Our Team

Nick Mesirow

Nick was raised in Portland, Oregon. He has practiced business law in Oregon since 2000, and has a passion for helping clients craft deals that fit their personal and financial goals, be it via purchasing a business, selling a business, or forming a new partnership. His clients rely on his ability to distill clarity from complex situations.

In his practice, Nick has developed a keen awareness of the various tripwires and snags in partnership agreements that can destroy relationships down the road. He relishes the opportunity to fortify and create appropriate structure in these agreements, promoting healthy business partnerships.

Nick wants his clients to be well informed and confidently aware of all details pertinent to their business dealings. He assists his clients in understanding what they are working with—warts and all—and helps them structure transactions accordingly. When a client is ready to sell their business, Nick helps them put their business on solid ground from the perspective of a buyer. When negotiating the sale, he assists his clients in working through outstanding liability issues, navigating buyout structures, and reviewing complicated transaction specifics.

In his spare time, Nick operates as a classic Soccer Dad, shuttling his kids across town to a variety of youth sports leagues and watching proudly from the bleachers.

Frank Godfrey

Frank was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. After graduating from Tulane University, Frank moved to Portland, Oregon to attend the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College.

Frank is the lead trial attorney at the firm and represents clients in mediation, arbitration and trial. Frank works with local business owners to navigate a multitude of business and employment issues by listening to their concerns and working with them to achieve effective solutions that minimize exposure to legal liability.

In his practice, Frank specializes in litigation and insurance defense. Should litigation ensue, Frank’s straight forward approach helps clients put themselves in the best position to protect their business interests. As a litigator, Frank has represented employers in employment-related litigation, owners in business-related litigation, contractors in construction-related litigation, and trustees, personal representatives, and individuals in trust/estate litigation.

Frank’s work in insurance defense covers a wide berth, defending company owners in shareholder disputes as well as clients entangled in employment discrimination, on their insurer’s behalf. Frank provides retainage work for several clients in claim-related matters, for which he covers an array of responsibilities, responding to defect notices, civil complaints, and attending to all phases of litigation, including judicial settlement conferences and private mediations.

In his free time, Frank enjoys golfing, cooking, and music. He’s always up for watching a good football game.

Larry Moomaw

Larry was raised in Beaverton, Oregon. After graduating from law school, Larry received his initial training as an associate for Herbert W. Winfrey, one of Oregon’s foremost business attorneys, thereby beginning his career as a business attorney. Following Mr. Winfrey’s retirement in 1976, Larry became a partner in the law firm that has evolved into Moomaw Mesirow & Godfrey, L.L.P. Larry now serves the firm in an of counsel capacity.

Larry provides legal counsel to a full range of businesses, from sole proprietorships to multi-national corporations. Larry works with clients to address the challenges and opportunities they meet on a daily basis and to find the best solution that meets their business needs.

Kailey M. Wilson

Kailey is a graduate of the Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland. She comes to us after serving as an Associate Attorney with Scheer Law PLLC, where she regularly handled 30 cases at a time – both prior to suit and in litigation. Before that, she served as a Document Review Attorney with Shift Discover, LLC, where she primarily focused on contract work. As a law student she interned with the Lewis & Clark Law School – Small Business Legal Clinic, where she assisted with intake, contract preparation, and client communication. She has also worked as a subcontractor for the Department of Energy at the Hanford Nuclear Site, where she worked on the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program.

Her experience in litigation, negotiating settlements, drafting contracts, and reviewing documents makes her a perfect fit at Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey, LLP, where she assists with litigation and general business law matters.

Ryan Bird

Ryan is a graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland.  Before joining Moomaw Mesirow & Godfrey, he was an Attorney Advisor with the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he worked directly with hundreds of business owners and individuals across the country to set up low-interest loans to cover property damage from natural disasters not covered by insurance or other safeguards. Before that, he served as a law clerk for the Dalton Law Firm, where he focused on litigation in the fields of employment law and workers’ compensation. As a law student, he interned with the Lewis & Clark Law School – Small Business Legal Clinic, where he assisted small business owners with forming their business, preparing transactions with other businesses, and employment contracts. 

Ryan’s experience in organizing businesses, drafting documents and litigation enable him to help Moomaw Mesirow & Godfrey’s clients with their general business law and litigation needs. 

Patrice Godfrey

Patrice Godfrey is a business development professional with over 20 years of experience and demonstrated skills in sales, marketing, client development, and customer service.

As the Client Development Specialist at Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey, Patrice manages all marketing and business development efforts. She is the face of the firm, representing MMG in the greater Portland-area business community, as well as connecting with nonprofits and volunteer programs as a part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.

Patrice was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she led a successful career in the travel industry. First, at a travel agency—managing a lot of moving parts with dates, deadlines, and gently reminding clients that she can’t control the weather—and then, as a Client Relations Specialist with a cruise line for a number of years.

After moving to Oregon, she transitioned into elder care, serving senior housing and Alzheimer communities. Dealing with families directly, she provided tours of senior facilities and matched client needs to appropriate housing and services. She worked with three communities: Clare Bridge Memory Care, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia Care; Park Place Assisted Living; and an Alterra center near King City.

Patrice is also an alumnus of the Beaverton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Beaverton program. She volunteers with TVW, Habitat West, the Beaverton Chamber of Commerce, Hillsboro Chamber, and the Westside Economic Alliance.

Outside of work, Patrice loves to travel, listen to soul, funk, and R&B, and spend time with her English bulldog, Nola.

Suzy Aspy

A paralegal since 1982, Suzy Aspy is an expert legal assistant. She joined Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey in 2016 and assists attorneys with drafting documents, preparing litigation, and communicating with clients. Particularly adept at grammar and writing, Suzy enjoys drafting and preparing documents.

Suzy moved to Portland in the early ‘90s and worked with some of downtown’s biggest law firms. She also spent many years in Idaho working as a paralegal. She earned her paralegal degree from Rocky Mountain College.

Outside of work, Suzy enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs, as well as reading mysteries.

Nicolette Reite

Nicolette Reite joined Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey in 2017 as a Paralegal. Utilizing her MBA knowledge, she works closely with our business law attorneys. She also works in other practice areas, including real estate planning and probate. She enjoys being able to directly assist clients and the dynamic nature of working in the legal field.

She has led a career in administrative and paralegal services, working in legal offices for the past five years. After earning a paralegal degree from an ABA approved program in 2016, she worked as a paralegal at a law firm specializing in family law. She handled all aspects of a small law office as the only paralegal, including drafting pleadings, managing client files, and providing reception. Previously, she worked as a file clerk assisting attorneys with file management, drafting documents, preparing correspondence, and managing loan packages.

In her free time, Nicolette leads a very active life. She has trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for nine years and was the starting pitcher on her softball team during her undergraduate years. She also loves reading and reviews advanced copies of novels for various publishers.

Sarah Fantazia

Having practiced public accounting for 10 years, Sarah Fantazia joined Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey as a Controller in 2019. Her experience in taxes as a CPA and as a quality control expert in audit matters have her working with everyone in the office and all of our clients. Whether she’s taking care of bookkeeping, budgeting, business decisions, financial reporting, or scheduling, Sarah has proven to be an invaluable member of the Moomaw, Mesirow & Godfrey team.

Sarah grew up just across the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington and attended high school and university in Portland. She is a mother of three and loves to spend her spare time playing with her children, reading, gardening, cooking, and staying active.