About Rachel
Biography
Rachel Felbeck has been practicing family law since 1995 and is the founder of the Collaborative Divorce movement in Washington State. Rachel has also been a leader in helping to reduce the cost and complexity of the divorce process for families who are not adversarial.
During my career, I directly witnessed the trauma families would experience when participating in a litigated divorce. As a result, I developed a strong interest in several forms of dispute resolution, all of which are designed to help families solve their divorce issues without having to go to Court. This allows separating couples to be more involved in the solutions to their disputes, save time and money and move forward in a post-divorce situation with security and stability.
Member
Washington State Bar Association
Section Member of Family Law; Small and Solo Practice and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections (current)
King County Bar Association
Section Member of Collaborative Law and Family Law (current)
Collaborative Professionals of Washington
Founding Board Member (2007)
King County Collaborative Law
Member (2003-present)
Founding Board Member (2003-2009, 2018-2021)
President (2003-2006)
Secretary (2019-2020)
Family Law Executive Committee Member
Washington State Bar Association (this 3-year committee position is by election, statewide within the Washington State Bar Association) (2005 – 2008)
Admitted
| 1995 | to the Washington State Bar |
| 1995 | to the United States District Court; Western State of Washington |
Law School
| 1994 | Seattle University (graduated cum laude) |
Undergraduate
| 1983 | University of Delaware, B.A. in Political Science and History; |
Speaking Engagements
Seattle, WA • Feb 2012
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day training)
San Francisco, CA • Oct 2011
Co-Presenter “Advocacy in the Collaborative Law Model” IACP Annual Meeting
Gig Harbor, WA • Nov 2011
Co-Trainer “How Collaborative Law is Growing and Changing”
Washington D.C. • Oct 2010
Co-Presenter “Advocacy in Collaborative Law”, IACP Annual Conference
San Francisco, CA • Oct 2011
Co-Presenter “Special Needs Children and Collaborative Law” IACP Annual Meeting
Seattle, WA • Oct 2010
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Publications
Fall 2009
Editor, Chapters 56 and 57, Washington State Bar Family Law Deskbook
Jan 2008
Co-author, "Collaborative Family Law and Ethics in Washington"
April 2009
Quoted in “Harmonic Divergence: A Win-Win Way to Divorce” by Karen West, Seattle Woman Magazine, April 2009. (http://www.seattlewomanmagazine.com/articles/april09-2.htm)
Spring 2007
"Collaborative Law: The Evolution of a Revolution", Published in Family Law Section Quarterly Newsletter
Sept 2008
Co-author, Amicus Brief on behalf of Washington State Bar Association, Family Law Executive Committee, Tresler v. Treadwell
Fall 2006
Editor, Chapter 56, Washington State Bar Family Law Deskbook