- Divorce
- Child Support
- Child Custody and Visitation
- GuardianshipWe can help you with wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, powers of attorney and living wills and health care directives. We also help resolve probate disputes and, when necessary, represent clients in probate litigation.
- Criminal DefenseOur practice includes a specialized appellate practice before the Idaho Supreme Court, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court on civil and criminal matters. Our pre-appellate strategy and planning has become one of the most popular offerings to our clients to provide them with a realistic account of the appellate process, its time and costs, and the likelihood of success. Unlike trial litigation, where new evidence can be discovered and utilized, cases on appeal use a set record of evidence and facts. This distinction allows our firm to provide any client a more definitive projection of outcome and expense – often saving the client time and money – as well as strategies for a pre-appellate settlement and resolution of their dispute.
- Wrongful DeathJoe Southers is a trial lawyer with extensive experience handling high-stakes litigation matters on behalf of clients. He has first-chaired jury trials throughout Idaho in a broad range of cases: from personal injury actions, wrongful death cases, insurance coverage disputes, malpractice claims, to breach of contract claims where alleged damages exceeded several million dollars. In serving his clients, Joe has handled matters in all phases of litigation including pre-suit investigation, fact discovery, expert discovery, summary judgment, and trial. Joe has also been selected to the 2022 Mountain States Rising Stars list! Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.
- MisdemeanorsWe handle all felony and misdemeanors cases and probation and parole violations in federal and state courts, as well as juvenile cases. Our legal team has the knowledge, expertise, and insight from both the defense and the prosecution sides of the courtroom. We have successfully argued hundreds of cases and have extensive trial experience. We believe every client deserves personal attention, ethical and honest hard work, and the best legal advocates on their side. We will put your interests first, every time. Doing what's best for you is our top priority. The legal team at Borton-Lakey Law and Policy provides timely, thorough, professional attention. We will communicate with you in clear language and be counselors as well as advocates. We will make sure you know what we do, why we do it, and how it benefits you. We strive to have a long-lasting, trusted relationship with our clients, and we will do what it takes to earn it. If you are facing criminal charges or under criminal investigation in Idaho, you need an experienced and expert legal defense team on your side to help you win.
- Corporate LawMr. Villegas focuses his legal practice on land use and zoning, employment law, real estate transactions, corporate governance, auto dealer law, auto franchise law, and real estate brokerage and licensee matters. Mr. Villegas also has a well-developed litigation practice including product liability, employment law, contract litigation, construction defect litigation, boundary disputes, and inverse condemnation. Mr.
- Business FormationDecisions on the front-end of starting a new business have ramifications for the future success or failure of the enterprise. Borton-Lakey Law and Policy will walk you through these important choices, from a base of knowledge more commonly associated with a much larger firm. Our core clients are family-run businesses of all sizes seeking cost-effective and forward-looking advice and representation. Based in Meridian, Idaho we represent start-ups throughout southern Idaho in all industries: real estate and construction, restaurants, technology, manufacturing, professional services, and more. We take the time to explore your business formation options, advising on the advantages and potential drawbacks of each. In guiding clients, we discuss...
- Business DisputesWe pursue and defend a wide range of commercial litigation and contract disputes in all of these areas as well as eviction and collection of delinquent accounts. We help companies assess their options and make decisions consistent with their goals.
- Business TransactionsWhile we work hard for our clients in court and in business transactions, it is also a part of our culture to celebrate our success and enjoy activities outside the office. Sometimes a break from long hours and hard work is just what the team needs. That may mean we close the office and go skeet shooting, or glass blowing, or sturgeon fishing. Often times these relaxing excursions can become a bit competitive, but no matter what creative activity we do as a break from the hard work in the office, we make sure to keep work joyful and live in gratitude.
- Construction Contracts
- Wrongful TerminationWe have helped employers and employees resolve disputes regarding employment practices as well as advise employers on proactive employment law compliance. We have successfully fought international companies and large corporations to secure just compensation for our employment law clients who have been victims of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination or victimized by unlawful employment practices including unpaid wages and overtime pay. We firmly stand behind the rights of employees who have been wronged. Our attorneys counsel employers on preventing litigation, developing effective personnel policies and other employment agreements. Employer-clients can contact Borton-Lakey before terminating or disciplining an employee to minimize the risk of litigation. Early intervention, investigation, and documentation often resolve employment disputes in a cost-effective manner for employers and business owners. We are devoted to providing ethical representation and personal attention in a cost-conscious and timely manner.
- Employment Discrimination
- Employment Contract
- Employment Litigation
- Real Estate LitigationMr. Villegas focuses his legal practice on land use and zoning, employment law, real estate transactions, corporate governance, auto dealer law, auto franchise law, and real estate brokerage and licensee matters. Mr. Villegas also has a well-developed litigation practice including product liability, employment law, contract litigation, construction defect litigation, boundary disputes, and inverse condemnation. Mr. Villegas has represented clients in administrative proceedings before state agencies such as the Idaho Professional Engineers and Surveyors Board, Idaho Department of Labor, Idaho Real Estate Commission and Idaho Department of Transportation.
- Construction LitigationBorton-Lakey Law and Policy has experience throughout southern Idaho representing developers, owners, contractors, design professionals, and construction managers throughout all phases of the construction process. We assist clients in drafting construction documents from traditional design-bid-build to fast track design-build contracts. We are well-versed in the various approaches to contract documents to keep costs under control, to effectively allocate risks of unknown conditions, and to set forth procedures for handling changes in the work. We have litigated many different construction disputes and use that experience to provide a proactive contact drafting process that avoids disputes and allows the project to get completed on time and on budget.
- Real Estate TransactionsMr. Lakey's practice focuses primarily on business and employment law, land use and zoning, real estate, public entity law, administrative law, healthcare, government relations, and contracts. Mr. Lakey has worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Canyon County and as civil counsel for the County. Over his career, he has handled real estate transactions and obtained zoning entitlements and approvals for thousands of acres of land throughout the region. He has overseen large complex residential, commercial, mixed use and industrial projects. He represents clients involving self-funded health benefit programs and medical administrative appeals. He has also represented private clients in obtaining necessary approvals with city, county, state and federal government entities.
- Land Use and ZoningJoe Borton and Todd Lakey are both current local government elected officials and have also worked as legal counsel to government entities for many years. We understand and have dealt with local government issues from various sides of the table. We also have extensive experience working as legal counsel to local government entities, including counties, cities, special purpose districts and urban renewal agencies. We assist local government clients in handling the myriad of issues they deal with including employment law, planning and zoning, budgeting, open meeting and public record issues, government contracts and bidding, misdemeanor criminal prosecutions, code enforcement and real estate.
- Landlord-Tenant Disputes
- Property Damage
- Personal InjuryJoe Southers is a trial lawyer with extensive experience handling high-stakes litigation matters on behalf of clients. He has first-chaired jury trials throughout Idaho in a broad range of cases: from personal injury actions, wrongful death cases, insurance coverage disputes, malpractice claims, to breach of contract claims where alleged damages exceeded several million dollars. In serving his clients, Joe has handled matters in all phases of litigation including pre-suit investigation, fact discovery, expert discovery, summary judgment, and trial.
- Estate PlanningJoe Borton possesses superb knowledge, understanding and efficiency. All were put to good use for my estate planning!
- WillsEstate planning is an effective way to protect your family in the event of sudden injury, disability or death. Careful estate planning — through the use of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills and other estate tools — can accomplish a number of important goals, including...
- Power of Attorney
- Probate
- Tax Law