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 | Professionalism

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 anonymous | September 25, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

outstanding advocate

When you hire Peter Bunch to represent you, you are hiring an exceptional advocate. My case was a very difficult and contentious one, with lots of distractions and drama, but Peter was able to untangle the mess and focus clearly and persistently on getting me a very favorable result. Not only is Pet...er immediately responsive, he does his homework and thoughtfully answered the questions I asked. He was both courteous and prompt with requests from opposing counsel, but not afraid to call them out when they were less than forthcoming with what was requested of them. Peter also makes his clients feel protected and fairly represented. Finally, his support staff is also excellent, though Peter does give each client his direct and personal attention for the duration of the case. He surpassed my expectations for advocacy and representation and I am happy to give him my highest recommendation.

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 anonymous | March 13, 2013 | Divorce & Separation

Outstanding Attorney

Peter Bunch is an outstanding attorney and I highly recommend him if you are in need of a divorce attorney. Peter took on my case when it was a train wreck with seemingly no end in sight and my costs and fees rising. He quickly go up to speed, zeroed in on the key issues and finalized my divorce in s...hort order. Always conscious of fees, when appropriate, Peter delegated work to his very skilled and experienced paralegal Amanda. I will always be thankful for the day I walked into Peter’s office. Peter’s legal knowledge is extraordinary. He is experienced, bright, articulate, aggressive, and a very practical problem solver. In short, he has all the necessary tools to get the job done quickly and efficiently. At each stage of the proceeding Peter explained the issues, kept me fully informed and discussed the choices I confrontied. I never had any doubts that Peter had my best interests at heart and always had my back. Peter Bunch is an exceptionally good lawyer. Equally important, he is a good person. Without hesitation, I wholeheartedly recommend Peter to anyone in need of his skills.

See All Client Reviews

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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  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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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