“Being in community helps you build your life around something bigger than yourself,” said Aaron Roepke, an attorney with the law firm Westberg Roepke Moore in Moscow, Idaho.  

Aaron has always valued community, and particularly during his time at the Refugee Resettlement Center in Dallas, Texas. In his role there, Aaron helped refugees from all over the world get on their feet in the United States, through ESL, citizenship, and job training classes.  

One of the challenges he encountered at the Refugee Resettlement Center was the lack of legal support and resources available to those he was trying to help.  

“There were several situations at the Resettlement Center where I needed legal help and I wasn’t able to find any,” said Aaron. 

That experience, and the influence of a college professor, motivated Aaron to consider a career in the legal field. He eventually enrolled at the University of Idaho, completing his law degree in 2015.  

While originally considering immigration law, Aaron’s path took an unexpected turn as the result of taking a Wills, Trusts, and Estates class at the university.  The idea of helping people plan their legacy resonated with him and drew him toward estate planning.  

Since 2017, Aaron has focused his law practice on estate planning and says that the personal connection he has with people is his favorite part of his job.  

Aaron’s commitment to building community influences his work as he encourages his clients to give back creatively in their legacy planning. 

“Currently I have a client who has timber acreage that he really wanted to benefit our local Land Trust organization, the Palouse Land Trust,” said Aaron. “He wanted to preserve the timber and have it managed responsibly. Now, the money from that sale is going to benefit the Land Trust. I think it’s really impactful because it’s beneficial to more than just a charity. We’re preserving pristine grounds for public enjoyment.” 

Aaron has a particular passion for conservation projects, and despite not being an Idaho native, he considers it his home and wants a healthy and vibrant community for everyone around him. 

“It’s been a roundabout journey,” said Aaron. “My dad set off on a road trip to move to North Idaho after college but stopped in a small town in Colorado on the way. He randomly met my mom and never left that town. I always thought it was interesting that I wound up in North Idaho. I view it as completing the journey my father started, only a generation later.”