Our founder, Roger Hawkes, graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 1973 and remains a top Seattle attorney. We have a multi-practice area law firm just a bit north of the Seattle city limits and an office in Sultan WA.
We emphasize integrity in our relationships, honesty in our communications and excellence in our work, as well as aggressive advocacy and empathy in our approach to legal matters.
We provide counsel and legal representation to individuals, families and small businesses in a wide range of practice areas.
The Washington State Bar Association is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state’s nearly 40,000 legal professionals, including lawyers, limited practice officers, and limited license legal technicians. The Bar both regulates legal professionals under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association
The King County Bar Association promotes and supports a diverse and collegial membership; works with the judiciary to achieve excellence, equity, and accessibility in the administration of justice; and benefits the community through public service and engagement in public policy.
The purpose of the Snohomish County Bar Association is to: Provide a means of exchange of information of interest to its members; Provide substantive legal education through speakers, CLE courses, and other programs; Provide social opportunities for members to interact with each other and with new members of the local Snohomish County Bar; Promote professionalism, service to the public, including pro bono representation, and furtherance of bench-bar relations; and Performs all other activities that enhance the practice of law in Snohomish County.
Top attorneys and law firms in Washington join WSAJ’s prestigious EAGLE program to protect their practice and their clients.
At our Shoreline, Washington, law firm, our lawyers focus on helping people get through very difficult times. We are known as caring attorneys who give our clients personal attention and a sympathetic ear while providing effective advocacy.
Family law matters include anything related to legal disputes and obligations within families. In many instances, these issues overlap with other areas of the law. For example, a person getting a divorce should consider revising his or her trust or will; all people with substantial assets or expectancy of receiving substantial assets should consider prenuptial agreements if they plan to remarry.
Same gender couples and some two gender couples can now register their domestic partnership and enjoy nearly all the benefits of marriage. Because our firm handles a wide range of legal issues, we are able to assist clients with family law problems that may arise as a result of other legal matters.
Most people know that they need a will to control how their assets will be distributed after death. However, most people also put off acting on their knowledge. They would prefer not to think about their deaths. At our Shoreline, Washington, law firm, we urge all clients to prepare a will or draft a trust; it is not difficult or expensive.
Attorneys at the Hawkes Law Firm are experienced, concerned and caring. We know that clients may not have settled on guardians for their children. Our experience tells us that they probably do not know how probate works. They may wonder about asset protection. When someone visits our law firm to discuss estate planning, we discuss all these things and more. We give people the information they need to make good decisions that protect their assets and their families.
Most people know that they need a will to control how their assets will be distributed after death. However, most people also put off acting on their knowledge. They would prefer not to think about their deaths. At our Shoreline, Washington, law firm, we urge all clients to prepare a will or draft a trust; it is not difficult or expensive.
Attorneys at the Hawkes Law Firm are experienced, concerned and caring. We know that clients may not have settled on guardians for their children. Our experience tells us that they probably do not know how probate works. They may wonder about asset protection. When someone visits our law firm to discuss estate planning, we discuss all these things and more. We give people the information they need to make good decisions that protect their assets and their families.
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My Husband and I went to Betsy for help with a landlord-tenant dispute. Her responsiveness and thorough explanations were top notch. She asked insightful questions about our case that lead us to realize we had more evidence than we initially thought.
Her team created a demand letter that was thorough and easy to follow. As plaintiffs we used it as an effective road map, referencing key legal points throughout the entire small claims process.
In areas that were beyond her expertise, she quickly connected us to a specialized local attorney for Q&A.
I would highly recommend Betsy Wurdeman.
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Elizabeth provided excellent guidance and communication that let to a very favorable reselt when I really needed it. Very dedicated, excellent communicator. Thank you again!
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A revocable living trust is a type of trust that takes effect during the testator’s life and can be changed or terminated at any time with the property returning to the testator. The testator also can retain control over the property in the trust by naming themselves as the trustee and naming a successor trustee to take over trust administration at the testator’s death. These trusts are often used as a means to avoid probate because the title of property is transferred to the trust and is not considered property of the testator at his or her death, thus making the property unavailable for probate.
In the absence of a will, property will be distributed through a process known as intestacy. If someone dies intestate, the community property passes to the spouse or state registered domestic partner. If there are surviving children, the surviving spouse will also receive one half of the decedent’s separate property. If there are no surviving children, but one or more of the decedent’s parents survive, the surviving spouse receives three quarters of the net separate property in addition to the community property. There are additional levels of distribution if there are also no surviving parents, the probate attorney can explain this if necessary.
The Washington probate process requires at least four months to complete, However, the probate process can be slow and can tie up property any where from several months to several years. In addition, it can be costly since attorney fees, executor fees and court fees are paid out of the estate.
Washington is a community property state. If you and your spouse have signed a Community Property Agreement, all assets will pass to the surviving spouse without the probate process. There are several methods to use to avoid the probate process. These methods include creating a joint ownership with right to survival in property such as real estate, automobiles and other titled property; making beneficiary designations on accounts such as payable-on-death (POD) bank accounts and transfer-on-death (TOD) securities; and placing property in a revocable living trust. Your attorney can help you manage your property to avoid probate and to transfer property smoothly to your beneficiaries after your death.
The executor, also known as the Personal Representative, is responsible for initiating the probate proceeding, collecting and inventorying assets, paying debts owed by the estate, filing and paying taxes, distributing assets to the beneficiaries, and closing the estate. Because of the numerous details and technical requirements that must be satisfied, attorneys experienced in probate and estate administration are often employed to guide the executor through the probate process. The executor is entitled to compensation for time and expenses spent during the process.
Non-probate assets can be transferred without oversight by the probate court. Some examples of non-probate assets are proceeds from life insurance policies, an IRA account, a 401(k) account or any other taxed deferred retirement plan account with a named beneficiary.
A will contest is a legal action that challenges the validity of a will and/or the terms of the will. A will may be invalid if it was the result of forgery, undue influence, inadequate execution, or other issues.
Washington’s probate system is among the simplest and least expensive in the nation. Probate is the legal procedure for settling the affairs of an individual who has died and for transferring the decedent’s property to the rightful beneficiaries. The procedure validates the will and appoints a Personal Representative to administer the estate.
Collaborative law is an alternative dispute resolution process. In the collaborative law process parties to a divorce, and their attorneys, commit to an honest, open, cooperative resolution of all issues without going to court. In fact, the defining feature of collaborative law is that both parties and both attorneys agree in writing that they will not go to court except to enter the final decree of dissolution. Instead, they will provide open, informal, expedited discovery of all relevant facts and documents; they will participate in meetings and commit to bona fide negotiations. If either party or their attorney decides that the case should go to court, the attorneys are both required to withdraw from the case and any disclosures to that point cannot be used in the court case without permission from both parties. Collaborative law works best when both parties are on a relatively equal footing.
As with so many issues involved in divorce cases, domestic violence may or may not play a significant role in the legal process depending upon the exact circumstances. This is especially true in cases involving child custody and visitation determinations.