Peter Bunch

Peter Bunch

5.0
Rating: 9.8

Licensed for 31 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Portland, OR
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Alimony, Child Custody, Appeals

1200 NW Naito Parkway, Suite 450, Portland, OR

About Peter

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Divorce and Separation 50%

Divorce and legal separation are two procedures that impact the status of the marital relationship. A divorce or legal separation generally involves these issues: (1) child custody and parenting time (visitation); (2) child support and related issues; (3) spousal support (alimony); and (4) property division. Having good representation is important to protect your interests in dealing with all of these important issues.

32 years | 500 cases

50%
Alimony 20%

Spousal support (alimony) is a common issue that arises in divorces and legal separations. In Oregon, there are three kinds of spousal support: (1) transitional, which is to help a spouse get additional training or education; (2) maintenance, which is to help the "out" spouse maintain a reasonable standard of living; and (3) compensatory support. Special rules apply to that kind of support; and award of compensatory support is very fact specific.

32 years | 500 cases

20%
Child Custody 20%

In Oregon, there are two kinds of custody: legal custody (decision making) and physical custody (how the child spends time with each parent). Custody issues can become very contentious if they are not handled properly. It is important for both parents to understand that, in any custody dispute, their conduct, and the conduct of their respective lawyers, may have a long lasting impact on their children. Therefore, choosing the right lawyer to represent you is imperative.

32 years | 200 cases

20%
Appeals 10%

My appellate practice began when I worked at the Oregon Court of Appeals. An appeal occurs when one party to a lawsuit is not satisfied with the result. Usually, to prevail on an appeal, the trial court must have made a significant error. My appellate practice is limited to appeals from civil litigation and family law.

32 years | 34 cases

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Oregon for 31 years

State: Oregon

Acquired: 1994

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Washington for 31 years

State: Washington

Acquired: 1994

Inactive

No misconduct found

Location

The Law Firm of Peter Bunch

1200 NW Naito Parkway, Suite 450, Portland, OR, 97209

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Peter Bunch's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

15 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (15) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 6 reviews | Cost of Services

Posted by Jessica | December 17, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Family

A hero in Family Law

It is difficult to put into words how grateful I am to Peter and his paralegal Amanda. Custody/divorce cases are a very sensitive area of law and need to be handled with a level of fragility being that there are children involved. I was going up against an abusive ex and an equally nasty opposing ...counsel which caused a tremendous amount of anxiety for me. Throughout the entirety of my case, Peter remained professional, calm and always looked out for the best interest of my daughter. Because of the uncooperative nature of my ex, we were not able to come to a settlement agreement and ended up going to trial...this is where I really got to see Peter shine. After months and months of aggressive emails from opposing counsel with the intention to not only hurt me, but also completely ignore the best interest of my daughter, I was terrified to go to trial. I had been emotionally abused by my ex for years which had lowered my self confidence to a level that I just wanted to give up, but I am SO glad I trusted Peter to fight fearlessly, which is exactly what he did. I'll never forget this pivotal moment.....while I was being questioned on cross exam, I got frustrated that Peter wasn't objecting when I felt he could have stopped the unnecessary and tedious details opposing counsel was seeking. I sent Peter a text asking him to object as I felt my blood pressure rising. Peter's response was "be patient, he's losing the court. It's almost over. Be Mr. Rogers". That last part, "be Mr. Rogers" was one of the most profound pieces of advice I could have gotten in that moment or really any moment in life to be totally honest. It calmed my nerves immediately and I was able to keep my cool while opposing counsel continued to make himself look bad. Because of Peter's skills and impressive knowledge in Family Law, I prevailed in every area of my case and the judge awarded me exactly what I asked for. The judge also invited Peter to apply for my attorney's fees at the end which was not only a relief for my finances, it was also incredibly validating. Everything I had gone through with my ex was traumatic and I think the judge really got a sense of how awful my ex was due to how Peter presented the facts. Peter's #1 goal was to protect my daughter and make sure her best interest was always at the forefront of everything he did. I cant thank Peter and Amanda enough for everything they did for me and my daughter. If you're looking for a good family law attorney, look no further, Peter is your guy. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Posted by Cami | January 18, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

An Outstanding Advocate

Peter Bunch is a truly outstanding attorney, as well as an incredibly compassionate human being. After enduring 9 months of very little progress, poor representation and outrageous bills from my previous attorney, I could see no end in sight to a contentious and very difficult divorce with an unsta...ble spouse. With only 3 weeks until the scheduled trial date, Peter expertly and firmly took control of the situation, laid out a solid plan of action, and quickly moved forward toward a settlement. He was a calm, strong advocate, and I truly felt that he had my best interests and my children’s well-being at heart. Peter was very accessible to discuss my case and answer any questions I had, including during weekends, evenings and vacation. He helped me set fair and realistic expectations, and I appreciated his honesty and integrity. He also alerted me to tax law changes which would have affected our case should it have been further delayed; neither my former attorney nor the opposing counsel seemed aware of the impending legislation which could have negatively affected both me and my soon-to-be ex-spouse. In a nutshell, Peter and his excellent staff were able to take a complete mess of files from my former attorney, put a plan into action, work quickly and efficiently, and have a signed settlement agreement in front of me in 7 weeks, for a fraction of the billings from my previous “reputable” attorney. I was so fortunate to have been recommended to and represented by Peter Bunch. My only regret is that I make the switch months earlier. I highly recommend him.

