Susan helps people navigate through divorce matters involving significant assets or complex financial issues. With close to 40 years of experience as a lawyer, she has dedicated the last two decades to working in family law.

Susan looks for ways to avoid unnecessary conflict in divorce and family law matters and helps clients focus on their long-term well-being. She understands the stresses that come with these emotionally charged situations. Susan sees the big picture and narrows the issues.

She is viewed by her clients and peers not only as an astute and knowledgeable attorney, but also compassionate and transparent. Susan works with her clients as a team, discusses their end goals and engages them in analyzing their options and potential ways forward. A stepparent herself, she provides guidance on how to minimize impacts on children to maintain healthier relationships down the road. She also has a network of resources, including parenting mediators and counselors, to support clients and their families.

Her clients include high net worth individuals on cases involving substantial assets such as real estate, stock options, professional practices, ownership interests in varying legal entities, and ongoing management of closely held businesses that often raise complex valuation and distribution issues.

Susan brings a sophisticated skillset. Her legal career began with a solid foundation in business law and commercial litigation at leading global law firms in Seattle. She is also trained in mediation and experienced in collaborative law, which she emphasizes is a better option than costly litigation and trial. With a background in litigation, she has seen how situations can quickly escalate and is why she uses a more cooperative approach whenever possible. If the need arises, Susan and her team are prepared to tackle the litigation.

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SEMINARS AND PUBLICATIONS

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• Contributing Author and Editor, “Use of Professionals in Family Law Litigation,” Washington Family Law Desk Book 3rd edition (scheduled to be published 2021), as well as the 2012 Cumulative Supplement, (December 2011)

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• Contributing Author and Editor, Washington Practice, Family and Community Property Law, Supplement (2016)

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• Presenter, “Divorce Litigation, Start to Finish”, at the National Business Institute CLE (Seattle, 2011)

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• Presenter, “Dissolution Procedure Updates” at National Business Institute CLE, Current Events for Family Lawyers: Legislative and Case Law Update (June 2010)

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• Presenter, “Conflicts of Interests” and “Moral Turpitude and Offensive Personalities” at Washington State Bar Association CLE, Family Law Ethics: Avoiding the Web of Ethical Pitfalls (September 2009)

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