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We help divorcing and separating
clients resolve conflict so they can move
forward. We focus on helping clients reach resolutions
in their divorces and separations in a
respectful manner in which the clients make their own
decisions. Experience has taught
us that clients make the best decisions for themselves,
and not to
view
our job as going to court to try to “win” a
divorce,
because all too often even the “winner” loses.
In divorce court, intimate details of a couple's finances and
other matters are presented to a judicial officer (who
must be a
total stranger to the couple) who then makes the decisions
based on the arguments from each side.
There is a better way:
instead of turning over their most important decisions to a total stranger,
divorcing and separating couples can make their own decisions and divorce in a manner that respects
each as
individuals and preserves their relationships, dignity,
and privacy.
We have committed ourselves to those principles and
supporting couples who desire to make these choices for themselves.
Besides divorce (dissolution of marriage),
we also assist with legal separations, parentage/paternity,
domestic partnership, unmarried couple, and
modification family law cases. We are conveniently
located in
downtown Seattle, and serve the greater King County area.
We are committed to helping divorcing clients reach lasting
resolutions that best suit their values, goals, and needs. We
do that by listening to our clients and helping them
identify what is most important to them. We then help
our clients create a reality-based divorce settlement that is in
alignment with their priorities, goals, and needs. That is why we
emphasize collaborative divorce and mediation. We can help you find
the divorce process that is best for you. We have advanced training and experience
in non-adversarial dispute resolution methods to be able to help clients resolve conflict without
going to court.
Collaborative
law and mediation in divorce are well suited for protecting privacy.
Instead of placing personal information into the public court record,
negotiations in collaborative divorce and mediation are
private and confidential. Unlike a court decision, many
the details of your settlement can remain confidential
even when the case is concluded.
By
helping divorcing parents preserve a working
relationship, collaborative divorce allows parents to reach
better solutions for their children and build a better
co-parenting relationship for the future. Parents rarely work better
together after they fight in court, so the children end
up losing that fight. We all know that children learn from
their parents, including lessons drawn from how their
parents handle their divorce or separation.
Collaborative divorce is family-focused divorce, and
allows parents to model as best as possible for their
children.
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Collaborative divorce often results in a more efficient and better outcome
with less expense and stress than going to court. By
providing skilled help and support,
we can often help divorcing couples reach their own resolutions even
if there
are major disagreements. The divorcing couple's
agreements are then placed into legally binding divorce
settlement documents. Additional information about collaborative
divorce, and other available divorce options, are on the
Family Law and Divorce Options
page of this website.
Collaborative divorce is highly effective, has been successful for many
tens of thousands of divorcing
couples,
and is well suited for complex
cases, such as cases involving complicated property and
business issues, special needs children and unique
parenting issues. With the right team providing support and
structure, collaborative divorce process can
even be used for some cases involving domestic violence
and abuse. Part of our job is to help
you identify whether collaborative divorce or another negotiation-based dispute
resolution process is right for you.
J. Mark Weiss is a lawyer who has more than two decades of experience
in law and helping couples divorce, including extensive
litigation experience. He received the
“Attorney of the Year” award from the Washington State
Bar Association Family Law Section, was elected a Fellow
of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and was
named a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law and Politics
Magazine in 2007 and 2008. With 20 years of experience, his
entire focus is now on non-adversarial non-litigation
dispute resolution. For complete information, click the “About Us” tab
above.
In addition to collaborative divorce, we also provide consultation services to separating and divorcing clients,
including consultation on negotiation strategy on how to achieve a settlement.
We can provide an experienced outsider's perspective to
your situation, focusing on what is most important to
you and your highest goals. Our significant experience and
advanced training allows us to provide consultation services for clients and attorneys who wish to seek
a second opinion from an attorney experienced in
litigation, but whose sole focus is now on amicable settlement of
divorce and family law matters.
From our convenient Seattle office, we serve clients
from throughout King County and beyond, including clients from Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer
Island, Redmond, and surrounding areas. Mark
provides guidance, insight, skill, and support to help
guide you through your divorce or separation, or other
family law matter.
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An Experienced Seattle Attorney Offering a More Respectful Divorce