attorney profiles

Loren Joner

“I watched my first Ironman Triathlon on television when I was a kid. I was entranced by the fact that the athletes were enduring so much pain but were doing it with such relentless dedication. Constantly pushing the limits . . . constantly testing themselves . . . constantly finishing what few people even start. Now, when I go out for a training run or a long bike ride, my wife asks me, ‘How can you love something that is so excruciating?’ I can’t give her an answer that will satisfy her because I know that I see things differently than she does. I see the joy hidden within the pain, and I know that my steps take me a little closer to the satisfaction that the finish line will bring.”

As a business and estate planning lawyer, Loren has an eye on the finishing line on a daily basis. He works hand-in-hand with his clients, helping them define their goals, establish the tools to measure and adjust their goals and then maintain the accountability to see those goals come to fruition. “It’s not simply about getting the appropriate words into the correct documents.” Loren says. “It’s really about helping people understand that they can control their legal issues rather than allowing their legal issues to control them. The first step for most clients in this process is to develop a clear and specific plan for the future so that they can proactively take the steps to get where they want to be.”

Loren has seen the value of solid business planning throughout his entire life. His family, which has lived in Clark County for several generations, has been an integral part of the local business community in Battle Ground since the 1940s. This heritage has shaped Loren’s perspective on the trials and tribulations of business ownership and has developed a keen awareness of the importance of long-term planning. It also inspires he and his wife to pass this heritage on to the next generation by providing their four kids with the tools necessary to allow them the greatest opportunity to become future leaders in the community.

Matt Baker

“If I could have an office outside, I would. I love being outside, especially in the most extreme weather, because activity inspires me. It drives me to set and achieve ambitious goals instead of settling for the status quo. I never thought I would have the desire to run a marathon, bike from Seattle to Portland, snowboard Mt. Rainier at 10,000 feet, stroll the beach in Ocean Shores in 80+ mph winds, or sit in a freezing, muddy duck blind with my dog hoping something will fly over. I think I need the road less traveled because it provides me with the sense of accomplishment that sometimes can’t be found elsewhere.”

As a business, estate planning and real estate attorney in the Snoqualmie, Washington office of Joner Baker, Matt stays active with the myriad issues his clients bring to him. Matt often crafts solutions to his client’s needs that combine traditional legal concepts with an innovative, efficient approach. “Just because it’s been done that way in the past doesn’t mean it needs to be done that way today,” Matt says. “In fact, the law of the past can be extremely inefficient in today’s world. People need flexibility that the same old answers may not provide. Even if the same old answers still apply, they sometimes can be reshaped to become more relevant and more responsive.”

Matt also recognizes the flexibility that a boutique law firm in a community like Snoqualmie can provide to today’s clients. After cutting his legal teeth at one of the Seattle’s largest law firms, Matt appreciates the benefits he can provide to his clients while working in a leaner, more responsive environment – an environment that often leads him outside to locations where his clients work and live in places like Snoqualmie, Issaquah, North Bend and Fall City. He also appreciates the lifestyle that working for a boutique firm allows, enabling him to spend
more time outside with his wife and his dog.

“With Joner & Baker I have legal representation that is more interested in us than the paycheck we provide them... It is very comforting to know we have someone in our corner that I have explicit trust in.”
—John Fazzolari, Fazzolari Custom Homes & Renovation