Matthew Blum | Vancouver Divorce & Family Law Lawyer | Washington

I recently had a client who came to me from another attorney, having lost temporary custody of their child. The other parent, who had very little involvement in the children's lives before the case was filed, had accused the client of having a serious alcohol problem. They filed a declaration, making all sorts of outlandish allegations. Outside of the adverse party's testimony, there was not a shred of evidence that this client had a problem. Still, that was enough for the court to remove the children from this client's home, and order the client to random UAs twice per week for an indefinite period of time. When the client came to me, there was not much that could be done to get an immediate result. The court had made a decision, and would not reverse it until the client had proven that the allegations were unwarranted. So this stay at home parent had just lost their children, was ordered from their home, had no job, and had to pay child support on top of that. While looking for work, they were required to call into the testing facility every morning to see if their color came up, and go to the facility twice per week. While I was not able to provide an immediate fix for this client, I will say that we were able to get the right result. Following a special set hearing, the court ordered temporary custody back to my client. After the hearing, we were even able to settle the case without going to trial.

To have a successful practice, you need to have the right amount of natural ability and work ethic. I am truly blessed in that I believe that I have a mind that was tailored for practicing the law. In school, I was always interested in philosophy and analytical thinking, so when I got to law school, it was a natural transition. The rest of it comes with work ethic. If you have the right mind, and you are willing to out work your opponent, then the results follow.

Your attorney needs to be knowledgeable of the law, and skilled in their trade. Sometimes this is evident from your first consult, but not always. Some good indicators are whether the attorney is really listening to you, and whether they are willing to tell you what you may not want to hear. If they are willing to make promises to you at the initial consult, or sugar coating the divorce process, this is not a good sign.

It is critical. First, there are local rules that each attorney must follow. I practice in several different counties, so I am familiar with the local rules of each county that I practice. Second, you need to know your audience. Different judicial offices interpret the law in different ways. Being in front of a judicial officer for the first time can be a scary proposition, because you do not have a track record for their decisions. You cannot pick and chose who your case is in front of, so sometimes this is inevitable. However, knowing your audience is a key part of being a successful attorney.

My work ethic. I really care about my cases, and want for my clients to succeed. I believe in practicing law the right way, and getting the right decision.

Helping clients and their families through what may be the most difficult time in their lives.

My wife is also an attorney, so I spend every chance I have with her when we are both not busy. I also enjoy writing and playing music. Most attorneys spend their time playing golf, but I prefer basketball right now. Will have time for golf when I retire

I am extremely involved. I won volunteer lawyer of the year from the Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program, and have been heavily involved in volunteering my pro bono hours to those in need and their fundraising attempts. I am also a member of the Volunteer Lawyer's Board of Directors. I am the President of the Family Law Section of the Clark County Bar Association, and an active member of the Clark County Young Lawyers Association. I am also a member of the Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, and support local merchants whenever I am able.

• Board of Trustees, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers, 2013–present
  President, CCBA Family Law Section, 2009–present
  Member, Clark County Bar Association, 2009–present
  Member, U.S. District Court of Eastern Washington, 2008–present
  Member, Washington State Bar Association, 2007–present

• Volunteer Lawyer of the Year, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers , 2012
  Certificate of Appreciation, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2012
  Certificate of Appreciation, Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2011

• http://www.vbjusa.com/focus-sections/law/law-column/9774-responding-to-a-civil-subpoena-in-washington

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