a busy parent and grandparent.

Bruce McCrum is the newest member of the trio of partners. He came to work with Pridgeon as an associate in 1998 after working with another Newport firm since March 1994. Before that time, McCrum lived in Eugene, beginning in January 1981, when he married. A southern California native, McCrum moved away in 1977 to attend Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, Canada; studying psychology. His academics took him back to California State University of Fullerton and then to the University of Oregon to finish his psychology degree. McCrum then received his legal doctorate from the University of Oregon in 1988. After passing the bar, McCrum worked for a private practice in Eugene which emphasized commercial real estate. This work eventually lead to a move to Waldport in 1994. Since that time, McCrum has continued working in real estate law, civil, commercial, bankruptcy, and for the last years since joining Pridgeon, McCrum has been active in criminal defense work. In 2006, McCrum became the municipal judge for the City of Waldport. McCrum is also an active member of the community. He has worked with local youth sports as a coach for basketball and baseball in past years; and is currently lead guitar for the Waldport Foursquare Church worship team. McCrum and his wife, Sharon, have four children: Their oldest, Alexander, attends Seattle Pacific University; their next, Sean, recently graduated Waldport High and plans to attend Humboldt State University in northern California; Laura, will enter third grade; and James, will start preschool in the fall.

When McCrum joined Pridgeon in 1998, he was impressed with the teamwork of office. Adding to that teamwork, McCrum's original assistant when arriving in Newport in 1994, Lois Howell-Jessee, also joined the Pridgeon offices in 1999 and is the office manager. Along with a seasoned staff of assistants, well-known Lincoln City family law attorney Gari Lynn Lovejoy joined the Pridgeon staff in January of 2006. She graduated from Portland State University in 1995, and from Gonzaga School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2002. She has practiced in Lincoln County since being admitted to the Oregon State Bar with an emphasis on domestic relations and family law. As of this month, Lovejoy is the proud parent of two children. The latest addition to the firm is Robert Manske, of North Bend, Oregon, a graduate of Oregon State, Texas Tech School of Law and the Texas Tech Graduate School with a masters in personal financial planning.

"With the new additions to the staff and changes in the partnership of the firm, the staff is confident that these changes will benefit the needs of the growing communities of Lincoln County," a spokesperson said.

Pridgeon Bjornsen & McCrum, LLC are located at 515 W. Olive St., in Newport; and 2604 NE Hwy 101, Ste. A, Lincoln City. Call 265- 2217 or 994-4255 for appointments or information.