Rachel Felbeck
Founding Member, Sakaguchi Felbeck Story & Reese, PLLC
Bellevue, Washington, United States
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)
Timeline
Washington State Bar
1995, admitted
United States District Court; Western State of Washington
1995, admitted
Law School, Seattle University
1994 (graduated cum laude)
University of Delaware
1983
B.A. in Political Science and History
Engagements
Speaking Engagements
Seattle University • 2004 – present
Family Law Practicum with Betsy Hollingsworth
Seattle University • 2003 – present
Various CLE programs
Vancouver, WA • Jun 2016
Co-Presenter, “Recreational Marijuana and Its Impact on Family Law”, WSBA Family Law Mid-Year Meeting and Conference
Richland, WA • Oct 2015
“Recreational Marijuana and Its Impact in Family Law”, Benton County CLE
San Francisco, CA • Oct 2011
“Special Needs Children and Collaborative Law”, IACP Annual Meeting
Gig Harbor, WA • Nov 2011
Co-Trainer “How Collaborative Law is Growing and Changing”
San Francisco, CA • Oct 2011
Co-Presenter “Advocacy in the Collaborative Law Model”, IACP Annual Meeting
Seattle, WA • Feb 2011
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Washington, D.C. • Oct 2010
Co-Presenter “Advocacy in Collaborative Law”, IACP Annual Conference
Seattle, WA • Oct 2010
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Seattle, WA • May 2010
Co-Trainer “Collaborative Law Advanced Negotiation Skills”
Kelowna, BC, Canada • Mar 2010
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Seattle, WA • Feb 2010
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law (2 day basic training)
Bellingham, WA • Feb 2010
Co-Trainer “Collaborative Law Advanced Negotiation Skills”
Gig Harbor, WA • Nov 2009
“Should We Terminate?”, Collaborative Professionals of Washington 2nd Annual Statewide Forum
Boise, ID • Nov 2009
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Lynnwood, WA • Oct 2009
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Seattle, WA • May 2009
Co-Trainer “Collaborative Law Advanced Negotiation Skills”
Seattle, WA • Feb 2009
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
New Orleans, LA • Oct 2008
Co-Presenter “Divorce Legacy and Collaborative Law”, IACP Annual Forum
Seattle, WA • Sep 2008
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Seattle University • Mar 2008
“Skills Necessary to be a Collaborative Attorney”
Seattle, WA • Feb 2008
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Bremerton, WA • Sep 2007
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Seattle, WA • Sep 2007
“Emerging Trends in Dispute Resolution”, WSBA ADR Section
Spokane, WA • Jun 2007
“Collaborative Law: The Team Approach” WSBA Family Law Mid-Year
Lynnwood, WA • Jun 2007
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Semiahmoo, WA • Apr 2007
AOC Spring Judicial Conference
Seattle University • Mar 2007
“Truth and the Law: Honesty as Advocacy”
Bellingham, WA • Mar 2007
Co-Trainer “Introduction to Collaborative Law” (2 day basic training)
Walla Walla, WA • Jun 2006
WSBA Family Law Mid-Year
Oak Harbor, WA • Spring 2006
Island County Bar Association
Seattle, WA • Apr 2006
NW ADR Annual Conference, “Collaborative Law: How it Works”
Phoenix, AZ • Apr 2006
Council for Community Property States
Seattle University • Dec 2005
“Collaborative Law: An Introduction”
Bellingham, WA • Fall 2005
Whatcom County Collaborative Law Group
Seattle, WA • Aug 2005
Washington State Bar Association, Co-Chair “Advanced Client Communication Skills for Lawyers”
Yakima, WA • Spring 2005
Access to Justice Annual Meeting
Spokane, WA • Nov 2004
Spokane County Bar Association, “Make Peace Not War: A Collaborative Approach to Family Law”
Seattle University • Feb 2004
“Unbundled Legal Services”
Ocean Shores, WA • Jun 2003
WSBA Family Law Mid-Year
Publications
Publications:
- Editor, Chapters 56 and 57, Washington State Bar Family Law Deskbook, Fall 2009
- Quoted in “Harmonic Divergence: A Win-Win Way to Divorce” by Karen West, Seattle Woman Magazine, April 2009.
- Co-author, Amicus Brief on behalf of Washington State Bar Association, Family Law Executive Committee, Tresler v. Treadwell, Sept 2008
- Co-author, “Collaborative Family Law and Ethics in Washington”, Jan 2008
- “Collaborative Law: The Evolution of a Revolution”, Published in Family Law Section Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2007
- Editor, Chapter 56, Washington State Bar Family Law Deskbook, Fall 2006
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