Bay Center Family Lawyers

I have practiced family law since 2010. I was admitted to the Washington State Bar Association in 2007 and have operated my solo practice since 2013 in Tacoma, WA. I have worked hard to develop litigation skills as well as skills in alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) and in other services that support families that are involved in legal matters. Compassion working together with experience is a great approach for resolving conflicts.

After earning two master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Administration, Janice Langbehn started her career as a social worker for the State of Washington. Upon retiring from social work, Janice became an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, seeking equal rights and treatment for families regarding hospital visitations. In 2011 her work as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community was recognized by President Barack Obama who awarded her the second highest civilian honor in the country: the Presidential Citizen's Medal. That same year, she was presented with the National Liberty Award for securing hospital visitation for same-sex couples...

Christina Sherman, J.D. is dedicating her law practice, Christina T. Sherman, PLLC, to helping families grow through Adoption, IVF and Surrogacy. Christina is licensed to practice law in Washington, and has been practicing law for over 20 years. Christina represents adoptive families and birth parents both locally and in interstate adoptions in all aspects of adoption. Christina has been honored to represent hundreds of clients in their adoption cases; and has been named an Academy Fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA). The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) is a credentialed, non-profit...

I enjoy helping people out, and my career as a divorce, custody, and personal injury attorney allows me to do just that. Clients need someone who they are comfortable around and who they can trust. I understand that family matters are deeply personal and that you are a real life person and not just another case.

I am the owner and lead attorney at Seacoma Law, PLLC with offices in Tacoma and Seattle. If you are looking for compassionate, candid, and personalized advice, you have come to the right place.

I have represented hundreds of clients...

Kelly LeBlanc has been practicing law for over 33 years (21 in Washington). She has been admitted to practice in 5 jurisdictions and appeared on behalf of litigants at the state and federal level. She served as an Administrative Health Law Judge with the Department of Health and worked as a Guardian ad Litem in Pierce County many years before joining Envision Family Law Group as Senior Counsel. When the Court was faced with particularly difficult cases, Kelly was often designated to investigate and provide recommendations on how best to protect the interests of the child(ren) involved.

As a GAL, Kelly...

Elizabeth is an experienced litigator and practitioner in the areas of juvenile law, family law, business law and criminal defense. Within the area of family law, she has represented clients in parenting and child support, parentage, nonparental custody, dissolution, modification, and adoption cases. Within juvenile law, Elizabeth has experience with Becca Bill cases (Truancy, At Risk Youth, and Children In Need of Services), representation of youth in juvenile dependency proceedings, and juvenile offender matters. She has successfully resolved many criminal matters including domestic violence cases, assault, DUI, MIP (minor in possession), violations of the Vancouver Municipal Code, unlawful camping, trespass,...

Devoted. Prepared. Accessible. Compassionate. Michelle Dellino is the managing attorney at Dellino Family Law Group. At Dellino Family Law Group our practice is results oriented and heavily focused on client communication. We excel at providing aggressive representation when needed or solutions borne of a cooperative approach when appropriate. We provide non-judgmental and efficient representation with an emphasis on achieving client goals through immediate problem solving. The firm was founded by Michelle and on her belief that there is, very simply, a solution to every problem. Her personal practice focuses on complex family law matters including high conflict cases, domestic...

Attorney Heather Forrler is the Managing Attorney at Compass Legal Services, P.S., a Kitsap County based law firm located in Silverdale and serving all of the county’s local communities, including Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Kingston, Hansville, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and surrounding areas. She provides legal advice, consulting and full legal representation as an Estate Planning Attorney, Family Law Attorney, Divorce Lawyer as well as supporting new business startup and incorporation, including serving as Registered Agent for domestic corporations registered with the Secretary of State in Washington State.
Attorney Forrler started in the legal field as a legal assistant in...

I worked as a civil trial lawyer prior to focusing exclusively on family law. I have extensive experience negotiating contentious and emotional cases.

Outside the office, I enjoy gardening, hiking, and spending time with my wife and our two daughters.

