Elk Family Lawyers

Ray Pollari is a well-established family law attorney. He has over 27 years’ experience of litigation and mediation in numerous counties across Washington State. Ray has also served as a C.A.S.A Guardian ad Litem and a Family Law Guardian ad Litem in both Juvenile and Superior Courts. That experience has given him a unique perspective on custody disputes and how the courts view the “best interests” of children. Over the years, Ray has dealt primarily in divorce cases, parentage, and domestic violence. He also has experience with prenuptial contracts, restraining orders, military family law, and parenting modifications. Before Ray...

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...

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...

I am a compassionate and empathetic individual, and I founded Akiona Law, PLLC to fully realize my passion for helping people in this turbulent and uncertain economic climate and to ensure people are being treated fairly and are not being taken advantage of. I practice family law in Snohomish County, Washington and my office is located in Everett. I support and encourage parties to work together to resolve their issues, especially when children are involved. The fact of the matter is when you have children, you are going to have deal with your former spouse for the rest...

Behind Jennifer Payseno’s calm and deliberate demeanor are the intellect and ability of one of Seattle’s finest family law attorneys. Affiliated with McKinley Irvin since 1999, Jennifer is highly regarded throughout the legal community for her integrity, courtroom skills, and unwavering commitment to every family she serves.

Ascher & Denton has been providing top quality legal services to families in Thurston County. We focus on helping people through the legal process at the least cost, emotionally and financially. This focus is not about being cheap, it is about providing the best value and doing things right with long term consequences in mind. Litigation is exhausting and expensive and we avoid wasted time and avoid hurting anyone's feelings as much as possible. It is just the right way to do family law.

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.

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.

Seattle Divorce Services is dedicated to conflict resolution in complex cases. Our Seattle divorce attorneys believe that our clients are best served by an approach that reduces fighting and allows for agreement building. In high-conflict cases, our Seattle divorce mediation lawyers work to avoid escalating hostility. This approach is designed to reduce the trauma of the divorce experience and prepare clients to move forward in life, also setting the stage for more successful co-parenting.

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...

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....

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...

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.

Sara's focus includes Family Law and Civil Litigation. Sara Kim is a passionate advocate who, in every case, is driven to seek justice for her clients. In private practice since 1995, Sara is a highly experienced family law attorney; she also has a thriving practice in the areas of personal injury and civil litigation.

Keeping a client-centered focus has been fundamental to her success. As Sara explains, “The people who come to me are under a lot of emotional pressure. The point is to make myself accessible: I believe that being there to listen is the only way to truly know...

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...

Ingrid attended Seattle University School of Law, receiving her Juris Doctorate degree in May of 2015. In law school, she served as the secretary for the Latinx Law Student Association and dedicated her time to helping communities in need through volunteering and internships with The Defender Association Dependency Department, Northwest Justice Project’s foreclosure assistance program, the Legal Action Center in Seattle, and Snohomish County Legal Services.

After law school, Ingrid received the prestigious 2015 Goldmark Equal Access to Justice internship, and worked at The STAR Project (Successful Transition & Reentry) in Walla Walla, helping recently released felons reduce their legal financial...

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....

Born in Texas, Sarah and her family moved to Washington when she was 7 years old to be closer to their family. Growing up in Woodinville, she attended Woodinville High School where she met her high school sweetheart, Josh. They graduated high school and attended the University of Washington together. After three short years, both headed straight to Seattle University School of Law.

Throughout law school, Sarah worked at the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in the Sexually Violent Predators unit and Special Assault unit. She also worked as a Rule 9 intern in the Juvenile Division for a summer and...

Mr. LaMusga has represented clients with issues involving family law, criminal defense, business formation, estate planning, probate, Indian law, Social Security Disability, and general civil litigation. He focuses on representing individuals in difficult and trying situations because he finds representing people through some of their most challenging life experiences to be rewarding. Asa seeks amicable resolution where possible in order to reduce conflict and costs while obtaining the best possible results for his clients, but he also enjoys litigation in order to hold others accountable when they fail to do the right thing. Mr. LaMusga is licensed to practice...

I started my own firm over 15 years ago, after five years as a partner and associate attorney at a prominent boutique Family Law firm in Everett, Washington. For over 20 years, I have limited my Family Law practice to Snohomish County where I am uniquely acquainted with Family Law commissioners, attorneys, skilled mediators, and Snohomish County judges. I have maintained my commitment to the best resolution for my clients, whether in the courtroom or through mediation. I represent clients for divorce and separation, custody/parenting, spousal maintenance/alimony, alimony/spousal maintenance, and modification of court orders. In addition, I focus on what...

