Best Seattle Divorce Attorneys

Divorce lawyers in Seattle work in a community property state, which sounds like 50/50. It rarely is. Washington judges divide both community and separate property however seems just and equitable, weighing marriage length and each spouse's finances. The experienced attorneys below argue these divisions every week.

Our team evaluates Seattle Divorce Lawyers on credentials, track record, and client reviews to help you find a good fit.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Aggregate satisfaction signals from independent sources

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

Leading Seattle Family Law Attorneys for Custody, Property & Support Cases

Screenshot of the Goldberg Jones - Divorce For Men Website
1200 Westlake Ave N #700, Seattle, WA 98109, USA

Goldberg Jones is a divorce law firm in Seattle that takes only one side: husbands and fathers. The practice covers dissolution, parenting plans, and support disputes throughout Western Washington.

Twelve attorneys work from the South Lake Union office on Westlake Avenue. Coverage reaches King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, and fifteen more counties.

Cases include high-asset splits, military dissolutions, protection orders, and spousal support modifications. The managing attorney answers phone questions at no charge.

A fit for men who want counsel built around fathers' rights from the first call.

Screenshot of the The Lotzkar Law Firm Website
11900 NE 1st St Suite 300, Bellevue, WA 98005, USA

Thirty-two years of family law practice sit behind The Lotzkar Law Firm in Bellevue. Gordon Lotzkar holds law degrees from Seattle University and the University of British Columbia.

He is admitted in both Washington State and British Columbia, which matters when a marriage straddles the border. Attorney Lotzkar concentrates on high-conflict matters and has appeared in hundreds of hearings and trials.

The office also handles paternity, parental relocation, contempt motions, and financial restraining orders. Many cases settle without a courtroom, which he treats as the better result when the facts allow.

Screenshot of the View Ridge Family Law & Estate Planning Website
3418 NE 65th St Suite A, Seattle, WA 98115, USA

Founder Mackenzie Sorich wrote The Divorce Navigator, a best-selling guide to ending a marriage under Washington law. Her firm works from a View Ridge office near NE 65th Street.

Sixteen attorneys cover family matters, estate planning, and business law under one roof. That mix helps when a split involves a company, a trust, or an inheritance.

Anyone looking for a divorce attorney in Seattle can also reach satellite offices in Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Kirkland, and Renton.

Free webinars and a video library explain the process before anyone signs a retainer.

Screenshot of the Humphrey & Associates, PLLC Website
2018 156th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007, USA

The Washington State Bar Association named Vincent D. Humphrey II its Outstanding Young Lawyer in 2015. He now leads Humphrey & Associates from an office on 156th Avenue NE in Bellevue.

The team handles dissolution, parenting plans, and support orders for King County families. Attorney Humphrey also takes injury and real estate work, and has been a repeat radio guest on KKNW discussing costly mistakes in divorce cases.

Four lawyers keep caseloads small enough that clients deal directly with the attorney on the file.

Screenshot of the V. Freitas Law, PLLC Website
544 29th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA

V. Freitas Law is a family law practice on 29th Avenue in Seattle. Veronica Freitas founded it and holds a master's degree in taxation, which shapes how her team values property and business interests.

The firm has more than 50 combined years of experience and handles only family cases. Work includes asset valuation, relocation actions, and protection orders.

Freitas made the Washington Super Lawyers list in 2021 and holds a Superb rating on Avvo. Anyone hunting for a Seattle divorce attorney with a tax background will find few closer matches.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of Molly B. Kenny Website
13555 SE 36th St Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98006, USA

Molly B. Kenny appears in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for family law. Her Bellevue office sits just off I-90 and serves King County exclusively.

Attorney Kenny concentrates on estates above one million dollars, where stock grants, business valuations, and real estate complicate a settlement. She works with CPAs, economists, and financial planners on those files.

Martindale-Hubbell gives her an AV peer rating, the highest available. Clients receive a copy of every document and a call whenever their case moves.

Free downloadable guides walk men and women through Washington procedure step by step.

