Klamath Falls, Oregon
In 1998, Ms. Oakes accepted the position of law clerk to the five circuit
court judges of Klamath County and one circuit court judge of Lake County.
In 1999, Ms. Oakes began work as a deputy district attorney at the Klamath
County District Attorney’s Office, specializing in domestic violence
prosecution. Also in 1999, Ms. Oakes began teaching at the Oregon Institute
of Technology as an adjunct professor in the paralegal studies program.
During a county budget crisis in 2001, Ms. Oakes’s position was laid
off and she began her private practice in September 2001, as a general
practice legal services office. From 2001 through 2004, the cases handled
by the office were mostly family law, estate planning and landlord-tenant
(representing tenants). However, in 2004, the practice evolved into a
consumer protection law firm, exclusively handling bankruptcy cases, FDCPA
cases, and FCRA cases. Since 2004, it is estimated that Ms. Oakes’
clients have discharged millions in debt. At the same time, since 2004,
Ms. Oakes has written checks totaling over $100,000 to her clients from
payments by creditors.
Also in 2004, Ms. Oakes was elected to the bench as justice of the peace
for Klamath County and was re-elected in 2010 and 2016.