We are a dedicated team of legal professionals who are here to help you in your time of need and crisis. Our Washington State lawyers have the resources, the knowledge, and the experience to assist you with your legal matter in our practice areas.

www.nwokikelawoffice.com

https://www.nwokikelawoffice.com/

Jason Benjamin has spent the past 23 years immersing himself in the intricacies of Family Law and particularly Child Custody cases. He has personally handled more than 1000 cases where child custody is at issue. He particularly welcomes families who have emergency custody, domestic violence or restraining order issues, as he can typically obtain appropriate orders within hours to protect you and the children. From the beginning of his legal career, Jason has aggressively advocated on behalf of victims of domestic violence (even when domestic violence was not treated seriously by the courts). He understands the complexities of...

After being admitted to the Washington State Bar Association, Ms. Ramirez practiced law in the private sector with emphasis on family law, bankruptcy, estate planning and elder law matters. Ms. Ramirez compassionately advocates on behalf of her clients while she assists them in successfully resolving difficult disputes and navigating through litigation and complex legal issues.

Professional Memberships/Organizations
Ms. Ramirez is licensed to practice in the State of Washington and the United States District Court. She is also a member of the following professional associations:
Washington State Bar Association, Member
King County Bar Association, Member
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, Member

Education
Seattle University School of Law,...

Since starting my practice in 2003, I have emphasized the provision of competent legal services at a cost which is adjusted for the client's particular situation. Hiring a lawyer is expensive for many reasons, but to the extent possible, I have tried to right size the fees we charge the client with the client's household income.

I focus my practice primarily in the family law area and have a great deal of experience in divorces, annulments, legal separations, child support modifications, parenting plan modifications and non parental custody cases.

A brief bit about me...

I am the first person in my...

Over the course of his career, Mark Arend has filled the shoes of a businessman, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, and an attorney. Using his diverse vocational background, he helps clients facing high-tension, complex, and adversarial family law matters. Some of his practice areas include child custody, domestic violence, child support, relocation, high net worth divorce, and military family law.

Mark’s approach to family law is based on common sense, strong ethical standards, and the highest level of professionalism. His goal is simple: to “do better” for his clients than any other legal representative would do. Mark is...

Erica has dedicated her practice exclusively to the area of family law, handling divorce, separation, support, custody, and relocation matters with sincerity and confidence. Erica is knowledgeable and professional in her advocacy and she is passionate about helping individuals and parents through difficult times.

Erica graduated from Rhodes College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a minor in English. Prior to earning her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2012, Erica spent a year in private practice litigating employment disputes and ERISA matters on behalf of employers, plan fiduciaries, and...

There are two things that are more important than anything to Assistant Managing Attorney Jonathan Moffitt, his faith and his family. Because of these values and his belief that every parent has a right to be intimately involved in the lives and upbringing of their children, Jonathan chooses to practice family law as a primary component of his practice. As a husband and father of four, Jonathan understands the bond between a parent and child. This is a bond that should not be interfered with lightly and one that should be fought for vigorously. Additionally, there are two characteristics that Jonathan values...

Attorney Cheryl Van Ackeren is passionate about protecting the rights of service members and ensuring that veterans get the benefits they deserve.
Long before graduating from Seattle University’s School of Law, Cheryl knew she wanted to be a lawyer. Cheryl enlisted in the Army at 18 to achieve her goal and hoped to take advantage of the “green to gold” program to become an officer, and eventually, a Judge Advocate General. Cheryl’s military career began in the signal corps with the 1st Calvary Division, Fort Hood, Tx. Her enlistment included a 15 month deployment to Iraq during the early days of...

Kelsey Morfitt is a former United States Air Force attorney and hails from Enumclaw, Washington.

Kelsey graduated magna cum laude from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and majored in Spanish and Political Science. She graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington while serving as a member of Gonzaga Law Review and interning for the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, Washington State Attorney General’s Office Social and Health Services Division, Washington State Senate Committee Services, and the Chambers of Judge Robert Whaley in federal district court. Kelsey also completed service projects in Honduras with...

