Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
• Child Custody and Visitation
  Having joined the DeWald Deaver L’Heureux Team in 2017, John is honored to represent and provide quality representation to clients who would otherwise have to travel great distances to find similar counsel. John has an active litigation practice in the county and district courts for Phelps County and the surrounding area. He represents clients in nearly every aspect of the court system, including; personal injury, contract disputes, criminal defense, divorce, and child custody disputes.
• Adoption
• Guardianship
  Taylor’s practice focuses on estate planning and administration, real estate law and business law. Additionally, Taylor regularly assists clients as they seek to care for their relatives or close friends in need of a guardianship or conservatorship. She understands that a compassionate, friendly approach can help make difficult conversations regarding the care or passing of a loved one much easier. Taylor also represents several municipalities, businesses and farmers.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Richard (“Rick”) Calkins started his law career in 1979 with a law firm in Omaha, Nebraska. After practicing in Omaha for thirteen years Rick moved to Alma in 1992 and started Calkins Law Office. Rick has continuously practiced law in Alma and in 2022 he joined DeWald Deaver L’Heureux. Rick primarily practices in the areas of real estate development and transactions and has a state- wide criminal defense practice. Rick is married and has three children and four grandchildren. Rick enjoys spending time with family and friends and appreciates the lifestyle and amenities of practicing law in a small town.
• Wrongful Death
• Juvenile Crimes
  Shelby believes that strong communities and businesses contribute to raising strong, healthy families. For that reason, Shelby is passionate about preserving legacy businesses, like the family farm. She provides services in the areas of estate planning and administration, real estate transactions, and business law. She also serves the surrounding area with juvenile law services, working with children and families in foster care. No matter the task, Shelby is focused on helping her clients, their families, and our community win.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Business Disputes
• Business Transactions

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
• Construction Litigation
• Real Estate Transactions
  Natalie is a paralegal with the law firm and operates out the Alma office. Natalie assists the attorneys in every aspect of the legal services we provide our clients including preparation of legal documents, management of case and court files, filing of legal documents with the court and Secretary of State, preparation of real estate documents as well as closing real estate transactions. Natalie previously work for Rick Calkins and joined the law firm in 2022 with the merger of the two law offices. Natalie and her husband live in Orleans, NE with their four children and she enjoys watching her children's activities, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
• Social Security Disability

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Generally speaking, estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging the management and disposal of a person’s estate during the person’s life and after death, while minimizing taxes. Estate planning includes planning for incapacity as well as a process of reducing or eliminating uncertainties over the administration of a probate. It also includes maximizing the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. The client’s specific goals are as simple or complex as the client’s wants and needs dictate.
• Wills
• Trusts
  A trust may be used as an estate planning tool to direct the distribution of assets after the person who creates the trust, usually called the settlor, passes away. Trusts may be used to provide for the distribution of funds for the benefit of minor children or developmentally disabled children. For example, a spendthrift trust may be used to prevent wasteful spending by a spendthrift child, or a special needs trust may be used for developmentally disabled children or adults. Trusts typically offer a high degree of control over the management and disposition of assets.
• Power of Attorney
  An estate plan almost always includes creating several power of attorney documents – documents that direct what will happen to a person’s estate in relation to their personal care if the person becomes legally incapacitated. For example, an estate plan would include a durable power of attorney for financial and legal matters and a healthcare power of attorney for all medical decisions, including an advance directive for end-of-life decisions.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Tax Law
  Luke also has an active civil litigation practice and regularly appears in trial courts across the state. He has obtained successful trial verdicts on a variety of civil matters including a multi-million judgement on a corporate shareholder dispute that he successfully defended on appeal. That appeal helped make law on the fiduciary duties owed by shareholders to their corporations. He has also successfully guided and negotiated settlements involving complicated corporate and tax matters.