Paul Jay Walchenbach

My ex wanted to believe the very worst about me and her attorney fed that narrative. 3 Attorney’s dropped my case, or dropped the ball because her attorney would drown them in minutiae that consumed billable hours and devoured my life. Paul was recommended by a friend and he literally saved my sanit...y, my business & my future. He is rational, calm, professional & doesn’t want to play at being either your friend or your therapist (read: wasted billable hours). He’s direct, thorough, thoughtful & effective with resources & words. Don’t fall for the “wine & dine” or “Thera-ttorney” games played by too many practitioners. Paul is there to save you -sometimes from yourself and sometimes from your circumstances. I recommend Paul to anyone needing effective, ethical, humane representation.

I interviewed three attorneys before selecting Paul Walchenbach. During the consult interview he was thoughtful and meticulous about explaining the process and how best navigate through a divorce without racking up frivolous legal costs. It was clear he was not taking the blood thirsty path as the ...other attorneys I had interviewed appeared to have wanted to, but articulated he had my best interest in mind. To say that I handed Mr. Walchenbach a case resembling a lemon is an understatement however he managed to make lemonade and the end result was the best possible outcome. This was similar to watching a bad reality TV show in that I was blindsided by not only my spouse suddenly leaving the marriage but as time went on discovering things that were so well hidden during the marriage. What should have been 90 days and done took almost a year and turned out to include addictive, narcissistic, sociopathic behavior and abuse from my ex. I would venture say that even with 30 years of experience that there were a few “first time events” which Paul handled with utmost professionalism. He was honest, compassionate and provided realistic expectations. This was much more difficult than it should have been and Paul stayed even keeled and patent throughout. Based on my experience my advice to anyone who is “shopping” for an attorney for whatever reason is to keep in mind you are looking for a subject matter expert to team with and guide you through the legal process. Clients are responsible to stay engaged and understand the steps along the way regardless how hard that can be. I am grateful for the way Paul and his staff handled my divorce and highly recommend his services.

I found Paul via my community ...he was recommended by a few people I know. I called and was initially given a consult interview ...I feel like he spent an excessive amount of time with me essentially trying to not have me hire him and educating me on the least expensive way to proceed without rack...ing up legal costs. In the end my spouse made that impossible, I had no choice so I hired him. I was about to get severely taken advantage of and Paul protected my rights through this dissolution process ...to the fullest extent that was legally possible. He did a good job, the opposition pushed every time they had a chance. My experience with Paul is watching his experience work for me, as I watched him fight for me. Beyond being just good at the technical aspects, he has a warming human side. I think he told me once that "he helps people out in times when they are not at their best". Through all of this he has become more of a friend than just my attorney. If I can say it one more time ...thank you Paul. One other thing that I should mention is that I sent a few other people his direction, and in all of those cases he was able to guide these people to a solution that didn't involve hiring him. I don't think he took a nickel from any of them but I know hours were invested. He also serves on some sort of volunteer mediation team that assists with divorce cases for people who can't really afford it. That's the kind of person Paul is. There are a few good divorce lawyers out there, I guarantee you Paul is one of them.

I was referred to Mr. Walchenbach by an acquaintance who also happens to be a King County judge. She had presided over family law cases where Mr. Walchenbach had represented one of the litigants, and the judge was very impressed with the lengths he went to on behalf of his clients. When my husband fi...led for divorce, I had no money, my husband had a lot of money, and I needed a good attorney. The judge suggested four attorneys, three of whom were women. I thought I wanted a female attorney, so I called the three women first. Before asking me anything about my situation, the three women quoted me their retainer and hourly fees. I didn’t have any money for a retainer, and I was near despair when I finally called Mr. Walchenbach. During our initial telephone conversation, I explained my situation to him, and he listened intently. He asked many questions, the first of which was to inquire about the wellbeing of my four children. It was not until the end of the conversation that Mr. Walchenbach mentioned his fees. I was pleasantly surprised as his fees were significantly less than the three female attorneys I had spoken with. When we met in person for the first time, Mr. Walchenbach went over the fees with me again. Mr. Walchenbach was always completely transparent about his fees, but the discussion of money remained in the background through out my divorce process; with the needs of my children and me always at the forefront. I am forever grateful for Mr. Walchenbach’s patience and understanding during a time when I was very fragile. It was unnerving to have to put so much of my life in someone else’s hands, but he quickly earned my complete trust, which has been maintained for several years following my divorce. His fees are reasonable, and he has gone “above and beyond” for my family Mr. Walchenbach not only did an excellent job of advising and representing me during my divorce, he has continued to serve as my attorney in related issues following my dissolution in 2004. Everyone in my circle of support can attest to the excellent legal counsel Mr. Walchenbach has provided me, which has allowed me the opportunity to refer many friends and acquaintances to him. There have been a number of very complicated divorces Mr. Walchenbach has handled for friends of mine, and he has done so to their great satisfaction, with the same care he has provided to me and my family. My ex has gone through three attorneys unsuccessfully trying to find someone to match Mr. Walchenbach’s wits. I highly recommend Mr. Walchenbach as a family law attorney.