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William Dickas
As one of Kell, Alterman & Runstein's leading real estate, business, and dispute resolution specialists, it's easy to believe Bill Dickas when he claims he was "born a lawyer." But most lawyers don't enter the profession after earning a master's degree in theology in Austria, nor do they spend five years in the priesthood before changing careers.
Why did he leave the clergy for law school? A variety of reasons, he says, but one of the most significant was his desire to assist people with concerns the church couldn't address. "I met a lot of people I couldn't help," he says, "people who faced things like poverty or draft issues. I thought I could do more elsewhere." The Ohio State University law school graduate moved to Portland in the mid-'70s—"It's nearly the same size as Columbus, Ohio, but there are about 140 more things to do in Portland," he says—and joined Kell, Alterman & Runstein in 1976. He jokes that former partner Cliff Alterman was mostly impressed by his German fluency, but grants that his skills as a transaction attorney and litigator also played a significant role. Clients appreciate Bill's wry, friendly approach, and his storytelling flair fits well within the firm's low-key methodology. His practice covers a wide range of legal concerns, ranging from government regulation to real estate to business ownership and transfers, and he maintains an epic curiosity, which comes in handy when he researches people's cases. Bill also has a keen talent for perceiving small details and contextualizing them within the big picture, which he uses to obtain the "best results for my clients as economically as possible." Bill's curiosity also translates to his passion for reading, with his eclectic tastes running to fare like Jared Diamond's The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal. He's also a dedicated golfer and father to three sons, one of whom is entering the U.S. Foreign Service, of which Bill is "intensely jealous." Professional and civic activities Oregon State Bar Federal Bar Association Multnomah County Bar Association Admitted to practice Oregon Ohio Education A.B., St. Charles College, 1963 M.A., University of Innsbruck in Austria, 1967 J.D., Ohio State University, 1974 Back to top of page 
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