Tonja Woelber

Tonja has been an Alaska resident since 1980. She practices in the areas of estate planning, probate administration, trust administration and protective proceedings (guardianships and conservatorships). She also practices corporate, commercial, and real estate law. She has extensive trial experience in all of these areas.
Educational background:
- Northeastern University Law School, Boston, Mass, J.D., 1980
- Harvard University, BA Degree, cum laude, 1977
- Philadelphia High School for Girls, Valedictorian, 1973
Professional positions:
- Owner, Woelber & Associates, PC
- Member Manager, Woelber & Cole, LLC
- Member Manager, Woelber & Passard, LLC, 2009-2017
- Owner, Tonja Woelber, Attorney at Law, PC, 1991-present
- Assistant Attorney General, Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals. State of Alaska, 1988-1990
- Staff attorney, Alaska Court of Appeals, 1983-1988
- Staff attorney to Senator Ted Stevens, United States Senate, 1981-1983
- Law Clerk to Superior Court Judge Seaborn J Buckalew, 1980-1981
Speaking engagements:
- Speaker and Moderator: “Probate Ethics 2021: Clients with Impaired Capacity,” Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Association, December 2021
- Panelist and Moderator: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2021
- Panelist and Moderator: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2020
- Speaker: “Quiet Title Actions and Real Estate Probate Actions,” Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Association, November 2020
- Moderator: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2019
- Speaker and Moderator: “Title 13: Practicing Efficiently and Ethically in 2020,” Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Association, December 2019
- Moderator and Panelist: “Dementia: Clinical, Legal and Financial Challenges,” Alaska Bar Association CLE, November 2018
- Speaker and Panelist: “Trust Protectors: What They Can Do, What They Should Do, and How to Choose One Wisely”, Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Association, April 2018
- Moderator: “What’s Your Legacy? A Wills and Trusts Discussion,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawers, February 2018
- Speaker: “Estate Planning for 2018,” ERISA Forum, February 2018
- Moderator: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2017
- Panelist: “Don’t Let the Jokers Drive You Batty!” Alaska Bar Association Ethics CLE, December 2016
- Moderator: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2016
- Moderator: “Women’s Health Care: What You Need to Know,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, January 2016
- Panelist: “Year-End Ethics CLE,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, December 2015
- Panelist: “Work-Life Balance for Lawyers: It Can Be Done,” Alaska Bar Association Annual Convention, May 2015
- Moderator: “Financial Planning for Women,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, April 2015
- Speaker: “Work Life Balance” Perkins Coie and the Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, March 2015
- Moderator: “The State of the State: Arctic Development,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, February 2015
- Moderator: “Negotiating Skills for Women Lawyers,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, June 2014
- Panelist and Moderator: “What’s It Like To Be An Owner?” Alaska Bar Association CLE, May 2014
- Speaker: YWCA Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit, “The Art of Negotiation,” May 2014
- Speaker: “Legal Issues in Charitable Giving,” St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Anchorage, Alaska, March 2014
- Speaker: “Disclaimers and Beneficiary Planning,” Anchorage ERISA Forum, March 2014
- Speaker: “The Art of Negotiation,” YWCA Alaska Panel, February 2014
- Chair and Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Probate Litigation and Mediation,” February 2013.
- Speaker: “Estate Planning: What You Need to Do and When You Need To Do It,” Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, October 2012.
- Speaker: “Succession Planning for the Family Cabin,” Anchorage Estate Planning Council, February 2012
- Speaker: “Wills and Trusts in the Fine Arts,” Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Assoc, December 2011
- Chair and Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Five Easy Pieces: The Five Most Common Trusts in Alaska,” May 2009
- Co-Chair and Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Ethics Issues in Estate Planning, Probate and Elder Law,” October 2008
- Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Business Valuations: What Is It Worth?” February 1999
- Chair and Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Probate Practice: Learn Your Way Around Alaska’s Probate Court,” October 1998
- Chair and Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “Limited Liability Vehicles,” October 1997
- Speaker: Alaska Bar Association CLE: “1997 Probate in Alaska,” March 1997
Civic and community activities
- Trustee, Endowment Trust of the Anchorage Senior Activities Center, 2015-2019
- Advisory Committee Member, Anchorage Schools Foundation, Alaska Community Foundation, 2012-2019
- Member of the Alaska Bar Association Fee Arbitration Committee, 2011-2019
- Board Member, Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, 2011-2019
- Executive Committee of the Business Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, 2011-2017
- Co-President, Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, Ltd., 2015-2017
- Board of Directors for the Anchorage Senior Activities Center from 2010 to 2014
- Co-chair of Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Assoc. 2011-2013
- Volunteer Coach for “The Color of Justice,” a program for minority students considering a legal career: 2011 Mentor Jet and mock trial coach; 2013 Mentor Jet.
- President, Anchorage Estate Planning Council 2003-2004
- Chair, Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Alaska Bar Association, 2007-2008; 1997-1999
- Vice President, Anchorage Estate Planning Council, 2002-2003
- Director, Anchorage Estate Planning Council, 1997-2001
- Member, Law Examiners Committee of the Alaska Bar Association for nine years
- President, Harvard Club of Alaska, 1994 – 1996 and from 2000-2002