Our Firm

Burke and Associates Law Office PLLC was formed with the goal of remaining a small law firm that can provide personal service to each client. This firm provides legal services in a wide variety of areas, with its areas of emphasis being Family Law, Collaborative Family Law, mediation, Landlord/Tenant actions, Real Estate issues, and inexpensive Estate Planning for small to medium sized estates.

In addition to handling most types of litigation in our various areas of practice, as listed below, this firm is a leading advocate of Collaborative Family Law within the Spokane legal community. Collaborative Family Law departs from the typical adversarial process, and utililizes a totally different approach to family law matters wherein the parties agree not to go to court, but instead rely on their attorneys to work with them and each other to arrive at a settlement that addresses the priorities of each party. For more information on Collaborative Family Law, please click Family Law (Collaborative) in the areas of practice found below at the end of this narrative.

We located our Spokane office on north Division Street so that we would be easy to find, with penty of free parking. We recognize that we need to be there for our clients at their convenience, not ours. For that reason, we often will meet with clients at times that would not fit into a "normal" 8 AM to 5 PM work schedule. We realize that you work, too, and thus we need to be available when you can meet with us. Our newly remodeled office space is located at 7307 N. Division St., just a few blocks north of Francis, and one block south of Costco. The building and office is ADA compliant, and is easily accessible for our handicapped clients.

We also recognize that legal services and representation have gotten very expensive. Our goal is to deliver high quality legal services at a reasonable price. Depending upon the type of legal services to be performed, we may offer you the option to make payments over time. We also accept most major credit cards.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THE AREAS OF LAW LISTED BELOW, PLEASE "CLICK" ON THE THE HEADING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DESCRIPTION.

Family Law (Litigation)
One of the main areas of law practiced by Burke and Associates Law Office PLLC is Family Law. This includes subjects such as divorce, legal separation, child custody and support, parenting plan, and modification of previous court orders.

Family Law (Collaborative)
Collaborative Law is often referred to as the way to resolve disputes with respect, namely in a non-adversarial way. Often, the only thing that the paries agree about is that they do not want to go to court, with the stress, humiliation, accusations, public disclosure, and costs that can accompany court litigation. Collaborative Family Law (also referred to as Collaborative Practice) focuses on the needs and interests of the parties, and fosters their maintaining responsibility and authority for their actions and decisions. The objective of Collaborative Family Law is to stay out of the courtroom, and come to a resolution without the negatives that can accompany litigation through the courts.

Mediation
Mediation is a process where a neutral person acts as a facilitator between parties to a dispute in an non-adversarial proceeding outside the courtoom setting. A mediator may be a lawyer but when acting as a mediator neutrality is to be preserved so that the facilitator does not dispense legal advice nor take sides.

In mediation, participants are empowered and given the ability to be heard without the usual restrictions imposed by the judicial process. For more information, click on the heading above.

Estate Planning
Estate Planning encompasses Wills, Trusts, community property issues, dependant custody issues, retirement planning, end-of-life directives, and other similar areas. For more information, click on the "Estate Planning" heading above.

Landlord/Tenant
Washington is governed by the Washington Residential Landlord/Tenant Act. Rented spaces in mobile home parks are covered by the Mobile Home Landlord/Tenant Act. These Acts provide specific duties for both landlords and tenant, specific remedies if duties are not carried out by either or both parties to a lease agreement, and strict procedures to be followed when pursuing a court action to enforce the terms and conditions of a lease agreement. For more information click on the heading above.

Real Estate
Real estate law is an evolving and complex area of the law that requires experience by an attorney from both a legal and practical point of view. The attorney must keep apprised of the latest developments in the law and the needs of the population. For more information click on the heading above.

Employment Law
Employment law concerns the rights, privileges, and obligations of an employee and employer. These are established through statues and case law at both the federal and state levels. For more information, click on the "Employment Law" heading above.

Contract Law
Contract law includes all agreements, written or oral, that meet certain requirements and thus create a legal relationship between the parties.

Guardian ad Litem - Family Law
A Family Law Guradian ad Litem is an indivudal appointed by the Superior Court to determine what would be in the best interest of the child/children regarding issues of custody and parenting. For more information, click on the "Guardian ad Litem" heading