Attorney Moses has been defending juvenile and Family Law Clients in the courtroom since 1999. Whether your case is a divorce, legal separation, child custody and support, spousal support, domestic violence, or guardianship, he has the experience and resources necessary to achieve a successful outcome of your case. He has a strong background in defending the rights of individuals, and is competent to handle your case from beginning to end, with thoughtful attention to detail, whether it be at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.

Having been admitted to the bar in 2010, Meredith Gerhart has dedicated her legal career to various aspects of family law, with expertise in divorce, legal separation, modifications to parenting plans, adjustments to child support, paternity issues, and relocations. Beyond her private practice, Meredith assumes the role of Guardian ad Litem on the Thurston County Title 26 Guardian ad Litem registry. Court appointments frequently entrust her with the advocacy for young individuals in dependency proceedings initiated by the State of Washington. Differing from many of her colleagues, Meredith entered law school with a specific goal of becoming a family law practitioner. Her...

As a family law practitioner, I am motivated by helping people through complex and emotionally difficult legal situations. I work with each client to define their goals and then provide an effective strategy well supported in the law to achieve those objectives. I focus my practice on family law issues, including divorce, child custody, child support, modifications, and relocation. I also handle collaborative divorce, de facto parentage and non-parental custody, step-parent adoption, and LGBT family law. Before becoming an attorney, I worked for the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office as a legal advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual...

Lisa E. Martin feels rewarded when she has helped her clients recover their peace of mind.

“I am moved when clients who felt hopeless come out of the divorce process feeling like life isn’t so bad. It’s an overall feeling of ‘I’m going to be okay, and I’m going to land on my feet.’”

Lisa has twenty years of family law experience, and has litigated countless divorce cases in both Washington and Oregon. Her clients regard her as approachable and easy to talk to.

“I owe it to my clients to educate them and help them make the best choices, so that everyone...

Deanna Rusch is a highly respected family law and divorce attorney in Vancouver, WA known for her intellect, humor, and straightforward yet kind approach to solving her clients’ challenges. Her practice includes all areas of family law, with an emphasis on complex divorce, relocation, inter-state, and UCCJEA issues. She is particularly skilled in assisting divorce clients who own businesses or other complex financial assets. She has been ranked a Rising Star by Washington Super Lawyers every year since 2010 and has been named a “Washington Outstanding Young Lawyer” by Seattle Met magazine. While the legal complexities of family law can...

Welcome. My goal is to listen to clients and deliver effective and cost efficient high quality legal services, focusing on maximizing results either through negotiation or litigation, whichever is appropriate for the circumstance. Many cases can be resolved amicably through settlement. This office offers a free initial telephone with a lawyer to discuss your legal issue: (253) 272-1434. With over 20 years of experience in Tacoma in Pierce County, Washington, I represent clients in many other cities and states who are civilians, military servicemembers, and veterans. Because there is often so much...

Rita is a founding partner and CEO of McKinley Irvin. With an eye toward the future, Rita works with the firm's leadership team to maintain McKinley Irvin’s commitment to excellence in law practice, client service, professionalism, and firm management. In addition to her work at McKinley Irvin, Rita is deeply involved in the Tacoma community and has served as a director on several local and professional boards. She currently serves on the Legal Pathways Community Advisory Board and as a Dressel Scholars Mentor at the University of Washington Tacoma. Additionally, Rita founded MI’s Black Law Student Mentorship Program where she...

Sarah is a person (who happens to also be an attorney) fueled by compassion, curiosity, and the desire to see justice prevail. She started her path towards the legal profession at age 7 when she negotiated her first deal: to stay up past her bedtime. She did not win. Several decades later, she applied this and many other life lessons to the practice of law. In her spare time, you can find Sarah at the local dog park trying and failing to get her dog to fetch a tennis ball, playing on the water, listening to music, traveling around this...

Paul has been a family law attorney for Morris Sockle Posadas for the past 16 years, and in January 2022, he became a partner at the firm. He continues to take on cases and prides himself on being a strong, pragmatic litigator. His clients, opposing attorneys, and judges know him as a calm, professional advocate who drives results in and out of the courtroom. From highly-contentious child custody battles to property division disputes, Paul is equipped to handle a variety of different family law cases. Paul was born in Baguio City, Philippines but spent a majority of his life in Washington state....