Ruth focuses her practice on labor and employment matters. Ruth has extensive experience litigating cases in both state and federal court involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment, retaliation as well as gender, race, disability, and age discrimination. Ruth specializes in litigating against corporate employers including, The Boeing Company, Microsoft, Costco, Facebook, Blue Nile, SAP, Amazon.com, Harborview Medical Center, T-Mobile, and Swedish Hospital, among others. Ruth also has experience negotiating severance packages and has a high settlement rate in mediation. Ruth handles the firm’s appellate work in employment and has experience in both Washington’s Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit....

I will work with you to get the best result possible for your situation. I begin all my work with an intake which I do at reduced rate to assess your situation. I start by seeing what you would like to resolve and work to bring a result as close to this as possible. I am a creative, out of the box thinker and am often able to obtain the solution my clients are looking for quickly and simply. I have worked on smaller simpler cases, as well as those that impact policy on local, state and federal levels. While...

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.

Natalie Roberts has spent the entirety of her legal career mastering her skills in family law. She is well distinguished in the legal community and known for her persistent, intelligent and strategic litigation – both in the court room and in negotiations. When hand-crafting her legal arguments for the court room, Natalie keeps her client’s quality of life and financial stability at the forefront. She understands that every decision/request throughout a case can have major life impacts on her clients such as transporting your children to and from exchanges, ensuring you have enough spousal maintenance to pay your monthly...

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...

Justia Bio Daniela Lazar has over 20 years of legal experience, beginning in her native Romania. After practicing in Romania for seven years, Daniela moved to the United States with her family in 2006. She initially earned her Paralegal Certificate from the University of Washington and worked as a paralegal for several years before earning her LL.M (Master of Laws) degree from UW in order to work as an attorney in the U.S. Daniela is not only an attorney, but a counselor for her clients, tailoring her approach to her cases based on the client’s individual needs. ...

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...

Lindsay D. Camandona is a Partner at McKinley Irvin, the Pacific Northwest's premier family law firm. As a family-oriented person herself, Lindsay is able to identify with her clients and treat their cases as if they were her own. In Lindsay’s own words, “It is my priority to achieve a successful resolution my clients can live and be happy with.”

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...

Brandon joined the Morris Sockle Posadas team as a family law attorney in 2019. He is known for his thorough communication skills and steadfast nature in the courtroom. He handles each case with care, aiming to understand his clients' issues and ultimate goals. His background in litigation makes him a strong advocate who values reliability and honesty. Family law matters can be intimidating, but he hopes to reduce that stress by staying focused on counseling his clients and getting them through to the other side. Brandon was born and raised in Thurston County and is proud to be serving his community as...

Having had personal experience growing up as a child in a divided home, Brooke brings an essential element of understanding and compassion to Family Law. Her passion is helping people not only walk through the landmines inherent with legal actions, but to actually thrive in the process. No battle is too massive and she is not intimidated by any adversary and will handle legal cases with the utmost honesty and integrity, using her gifts of research, investigation and persuasive speech to dismantle any inequities against her clients. Brooke has the gift of making even her enemies live at peace with...

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.

Breanne W. Martin is a graduate of Seattle University’s joint degree program in which she obtained a Law Degree and a Master of Business Administration. In recognition of her scholastic achievements, Breanne received Dean’s List honors and the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for legal writing. Breanne served as a contributing writer and editor for the Seattle Journal for Social Justice and was an active member of the Student Bar Association, Graduate Student Council, and Women in Business Association. Prior to attending Seattle University, Breanne graduated cum laude from Portland State University earning a Bachelor of Science in...

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...

Divorce and Child Custody: These are powerful words with powerful consequences. Established on the eastside of Lake Washington since 1973, my firm provides clients with vigilant and professional representation. As an experienced family law attorney, I will provide you with sound advice and guidance to resolve your family law issues. At the outset of my representation on your behalf, we will work together to analyze your issues, possible solutions, and the chance of success of each course of action available. We will then work as partners to devise the best strategy to achieve your goals. Success in family law...

Lindsay Noel is an attorney at McKinley Irvin’s Puyallup and Tacoma offices. As a divorce and family law attorney, Lindsay is experienced in a wide range of legal issues, such as custody, support, relocation, military family law, LGBT family law, and more.

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...