Screenshot of the McKinley Irvin Website
10220 Points Dr NE Suite 330, Kirkland, WA 98033, USA

McKinley Irvin is the largest family law firm in the region, with nine offices and more than three decades behind it. The Kirkland office on Points Drive NE covers the Eastside, and a second sits downtown on Union Street.

Thirty-one of its lawyers made the 2026 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, a firm record. It also earned Tier 1 standing in the 2026 Best Law Firms rankings and a place in the Chambers High Net Worth guide.

Subspecialties include gray divorce, international cases, collaborative practice, and LGBT family law. Scale means a client gets matched to the lawyer who fits the actual problem.

Screenshot of the Northwest Law Group Website
11900 NE 1st St Suite 300, Bellevue, WA 98005, USA

Alice Bagirova opened Northwest Law Group in 2016 and still leads its family practice. The Bellevue office on NE 1st Street anchors five locations across King and Snohomish counties, including one in Ballard.

Beyond dissolution work, the firm takes personal injury, DUI, criminal defense, and traffic cases. That range helps when a family matter overlaps with a criminal charge.

Russian-speaking clients have a dedicated page on auto accident claims. The first meeting is free, and the team also covers Pierce County.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of O. Yale Lewis III Website
11515 36th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125, USA

Few Seattle practices handle family law and Indian law side by side. The Law Offices of O. Yale Lewis III does both, appearing regularly in tribal courts across western Washington.

That pairing matters in cases governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act, where state and tribal jurisdiction overlap. Yale Lewis III carries a 10.0 Avvo rating and an Avvo Clients' Choice award.

His Lake City office also runs mediated dissolutions for couples who can still sit in a room together. Prenuptial agreements, estate planning, and protection orders round out the work. The first meeting is free.

Screenshot of the Law Office of Tyler L. Merrill Website

Netflix brought in Tyler L. Merrill to check the legal accuracy of its series Maid. He runs a solo family practice in Seattle and handles every file himself.

His work centers on asset division, parenting plans, and support across King County. Consultations run 30 minutes at no cost.

Clients who want the same lawyer from first call to final order, rather than a rotating team, will find that here.

Screenshot of the Miller Law Group LLC Website
2916 NE 55th St, Seattle, WA 98105, USA

Jennifer L. Miller has spent 18 years working both sides of a courtroom, on the prosecution bench and for the defense. Miller Law Group pairs that trial record with family work from an office in northeast Seattle.

The practice covers high-asset splits, prenuptial and cohabitation agreements, parentage, and parenting plans. It also defends felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile charges in Washington, Oregon, and federal courts.

Attorney Miller holds a 10.0 Avvo rating and several Clients' Choice awards.

Screenshot of the Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson Website
601 Union St #2600, Seattle, WA 98101, USA

Founded in 1973, Lasher has served Puget Sound clients for over 50 years. More than 40 attorneys work from the downtown Seattle office on Union Street.

Family law sits beside tax, real estate, business litigation, and estate planning. That breadth suits a marital split involving a closely held company or a trust.

The firm holds eight Tier 1 Seattle rankings in the 2026 Best Law Firms list. Nine of its lawyers appear in the Chambers High Net Worth guide.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of Shana E. Thompson Website

Shana E. Thompson and Donald Knickmeyer practice family law and nothing else, backed by over 20 years of trial work in King and Snohomish county courts. Most of the caseload arrives by referral from former clients and other attorneys.

The Fifth Avenue office drafts Qualified Domestic Relations Orders, handles minor guardianship, and has appeared in hundreds of mediations. Thompson also serves as the neutral when other lawyers need one.

Hearings happen in person and over Zoom.

Screenshot of the Anderson, Fields & McIlwain, Inc., P.S. Website
12900 NE 180th St Suite 155, Bothell, WA 98011, USA

A family law partnership since 1977, Anderson, Fields & McIlwain has never advertised. Word of mouth brought the Bothell firm its clients and its Pillars of the Bar recognition from the King County Bar.

Carena McIlwain has practiced 30 years and belongs to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Her clients range from families of modest means to physicians, athletes, and business owners.

