If you get your Do It Yourself divorce wrong, you can end up back in court for years or permanently lose important rights and painfully regret it later. One Lawyer is the least expensive way for both of you to get informed, reach agreements right there in the room, and get your divorce done right the first time.
What's A One Lawyer?
Our American adversarial legal system is designed to resolve the worst-of-the-worst cases in which trust has completely broken down, and only a judge can decide. It works as well as any system could for those situations. Not everybody wants or needs all of the procedural complexity or pressure of that system.
What's At Stake?
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All your income
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All your assets
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All your debts
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Where you live
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What you are allowed to do
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Every issue about your children
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And more
Who Uses One Lawyer?
Many divorcing people don't need all the threats, expense, and loss of privacy from fighting their case out in court. People who marry each other know each other and often have a reasonable level of trust regarding money matters. Wise folks who want to save money and avoid ugly public battles are willing to stay respectful and negotiate in good faith, even when it’s painful. Since 2004, I have worked with both parties to settle and finalize their divorce by agreement. We don't need courtrooms, opposing counsel, and or the financial and emotional destruction that adversarial proceedings so often cause.
If you are unable to keep yourselves from fighting over the children (sometimes for good reasons), then you are destined for court, not One Lawyer, for those issues.
One Lawyer Includes:
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full legal advice for each side of your case
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practical advice for your wishes and needs (like house/retirements/etc.)
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mediation to resolve areas of disagreement
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settlement conference judge services (what would a judge order?)
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all legal documents created, explained, approved, and signed by you
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representation in court with your final orders signed by the judge. Neither one of you has to go to court.
Here Comes The Judge (Rule)
Let's create your future without destroying your now
I've been a divorce lawyer since 1990. Since 2004, I've worked with both parties simultaneously to settle and finalize their divorce by agreement. In this process, both of you hear, always at the same time, the good, the bad, and the ugly on both sides, with comprehensive legal advice for each of you.
All communication with me or my office about your legal issues is with both of you at the same time. I call this "The Judge Rule", and it is non-negotiable. All communications to or from Ascher & Denton regarding the issues in your case must be shared with both of you simultaneously. No separate conversations. No secrets. No exceptions. This is not a limitation — it is the foundation of everything that makes One Lawyer work.
You both get to hear all the legal and practical advice for each side of your case, understanding better than if you'd received separate lawyer consultations. Both of you hearing each other's questions and concerns helps you each clarify where you are coming from or what you need to know on the spot. You each help me understand where the other person is coming from, and you can help each other remember and understand what I've explained and asked.
This isn't a conflict of interest. I'll never represent either of you against the other. I don't communicate with either of you separately. When I represent you in court, I only file and present the documents we've all signed beforehand. You sign a waiver of conflict because there is none. We also openly address power imbalances and require the necessary documentation of financial issues, while maintaining the highest ethical standards.
Ethics, Ethics, Ethics
Do It Right!
It is a huge part of One Lawyer that all three of us discuss all of the facts and issues you are facing. Often, folks learn about vital issues and options they didn't even know existed. When useful, you both hear all the legal advice I provide about how the court could decide issues. I help you create solutions tailored to your situation and share ideas that others have used to resolve similar issues.
Keep Your Privacy
One Lawyer process minimizes the public display of your private information in court records. One Lawyer also maximizes your opportunities to remain on civil and even favorable terms with each other, children, and other family members.
Pay Less, Get More
We charge flat fees rather than you struggling with confusing, unpredictable hourly billing, so you know your costs upfront.
What One Lawyer Costs (No Surprises)
To put this in perspective: a traditional two-attorney contested divorce in Washington State routinely costs each party $15,000 or more (uncontested, more likely $7,000 each side), and that is before any trial (costing an additional $12,000 per person per day). One Lawyer provides full professional representation for both of you at a fraction of that cost. You also receive privacy, better court orders that you've agreed to, and the option for more creative and tailored results than from outcomes imposed by a process almost entirely beyond your control. Only one of you with a lawyer is unfair to the other, and the cost is similar to that of One Lawyer. Being your own lawyer is very risky, and you can make errors more expensive than several lawyers would cost.
First Consultation
Like other family law attorneys, who routinely require a first paid consultation so they can learn what you need and advise you, Melissa needs to meet with you to discuss your case, give you advice, and evaluate your case. For a two-hour consultation (at $450 per hour), Melissa charges a flat fee of $900.
In this joint consultation, you each learn all the legal and practical advice about each side of your case. You get answers to your questions and, very likely, learn practical information you would never have known without a lawyer's consultation. This meeting is comprehensive: you will leave with a clear understanding of your legal situation, your options, and what a full One Lawyer engagement would involve. There is no further obligation after this meeting. I often tell clients that this interview is worth its weight in gold, because it is.
Full Completion Of Your Divorce With One Lawyer
If you and I choose to proceed with further services, our flat fee for full One Lawyer representation is $5,000 to $12,000, depending on the complexity of your case, covering up to one year of legal advice, document preparation, and everything required to complete your divorce by agreement. You will know your costs at the first consultation. There is no hourly billing, no invoice surprises, and no incentive on our part to make your case take longer than it needs to.
If your divorce involves retirement accounts that require a formal division order, that work is handled separately and billed accordingly — many clients do not need this, so we do not include it in our standard fee. We also offer other options, such as document preparation without full representation.
Is One Lawyer Right For You?
One Lawyer requires honesty, a willingness to share information, and enough basic trust in each other to work toward a solution. If the trust exists between you, this process can resolve your case with your privacy intact, your relationships preserved to the extent possible, and your costs a fraction of what contested proceedings would require.
If you are wondering whether your situation qualifies, the best first step is simply to call or reach out. We are happy to answer your questions before you make any decisions.