Joanna Roth

927 N Northlake Way Ste 301
Seattle, Washington 98103
United States
Office Phone: 206-489-4986
Member since 2008
Membership Type: IACP

Profession(s)

Lawyer, Mediator

Helping clients resolve complex legal issues with compassion and respect.

Area(s) of Practice: Collaborative Law, Family Law, Mediation
License(s): JD

Professional Activities

Current Board Member of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators Past Chair of the Washington State Bar Assoc. Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Past Member King County Collaborative Law Board ~Chair of the King County Collaborative Law Outreach Committee ~Past Chair of the King County Collaborative Law Civil Practice Group ~Past Co-Chair of the King County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section ~Past Chair of the King County Collaborative Law Marketing and Outreach Committee ~Member of the Balint Group PODs.

Undergraduate Education

AB Harvard College cum laude, Greek Classics

Postgraduate Education

MTESL University of Nevada, Reno

Professional Education

JD/MPA University of Washington

Comments

I have chosen to practice in Collaborative Law because it gives me the freedom to apply my passion for individual freedom and fairness in a cooperative setting. I have also found that working with people in the midst of loss, whether caused by divorce or death, is deeply meaningful. Surviving and then growing through my own losses has been exquisitely painful and has ultimately enriched my life. To the extent that I remember that the present is not the end, I guide my clients through the legal processes surrounding loss. My goal of giving my clients respectful and compassionate guidance means that I make an honest effort to understand my clients’ circumstances, their hopes, and their preferred outcomes. I understand first-hand how hard divorce can be, and have seen how hard it is for a child. At times, disputes are so painful that clients feel compelled to escalate conflict. I listen carefully and deeply to my clients; once I have heard their distress in the moment, we revisit their preferred outcomes, and focus on ways to achieve their long-term goals. Clients usually want a peaceful resolution that provides value for the client and is respectful of the other side. Working collaboratively is a dynamic and enlivening experience. One aspect of collaborative divorce that speaks to me is that it can be child-centered, where the needs of children are carefully considered. As a multidisciplinary and flexible process, a collaborative process can be reinvented in order to suit the needs of individual clients. Joining with other professionals in order to create enduring, satisfying solutions makes me proud to be an attorney. I graduated from Harvard College with honors, and earned my JD at the University of Washington. While in law school, I worked for the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and co-founded the Center for Human Rights and Justice. I was honored to receive a travel fellowship from the University of Washington to examine native political organizations throughout Polynesia.