I grew up in Seattle, graduated from the University of Washington and received my law degree from Willamette University School of Law in 1976.   I was a King County Superior Court bailiff before entering private practice in Kirkland.   I have represented clients in many areas, including construction, business, estate, employment discrimination, criminal and, principally, family law.   I am the founder and publisher of the Washington Family Law Reporter, a quarterly publication provided to attorneys and judges since 1982, and the WFLR Update, an electronic publication since 2003.    I was honored by the WSBA Family Law Section as the 1993 Family Law Attorney of the Year and have been recognized by my peers with a Martindale Hubble rating of "AV Preeminate".  

I have served a past Board Member and President of KITH, Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless in the Greater Kirkland area.   I am also a participating probono attorney for ELAP, the Eastside Legal Assistance Program.