Wolfgang Richter Anderson

Wolf is a great divorce attorney and I can't recommend him highly enough. First of all, he is extremely practical. He knows what the endgame will be in court and takes the approach of "cutting to the chase," eliminating a lot of needless, intermediate wrangling that drive up costs and don't lead a...nywhere. He focuses on the big picture -- how to manage the emotional elements of the negotiation ,and how to most quickly, painlessly and cheaply to get to the best solution. Second, Wolf is extremely cost-conscious for his clients. Although the press has called him a "superlawyer" -- and he is consistently rated one of the top divorce lawyers in Seattle -- his hourly rates are significantly below other lawyers of the same cadre. More valuable, however, is his practical approach in cutting through the mess of little problems (detailed above), and getting quickly to the endgame, saving hours and months of pointless back and forth. Moreover, he relies heavily on his very talented and efficient staff for the administrative elements. They do a fine job and keep the hourly rates lower for the hours of paperwork that inevitably is part of the divorce process. Finally, Wolf is simply a great guy and a pleasure to meet with and spend time with. Divorce is an emotional period. Wolf has the emotional wisdom of having done this for years and seen it all. He translates this into a very wise, but sober and almost comic approach, putting all of the "drama" in its appropriate context and somehow making it all feel funny, rather than upsetting. The background of my divorce was that I offered my ex an extremely generous settlement prior to it entering a legal process. She rejected my offer at the 11th hour, forcing us into the legal system. Ultimately, Wolf saved me a whack of money (even taking into account his legal fees), and I ended up owing much, much less than had my ex taken my original settlement offer. I couldn't have been more pleased with the result. I guess the ultimate litmus test of my experience with Wolf -- when the divorce was over, I actually felt a bit of regret that I wouldn't be hanging out with Wolf anymore. I guess not so much that I would get divorced again though -- although if I did Wolf would certainly be my attorney!! God Bless You Wolf!

I was unable to handle my divorce. I was an emotional wreck and as such depended on Wolf to guide me through the yearlong process -- from the beginning, through the middle, and to the very end. He was with me every step of the way. I put my trust in him and his instincts, advice, and litigation sk...ills were spot on. He made the right calls and the right decisions every time (and at the right time). He helped me when I couldn’t help myself. He never let me down. He was somehow able to put my mind at ease during the most stressful period in my life. In addition to being an excellent lawyer, he is a very genuine person with a great sense of humor. Truly a rare combination, Wolf is one of a kind.

I am a trial lawyer myself - and I wanted the best to handle my divorce. Wolf knows the world of dissolution like no one else and was completely dedicated to my case. Mine was one of the few cases that actually went to trial. Wolf was excellent - the perfect combination of expertise, professional...ism and court room charm. Even my ex-husband (also a trial attorney) was impressed with Wolf's court room abilities. Wolf obtained for me a favorabel judgment and continued to provide me with invaluable assistance, post judgment.

Caviat Emptor: Use him if you don't mind him representing opposing party to yourself later on. Mr. Anderson represented me in my first divorce 5 years ago. I had to divorce my second husband, an unfortunate event. Even more unfortunate, Mr. Anderson and his firm is now representing my second husband ...and he is arguing with the Washington State Bar that this is completely acceptable when I file my complaint with the WSBA. Luckily for you, you get to be the judge if this is acceptable professional conduct before you hire him and his firm.

Wolfgang took over my case from another attorney, who had let the process float for over a year and a 1/2. I asked Wolfgang to get the thing done and he did. However, like another reviewer here, I feel like in the name of getting it done, he pushed me to accept terms regarding my children that I di...dn't/don't feel were in their best interests. We should have fought harder for the welfare of the kids but instead he convinced me I had no other choice and, frankly, I wasn't strong enough to fight my attorney AND my ex. I ultimately accepted a custody agreement that was not in the best interests of my children, which I have regretted since day one. If you can be diligent and are strong enough to stand up to Wolfgang, he will be a fighter for you. However, if you are in less than a strong personal space and need someone with compassion and understanding, go find someone else. It is obvious to me that his expertise is in the actual mechanics of the divorce, NOT in the more emotional and sensitive issues, like child custody. Please understand - I believe Wolfgang to be a very good attorney, just not the RIGHT attorney if you have sensitive personal issues and need someone to take the time to appreciate the many emotional facets of divorce and custody.