Richard E. (Dick) Forcum

Louise Hamby

For over 50 years I have been training and retraining lawyers (including Dick Forcum). During those 50 plus years, I’ve been a secretary, bookkeeper, office manager and legal assistant. Currently, I (very deservedly) work three days per week (and sometimes more) as a legal assistant dealing exclusively in the areas of probate, guardianship and conservatorship.

My outside interests include gardening, cross country skiing and hiking. I really like people and spend quite a bit of my free time keeping in contact with friends and visiting my daughter and her husband in Texas. Several years ago, I traveled through six countries in Europe, and visited my relatives in Germany. One of my aunts and several cousins from Germany have also visited me numerous times.

I really enjoy a party, particularly our annual office Christmas party, which in past years we’ve gone cross country skiing, snowmobiling, riding on a dinner train, bowling, out to restaurants for great meals and several times had a gift exchange and dinner at Dick’s house.

Sheryl A. Luthi

When I began working in the legal field, I did so because, as a single mother with three children to raise, I needed a job. Now that my children are raised and I am no longer single, I continue working because I enjoy the challenges, the people and the law!

While working and raising my children, I obtained my B.S. in Paralegal Studies from Humphreys College in Stockton, California in 1990. I continued working at my original law office in Stockton until 1995 when I moved to Oregon.

I worked in one law office in Bend for about a year when I applied to be, and was hired to be, Dick Forcum’s paralegal. Since he hired me in 1996, he has given me a variety of cases to work on: domestic relations, criminal law, juvenile law, civil trials, appeals, business law and some others. When he turns the cases over to me, we confer and if I need direction he willing gives it.

Some days I wish I had followed my original dream of becoming an attorney, but, then, reality sets in and I realize that I can best serve clients and satisfy myself by doing what I now do.

My husband and I enjoy traveling, both within and without the United States, and playing golf. My boss accuses me of being a "work-a-holic", but it is really because he gives me too much work to do.

Abby Caram

I am the newest member of Dick Forcum’s law office, but I’m not without prior experience. I was a legal assistant in a Delaware corporate law firm for over two years and, then, moved to Oregon and worked for approximately two years in a law firm which focused on domestic relations.

Currently, in my "off the job" hours, I am a part-time student at Oregon State University, working to complete my bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. I hope to complete that degree within the next two years. My husband and I (and our two dogs) enjoy the Central Oregon lifestyle, including hiking, backpacking, skiing and fishing.