Posted by Mark | September 11, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Excellent lawyer and person!

Peter is a great lawyer and runs what I call a very professional business. I hired Peter for a Divorce and was please at his professionalism, his ability to keep the process amicable as possible while still representing & standing up for my interests. I recommended Peter to two close friends and ...they have both been very happy with his services. For those with past poor experiences with lawyers a couple of things I want to highlight - No frivolous billing practices! - He does not over promise, he is clear what to expect and what he can deliver and what is less likely to be achieved - He listens and speak non-lawyer language - You never feel rushed

Posted by Mark | April 05, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Best Advice Possible

Peter handled my very contentious divorce - contentious because opposing counsel was dead-set on creating as much havoc as possible. Peter gave me great advice that was beyond just legal advice, it was life advice. He lifted me out of the alligator swamp and got me through it quickly. Afterward, ever...ything that he said would happen regarding my ex- was spot on and I ended up spending less and getting a better settlement over time, including full custody of my kids - I and I'm the FATHER, who typically gets the bad end of the custody deal!

Posted by Ken | April 01, 2015 | Divorce & Separation

Effectively Navigated a Protracted Divorce Settlement

I engaged Mr. Bunch after a protracted and failed attempt by my former spouse and I to complete a divorce as co-petitioners without involving attorneys. The opposition continued to become increasingly confrontational and difficult, at which time, I engaged Peter to represent and assist me in navigat...ing through the process. He was extremely mindful of the cost benefit trade-offs of various settlement scenarios and the associated risk and probability of achieving a particular outcome, whether that be through arbitration, mediation or before the judge. He focused on arriving at a fair and equitable settlement without contributing to further escalation, time and costs. I found him to be very open, communicative and responsive. The time and expense billed was very conservative and rational. I found his knowledge of recent case law very helpful, and his familiarity with many of the judges, mediators and arbitrators was valuable in the selection process and when working with them in mediation to arrive at a settlement. I highly recommend Peter Bunch and will certainly engage him again in the future.

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Peter Bunch's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Peter
Arusi Robert Loprinzi headshot
Arusi Loprinzi

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 14

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Peter and his team are zealous and thorough advocates who clearly care about their clients. I recommend and endorse Peter for family law matters."

Vincent J Bernabei headshot
Vincent Bernabei

Family lawyer | Dec 20

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Peter deserves a 6E rating. Efficient, ethical, experienced, earnest, expert and enthusiastic."

Daniel S Margolin headshot
Daniel Margolin

Divorce and separation lawyer | Aug 25

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Peter is an excellent trial lawyer and appeals advocate. He has a terrific mind for legal strategy and understands both the intellectual and human elements of family law."

Thomas A Bittner headshot
Thomas Bittner

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Peter is very professional and an excellent advocate."

Gregory B Soriano headshot
Gregory Soriano

Family lawyer | May 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have know Peter Bunch for a number of years. Peter and I have had many cases together. I find him very professional to deal with and very knowledgeable about Family Law Issues. I have referred clients to Peter Bunch in the past and have referred appellate work as I found him to be excellent appellate lawyer. Peter and presented a seminar on ORCP Rules for the Family Law Section. I consider him an excellent resource and have discussed Family Law issues in general with him over the years. I would rate him a "10" for his legal knowledge and for his work in Family Law both Trial and Appellate Practice"

Andrew Walker Newsom headshot
Andrew Newsom

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 28

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse Peter's work."

Gary J Zimmer headshot
Gary Zimmer

Family lawyer | Aug 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Christian K. Lassen II headshot
Christian Lassen

Unknown lawyer | Apr 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Family lawyer | Oct 23

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

View All Endorsements
Thomas A Bittner headshot
Thomas Bittner

Family lawyer

Gregory B Soriano headshot
Gregory Soriano

Family lawyer

Gary J Zimmer headshot
Gary Zimmer

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.8 (Superb)

Honors

2019

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2018

Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell

2018

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2016

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

Work Experience

2010 - Present

owner, The Law Firm of Peter Bunch, LLC

1998 - 2009

Partner, Zimmer & Bunch, LLC

1995 - 1998

lawyer, Kennedy King & Zimmer

1993 - 1995

legal clerk, Oregon Court of Appeals

Associations

2013 - Present

American Bar Association

2006 - Present

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers chapter

Member

1995 - Present

Multnomah Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

Wang and Zhou

Prevailed on custody and parenting time

Luetkenhaus and Smith

prevailed on appeal

Powell and Powell

successfull

See More Legal Cases

Education

1993

Gonzaga University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

Speaking Engagements

2014

Annual Family Law Conference

Pleading and Practice in Family Law

2012

Dealing with Unrepresented Parties

Dealing with Unrepresented parties

2009

Relationship Agreements

Setting Aside Judgments

2009

Hot Topics in a Cold Economy

Drafting spousal support language

2009

22nd Family Law Seminar

Divorce in an era of ecomonic decline

Publications

2013

Family Law Handbook Discovery

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution