Mathew M. Purcell

Matt has extensive experience with high-asset divorces, divorces involving businesses, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, parentage and support matters, and the division of retirement assets. He has particular experience with drafting Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) and other retirement division orders, including matters involving federal and military retirement benefits.

Matt’s connection to family law began long before he became an attorney. His parents went through a difficult divorce when he was nine, giving him firsthand perspective on what it can be like for a child and family navigating the legal system. That experience ultimately helped shape his decision to pursue family law and continues to influence the way he works with clients today.

His approach emphasizes client support and education. Matt believes clients should understand not only the law, but also the risks associated with their particular circumstances and the potential outcomes they may face. He strives to keep clients heavily informed and provide access to their legal team throughout what can be one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

Matt also brings substantial courtroom experience to his practice. He has completed more than 50 family law trials, including a 21-day trial involving six expert witnesses, and successfully represented a party in the published Washington Court of Appeals case In re Marriage of Doneen. He previously served as a Family Law Settlement Officer for Ventura County Superior Court in California and as a Judge Pro Tempore in Benton and Franklin County Superior Court.

Beyond his client work, Matt has presented continuing legal education programs in Washington and California on family law and retirement division orders. He is licensed to practice in both Washington and California.