David Paul Hazel

Dave began his legal career as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Yakima County in 1977 and has been in private practice since 1978. His practice has focused exclusively on matrimonial and family law since 1985.

In January 2021, Dave transitioned from full-time litigation to mediating and arbitrating family law cases.

As a litigator, Dave was an aggressive advocate on behalf of his clients and personally tried hundreds of cases involving all aspects of family law, including complex business and asset valuation, property and debt division, custody, parenting plans, child relocation, third party custody, maintenance (alimony), and child support.

He is a strong believer in the benefits of mediation and arbitration and has mediated a high volume of cases. He knows that--if done correctly and with a skilled mediator--mediation is faster, cheaper, less stressful, and yields better results for you. In short, it consistently keeps more assets and income in the pockets of both parties.

Qualifications

• Member, Washington State Bar Association and the United States Supreme Court

• Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

• Certified Mediator, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

• Certified Arbitrator, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

• Board of Governors, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2021-2023

• Former Bar Examiner, Washington State Bar Association and its Screening Committee

• Super Lawyer, 2001, 2006, 2010, and each subsequent year

• Frequent speaker at statewide legal education seminars for lawyers on a variety of topics, from divorce taxation and financial issues to parenting and law office management

• The designated speaker for Washington State at the National Conference of Community Property States annual symposiums in Washington, Louisiana, Idaho and Wisconsin

• Speaker at the Weschler Seminar for new King County Superior Court judges to help them better understand divorce and family law

• Knows and has worked with the state’s best business valuation experts