Our Story

Butler, Looney & Martinsen, P.C. is a firm of “Eastern Oregon Sagebrush Lawyers,” to use the term coined by our founder Charlie Swan. The firm established its roots in the 1936 when Charlie moved to Vale, Oregon from the Willamette Valley. Bob Butler began practicing with Charlie in 1967. Cliff Looney joined the firm in the 1970's. David Butler, Bob’s oldest son, joined the firm in 1997. Dustin Martinsen joined the firm in 2014. The firm then added Louis Butler, Bob's youngest son, in 2022. We have a long history of being a strong, stable law firm that currently represents many families into the third and fourth generations.
Our practice is varied and depends upon the needs of our clients. We often say, somewhat tongue in cheek, that we do everything except admiralty law (the law of the high seas.) I suppose if we had the right kind of admiralty case, we would associate with an admiralty firm on the west coast and learn something about admiralty law. The point is, we serve the needs of our clients and if necessary, associate the best experts in unique practice areas. 

Vale is the county seat of Malheur County, and the office is located one block east of the County Courthouse. Vale and the surrounding communities of the Western Treasure Valley are located primarily in an agricultural and ranching area. Vale has become famous for its murals depicting many of the events and activities in the early history of the area.

Much of our practice is related to agriculture, including business and estate planning and real estate work. We also have a strong practice in family law that includes divorce and child custody matters. Cliff Looney is also certified in mediation. We have a dedicated litigation practice that includes business and real estate litigation as well a personal injury and wrongful death suits. We also maintain a strong presence in probate law as well as serving clients with guardianship and conservatorship needs.
Eastern Oregon is also the location of a great deal of mining activity dating back to the gold rush days. There is still a substantial amount of mining activity going on in Eastern Oregon and we have continued to maintain a substantial mining law practice. 

Because of our proximity to Idaho a good portion of our work crosses the border into Idaho. David Butler and Dustin Martinsen are licensed to practice in Idaho as well as Oregon.

Besides practicing law in Eastern Oregon, we also live here by choice. Eastern Oregon is a diverse and interesting area with fishing, hunting, camping, rock hounding and many other activities available for families. Vale is located on the Oregon Trail and is the first stop on the Oregon Trail in the state of Oregon. The hot springs, which break out in the Malheur River on the edge of Vale, offered a place for pioneers to stop, wash and rest as they prepared to head north and west toward Hells Canyon and the timber country. We embrace our history and heritage while at the same time our practice is progressive and modern using sophisticated research and communication methods. Be assured that the lawyers and staff will work efficiently to serve your legal needs. 
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