Kathryn Smith Root

Education. Ms. Root earned her B.A. from Lewis and Clark College in 1980 and her Juris Doctor from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in 1984.

Family Law Practice. Ms. Root has concentrated her practice in family law for 16 years. She handles most areas of family law practice, but has a special interest in contested child custody and parenting time disputes and in domestic law appeals. She is a leading authority in Oregon and on the west coast on interstate and international custody and child support litigation. She has handled more than 100 contested interstate custody litigations. She also litigated the first petition filed in the United States District Court for Oregon under the Hague Convention in 1997. The Hague Convention is an international treaty of the United States that governs international child custody disputes.

Family Law Professional Activities. Ms. Root was admitted to law practice in Oregon in 1985, and has been a leader in family law bar activities throughout her career. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar Family Law Section, and previously served three years on its Executive Committee. This Committee governs the Family Law Section, and recommends family law policy and legislation to the Oregon State Bar and Legislature. She also is a member, former board member, and former President of Oregon Academy of Family Law Practitioners. Kathryn Smith Root is a member of Operation Stop, an international anti-child abduction organization. She is also on the board of the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation (OWLS). In the early 1990's, she was a director and Vice-President of Oregon Women Lawyers. In 1991, Ms. Root was appointed Chair of the prestigious Oregon State Bar Committee on Procedure and Practice. This Committee studies legislation and court rules on behalf of the Oregon State Bar and makes recommendations to the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Legislature. Ms. Root also has been a frequent legal education speaker before Oregon bar groups on the subject of Interstate and international Child Custody litigation.

Ms. Root was selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2008 edition of Oregon Super Lawyers in the Family Law area.