Rates are posted openly: $500 an hour, with the first hour at $100. The office sits off I-405 and State Route 522 with free parking.

Screenshot of the Washington Family Law Group, PLLC Website

When Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates ended their marriages, reporters at Fox News and KIRO called Laurie G. Robertson. She has practiced Washington family law since 1996 and leads Washington Family Law Group.

Eleven offices stretch from Bellevue and Seattle down to Olympia and Federal Way. The firm takes military dissolutions, relocation cases, prenuptial agreements, and contempt motions.

Fathers pursuing parenting time and parents seeking order modifications make up a large share of the docket.

Screenshot of the Wechsler Becker, LLP Website
1301 5th Ave Suite 3400, Seattle, WA 98101, USA

Complex property is the specialty at Wechsler Becker, working from Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle. Thirteen attorneys handle commingled assets, contested real estate, stock options, trusts, inheritances, and international holdings.

Family law is the only thing on the menu here. Six of the lawyers are partners, so senior counsel stays close to each file.

The firm also schedules arbitration for cases better settled outside a courtroom.

Screenshot of the Seacoma Law, PLLC Website
950 Pacific Ave #705, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA

Seacoma Law sits blocks from Pierce County Superior Court in downtown Tacoma, with a Seattle office available by appointment. Owner Matthew J. Yetter made the Washington Super Lawyers list in 2022 and 2023.

The firm has walked hundreds of Pierce County residents through family court and also takes injury claims. Its lawyers cover parenting plan disputes, support deviations, and relocation actions.

Case evaluations run 30 minutes at no charge.

Screenshot of the Carroll Law Group, PLLC Website
4740 44th Ave SW Ste. 102, Seattle, WA 98116, USA

Collaborative law, sometimes called divorce with dignity, keeps a case out of court entirely and puts the decisions back with the couple. Susan Carroll leads that practice at Carroll Law Group in West Seattle.

The firm also handles mediation, adoption, dependency, and estate planning for King County families. First responders get $500 off estate planning packages.

Screenshot of the Divorce Litigation Partners Website
5325 Ballard Ave NW UNIT 214, Seattle, WA 98107, USA

Scott Semrau has litigated family cases for more than 25 years from an office in Ballard. Divorce Litigation Partners follows the money: business ownership interests, professional practices, retirement accounts, stock options, and assets a spouse tried to hide.

The firm brings in forensic accountants and private investigators, and holds an AV rating along with a 10.0 Avvo score.

Screenshot of the Zundel Law Offices Website
1900 West Nickerson St, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98119, USA

From the Fishermen's Center building in Magnolia, Terry A. Zundel handles dissolution, contested custody, and high-net-worth asset division. She has practiced nearly 30 years and serves King and Snohomish counties.

Screenshot of the Paul Andrew Petry Attorney & Counselor at Law Website

Paul Petry has spent over 20 years in King and Snohomish County Superior Court. From the Roosevelt Law Center just off I-5 near Northgate, he takes parenting plans, mediation, step-parent adoptions, and grandparents' rights cases. Fees are quoted in writing.

Screenshot of the Berry & Beckett, PLLP Website
1708 Bellevue Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA

Family law shares the docket with personal injury, professional negligence, and consumer protection at Berry & Beckett. The Capitol Hill firm brings more than 75 years of combined civil experience and offers free off-street parking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a divorce take in Seattle?

At least 90 days. Washington law sets a mandatory waiting period before a judge can sign final orders. The clock starts on the later of two dates: when the petition is filed, or when your spouse is served. Uncontested cases often close in three to four months. Contested ones in King County Superior Court frequently run a year or longer.

How much do divorce lawyers in Seattle charge?

Hourly, against a retainer. Most Seattle family law firms bill by the hour and ask for a deposit up front. That deposit is not the total price. It draws down as the case moves, and a contested matter can exhaust it in a couple of months. Ask what the hourly rate is and what happens when the retainer runs out.

Do I need to live in Washington before filing?