I've been practicing family law in Pierce County since 2006, including divorces, custody, child support, modifications. I handle contested cases, agreed cases, and collaborative cases.

I became a lawyer when I was 39 years old. I wanted to be a voice for people who could not obtain justice without a forceful dedicated advocate. I am committed to the highest standards when representing a client. The practice of law is challenging, interesting, and exciting. The art of practicing law requires knowledge, dedication, experience, imagination, persistence and hard work to obtain justice and the best possible result in each case. Each client warrants such an advocate.

Zach Walsh’s background spans the globe, from litigating criminal and family law cases in the Pacific Northwest’s smallest jurisdictions to fighting piracy in Moscow. Prior to joining McKean Smith to practice criminal and family law, Zach honed his courtroom skills as a prosecutor, and as an attorney at one of Portland’s largest family law firms.

Zach has the experience to manage complex criminal and family law cases; he also knows how to help clients protect their liberties and navigate the complicated intersection of family and criminal law. He doggedly pursues just and expedient resolutions on complicated legal matters for his clients....

Jeff’s practice is primarily family law and criminal defense. He enjoys complex family law cases, involving businesses and other complicated scenarios. He has also done work in construction defect cases. Jeff especially enjoys helping people to clean up their criminal record through vacations/expungements and restoring rights to buy firearms.
In addition to helping establish compliance procedures for highly regulated industries, he is also certified in Collaborative Law. Jeff is an avid believer in alternative dispute resolution, due to its low-conflict approach to settling a dispute outside of the courtroom, and the benefits it serves to all parties involved.

Teresa Foster is Partner in Charge at McKinley Irvin's Vancouver office. A former social worker, she is now regarded as one of the most skilled family law attorneys in Vancouver. Teresa is a knowledgeable and formidable advocate with exceptional courtroom skills who focuses her practice on complex divorce cases, especially those involving high net worth property division, complex child custody issues, international family law, relocation, third party custody, and unmarried couples. She has successfully litigated cases in both Washington and Oregon. Teresa believes in providing her clients with personalized and responsive service, keeping her clients informed on the status of...

Family law attorney Casey Sanders is fiercely committed to his client’s well-being. He understands that his clients are dealing with stress and uncertainty, and is determined to protect what is most important to them. Casey focuses his practice on divorce and custody cases, including parenting plans and parenting plan modifications. He is an active member of the Vancouver community and the Clark County Bar Association.

Priest and Ellis PLLC is a Vancouver WA law firm, whose attorneys practice Divorce and Family Law, Criminal Law, and Guardianship and Estate Planning law. We practice law with a better perspective. We emphasize building strong relationships with clients, based on good communication and using negotiation and litigation skills to achieve favorable results. Our specific areas of practice are diverse and include divorce, collaborative law, child custody, modifications, paternity, child support, criminal defense, DUI, domestic violence, felony charges, guardianships, probate, wills and trust, and much more. Call today to schedule a lawyer consultation in our convenient...

Ms. Rich is a Seattle transplant and a Boeing spouse. She is the first person in her family to go to college or to receive a professional degree.
Ms. Rich has been a lawyer in the Puget Sound area since 2007. Ms. Rich's passion for helping families led her to becoming a Guardian ad Litem for King and Pierce Counties.
Ms. Rich is a mother of two girls (and the guardian of three cats). When not helping her clients, she is busy being a mom. Ms. Rich can be found at her daughter's soccer games or...

Originally from the Boston area, Ken Levey has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1980. He received his B.A. from the University of Washington in 1983 and received his law degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University School of Law) in 1991. That same year Ken was sworn in as a member of the Washington State Bar. He opened his law practice in Tacoma in 1992.

Unlike many attorneys, Ken also is trained in collaborative law, represents families in CPS investigations and dependency actions, and has a great deal of experience and a high level...