Meet The Team

Samuel L. Linnet

Attorney

Sam founded Alturas Law Group in 2017.  While his practice focuses primarily on land use, property, and real estate, his expertise extends to a variety of contexts including business formation, road law, water law, and public policy.  Sam represents clients in a broad assortment of transactional negotiations.  In the development context, he assists clients in securing entitlements from local governments, and his local knowledge and relationships are an invaluable asset for clients working in Southern Idaho.  Sam’s litigation experience dovetails well with his transactional and administrative work.  He represents clients in judicial review actions and lawsuits in both state and federal court.  Sam’s clients span the spectrum from local businesses and non-profit organizations, to local residents and high-net worth individuals.  Sam enjoys finding pragmatic and beneficial solutions for everyone he represents.

Prior to founding Alturas Law Group, Sam clerked for the Honorable Robert J. Elgee, District Court for the Fifth Judicial District of Idaho.  Sam earned his J.D. and M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho. 

Laura E. Smithman

Attorney

Laura joined Alturas Law Group in 2022.  She focuses her practice on business and complex commercial litigation, as well as counseling a broad array of clients through all aspects of their transactional matters, including those related to real estate, land use, employment, and general business.  Laura also enjoys helping clients with their estate planning issues.  She is admitted to practice in both Idaho and Georgia.

Before joining Alturas Law Group, Laura worked as an associate in the Atlanta office of an international law firm where she represented large corporate entities in commercial and class action litigation and appeals.  While there, Laura also contributed a significant amount of time to pro bono work for numerous state and national legal aid and non-profit organizations.  Laura received her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, cum laude, where she was an executive editor of the Florida Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif.  She received her B.A. and B.S., cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Florida, where she majored in English and Psychology and minored in Spanish.

Kathleen D. Lee, C.P.

Certified Paralegal

Kathleen joined Alturas Law Group in 2020.  She is a skilled paralegal specializing in real estate, estate planning, probate, and civil litigation.  Kathleen assists in all facets of the firm’s cases, including acting as an important liaison between the firm’s clients and attorneys.  She has 25 years of paralegal experience working in Massachusetts and Idaho.  Kathleen holds a Bachelor of General Studies with an emphasis in legal studies from Boise State University.  She has been a member of NALA since 2007, from which she obtained her paralegal certification and received her Certified Paralegal (CP) credentials in 2016. Kathleen’s experience and education enrich the Alturas Law Group team and allow us to best serve our clients and their legal needs. 

Office Dog

Holly is a twice-rescued, one-eyed McNabb Sheppard from San Bernadino, CA.  She is focused and loyal, making sure everyone stays on task and greeting clients as needed.  She likes head pets, ear scratches, and tummy rubs.  She is not a fan of the US Postal Service or horses.