No waiting period on residency. Washington has no minimum durational residency rule. You can file as long as you or your spouse lives here, or is stationed here with the armed forces. Most states require six months or more, so this is unusually open.

Does it matter who files first?

Not for fault, but timing counts. Washington is a no-fault state, so misconduct does not decide property or support. Filing first can matter for the 90-day clock and for temporary orders. Those early orders on money, housing, and the children often set the pattern a judge keeps later.

Is Washington a 50/50 state?

No. Property acquired during the marriage is presumed to belong to both spouses. But the court divides everything, community and separate, in whatever way is just and equitable. That can mean 60/40 or wider, depending on the length of the marriage and each spouse's economic circumstances.

What is the difference between legal separation and divorce?

One ends the marriage, one does not. Legal separation sorts out property, support, and the children while leaving the marriage intact. People choose it for religious reasons or to keep health coverage. It can be converted to a final divorce later.

Do I have to try mediation before trial?

Usually yes, in practice. King County and most surrounding counties expect parties to attempt settlement before a trial date is set. Many Seattle firms handle both roles, representing clients in mediation and serving as the neutral. Settling also avoids the cost of a multi-day trial.

Types of Divorce and Family Law Cases in Seattle

High-Asset Divorce. Stock grants and vested options from Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing complicate valuation. So do closely held businesses and real estate bought before the marriage. Several Seattle firms bring in forensic accountants and business appraisers for these files.

Uncontested Divorce. Both spouses agree on the property split, support, and the children. The paperwork still has to be right, and the 90-day wait still applies. This is the fastest and cheapest route through King County Superior Court.

Contested Custody. Washington uses parenting plans rather than the word custody. The plan sets the residential schedule day by day and assigns decision-making on health and school. Courts look closely at who has actually been doing the daily caregiving.

Child Support. The amount comes from a statutory schedule based on both parents' net income. Judges can deviate up or down for daycare, college costs, or a significant residential split. Support orders can be modified when income changes.

Spousal Maintenance. Washington has no formula for alimony. Courts weigh the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, age, and health. Long marriages with a large income gap produce the largest awards.

Military Divorce. Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Naval Base Kitsap put many service families in Puget Sound courts. Federal rules govern pension division and service member protections. Deployment can also affect residential schedules.

Domestic Violence and Protection Orders. Protection orders can be filed separately from a divorce case. A restraining order inside the dissolution can address the home, the children, and finances. Firms that handle both petitions and defenses are common in Seattle.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements. These agreements set the terms before a dispute exists. Washington courts will review them for fairness and full disclosure at the time of signing. A poorly drafted agreement can be set aside.

How to Choose a Divorce Attorney in Seattle

Match the lawyer to the money. A case with stock options and a business needs someone who works with valuation experts. A straightforward split does not, and paying for that depth wastes budget.

Ask about King County trial experience. Most cases settle, but the other side settles differently with a lawyer who tries cases. Ask how many they have taken through trial here.

Get the fee terms in writing. Confirm the hourly rate, the retainer amount, and how you get billed for paralegal time. Some firms publish rates openly; others quote in the first meeting.

Decide how much conflict you want. Collaborative and mediation-focused firms work to keep the case out of court. Litigation-first firms are the better fit when the other side will not cooperate.

Check who actually handles your file. At larger firms, day-to-day work often shifts to an associate. At a solo practice, you get the same lawyer throughout. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are buying.

Consider location and venue. Cases are heard in the superior court of the county where a spouse lives. A firm that appears in King County weekly knows its judges and its calendar.

What Affects the Outcome of a Seattle Divorce

No two divisions look alike, and Washington gives judges wide discretion. Marriage length carries heavy weight, and long marriages tend to produce more even splits and longer maintenance awards. The nature of the property matters too, since assets brought into the marriage can stay separate if the paperwork traces cleanly. Commingling separate money into a joint account often destroys that trace. Earning capacity drives spousal maintenance more than current salary does. Marital misconduct is not a factor in the property split, though wasting marital assets can be argued. A Seattle attorney can review your finances and give you a realistic range before you commit to a strategy.