Awards and Distinctions

Puget Sound Business Journal’s 100 Best Workplaces in Washington

McKinley Irvin ranked #2 Best Workplace in Washington in 2024 by by the Puget Sound Business Journal in the large company category. This recognition is driven by employee feedback. Each year, PSBJ surveys employees from hundreds of businesses across Washington about their workplaces, and the results are then graded and ranked to create the final list.

Best Law Firms^®

McKinley Irvin has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms with a ranking of Tier 1 for Family Law in the Seattle Metro area and Tier 2 for Family Law in the Portland Metro area. This marks our fourteenth consecutive year receiving this honor. The annual rankings denote the nation’s highest-performing law firms based on a rigorous evaluation process, including client and peer evaluations addressing expertise, responsiveness, and civility.

The Best Lawyers In America^©

Thirty-five McKinley Irvin attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Family Law. McKinley Irvin has received the Best Lawyers “Top-Listed in Washington in Family Law” award every year since 2016 for having the highest number of attorneys to be listed in Best Lawyers for Family Law in Washington State.

Four McKinley Irvin attorneys have also been named the Best Lawyers Family Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Washington: Gordon Wilcox in 2012, Marc Christianson in 2015, Elizabeth Michelson in 2017, and David Starks in 2022 and 2024.

Chambers High Net Worth Guide

McKinley Irvin is one of only two law firms in Washington State to receive a Tier 1 ranking in the 2024 Chambers High Net Worth Guide. The firms and individuals ranked in this esteemed global guide have demonstrated their ability to meet the complex legal needs of high net worth individuals and provide specialist advice. Additionally, Jennifer Payseno and David Starks both earned top individual rankings for high-asset family law matters.

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)

Eight McKinley Irvin attorneys have received the distinguished honor of being named a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML): Mark Arend, Brent Bohan, Marc Christianson, Brian Edwards, Janet George, Elizabeth Michelson, David Starks, and Gordon W. Wilcox. AAML Fellows are considered the nation’s leading practitioners of family law.

Martindale-Hubbell Rated AV Preeminent^®

The Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings are determined by peer reviews of lawyers based on their ethical standards and legal ability. The AV Preeminent rating signifies that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the "highest level of professional excellence." A law firm is rated AV Preeminent when the aggregate ratings of its partners qualify as AV Preeminent. McKinley Irvin is rated AV Preeminent.

Super Lawyers & Rising Stars

Attorneys chosen to Super Lawyers represent the top five percent of lawyers practicing in the state. As of 2024, twenty-six attorneys from the firm’s Seattle, Kirkland, Everett, Tacoma, Vancouver, and Portland offices have been recognized as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Selection to Super Lawyers is based on peer reviews, independent research, and committee reviews.

Lawdragon

Six McKinley Irvin attorneys were listed in The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Family Lawyers guide. The Lawdragon selection process has been designed over 30 years of researching and reporting on the legal profession to create lists and guides to the most effective legal professionals.

Avvo.com Ratings

All McKinley Irvin family law attorneys are listed and rated on Avvo.com, a mathematical score that rates lawyers based on experience, disciplinary history, professional achievements, and industry recognition. Over half of McKinley Irvin’s attorneys maintain a 10.0 "Superb" rating on Avvo.