Gregory Abbott

Consumer Law Northwest

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Education

Lewis & Clark College: J.D. | Law; 1989 - 1993; Honors: Won Mock Trial Competition Mock Trial Honor Board AmJur Award in Alternative Dispute Resolution; Activities: Hearings Officer for Multnomah County Animal Control; Arbitrator for FINRA

Knox College: B.A. | Sociology-Anthropology; 1970 - 1975; Honors: Head of Speakers and Lecturers Committee of Student Government

Professional Experience

Attorney: Consumer Law Northwest; 2012 - Current; Continuation of providing Portland's premier consumer and small business law services.

Attorney: Law Office of Gregory L. Abbott; 1994 - 2012; Sole practitioner in the Portland, Oregon Metro Area with practice devoted to Consumer and Small Business Law, including Landlord/Tenant, Collections and Debtor Defense, Unfair Trade Practices, Auto Accident and Personal Injury, Bad Car Deals, Wills, Trusts, Probate.

Professional Associations

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Fees

Contingent Fees
Will consider contingent fees in the right case
Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
$250/hour, Retainer amount depends on anticipated actions

Practice Areas

Arbitration & Mediation: Business - Arbitration/Mediation, Consumer - Arbitration/Mediation, Family - Arbitration/Mediation

Business Law: Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes

Insurance Claims: Bad Faith Insurance, Business Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Property Insurance

Personal Injury: Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

Additional Practice Areas

Legal Answers

Q. Can a landlord charge a separate late fee for flat rate utilities due at the same time as rent: October 10, 2022; A: If your rent was more than 4 days late, the landlord may charge a late fee assuming it is specified in your written lease agreement. $100 in my opinion is not an unreasonable late fee amount, assuming your total rent is more than $44 - i.e. someone else, such as a government program, is paying the balance due. A late fee for paying landlord-billed utilities is lawful IF there has been a first notice and warning that a second violation would cost $50 and it can go up if there are further violations. However, even if they are officially "due" with the rent, a utility payment cannot be considered late unless the bill contains a date specifying when it is due (separately from rent) and which is not less than 30 days after delivery of the bill to you. There are a variety of over legal requirements, such as including a copy of the landlord's bill or a statement telling you that you can inspect the actual bill at the landlord's office during reasonable hours. If that is not included, you likely are entitled to monetary damages. ... Read More

Q. What are safety-related window screen requirements for rental homes?: October 3, 2022; A: I know of no legal requirements for a landlord to provide window screens, especially if on a single story. Your insurance company might want it (though how much protection from falling does a screen actually provide?) and in the interests of protecting yourself, with the new lease paperwork you may wish to include a notice (at least one or more Multifamily Northwest forms includes such notice/warning to tenants) warning tenants to keep a watch on children and anyone who might fall from the window. But keeping a pet inside while having a window open far enough for them to escape is the tenant's problem, not the landlord's. If it was important to them, they should have either rented elsewhere or, at a minimum, raised the issue with the landlord prior to signing a lease. Their failure to do their due diligence does not translate into the landlord's expense and problem. ... Read More

Q. Is it legal for hazmat to be called close too floor but management not inform or evacute our building: October 3, 2022; A: There is NO where near enough information here to tell you anything. What sort of violation? How did it impact other tenants? Even if not, what actual damage did any of the tenants suffer? You likely do not have any meaningful claims but depending upon the details, it is at least theoretically possible.

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6635 N Baltimore Ave

Suite 254

Portland, OR 97203

Telephone: (503) 283-4568

Fax: (503) 283-4586