Kim Schnuelle

Senior Attorney

Bellevue | Kirkland | Seattle

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Interesting notes about Kim
Can't live without: Spending time in the wilderness
Unusual place I've lived: Costa Rica
Pets: Two stray Texas hounds named Chucho and Saint Lucia
About
Affiliations
Education
Publications & Presentations

About Kim Schnuelle

An adventure lover at heart, Kim Schnuelle spends her free time traveling to far-flung destinations, hiking the local Cascades, skiing the slopes of Mission Ridge, or ensconced in her Brewster, WA cabin, writing legal articles.

Avocations aside, this veteran attorney brings that same level of intellectual curiosity and boundless energy to her work. Since 2011, she has employed her considerable negotiation and litigation skills in support of scores of clients at McKinley Irvin. Prior to joining the Northwest’s largest family law firm, she served for 17 years as a lawyer with the Family Support Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney, resolving thousands of cases along the way.

"To be successful in family law, you need to possess a solid grasp of legal issues and statutes, a healthy psychological makeup, and a good heart,” says the yoga enthusiast and animal lover. “Book smarts only get you so far. It’s important to have compassion and empathy for each client so you can provide the kind of exceptional legal representation your clients need and deserve."

For Kim, that means staying abreast of current case law, treating clients (as well as members of the bar and bench) with fairness, kindness, and respect, responding in a timely fashion to client calls and emails, and appreciating the unique nature of each legal case.

"Clients facing family law litigation are living through one of the most stressful periods of their lives. As an attorney and advocate, it is my role to reduce that stress by listening actively to their desired goals, then implementing those goals through a strong, wellprepared, and effective case strategy."

Beyond those considerations, says Kim, it’s incumbent on good lawyers to continue to improve their work, and to refine and sharpen their craft. She adds that working at McKinley Irvin—“a place full of smart, yet really caring folks”—contributes mightily to this effort.

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Affiliations

Appointments

  • Commissioner Pro Tempore, King County Family Law Motions Calendar, 2018 - Present

Memberships

  • Washington State Bar Association
  • King County Bar Association

Community Activities

  • Pro Bono Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law, 2022
  • Volunteer Attorney, King County Bar Association Family Law Mentor Program
  • Past Volunteer, King County Bar Association Bilingual Spanish Legal Clinic
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Education

  • J.D. University of Washington School of Law
  • American Jurisprudence Award, Criminal Law and Conflicts of Law
  • M.A. in Biology, University of California at Los Angeles
  • B.A. in Paleontology, University of California at Berkeley
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Publications & Presentations

Publications

Presentations

  • Division of Child Support CLE, McKinley Irvin, October 12, 2022
  • Dissolution from A-Z, Child Support, National Business Institute, Washington State Convention Center, December 8, 2017, Seattle, WA.
  • Family Law from Start to Finish, Calculating Child Support and Alimony, King County Bar Association, KCBA Offices, May 23, 2017, Seattle, WA.
  • Dependency Conference 2016, Civil Discovery: Sword and Shield, King County Division of Public Defense, Seattle Library, October 14, 2016, Seattle WA.
  • Family Law: Advanced Issues: Ethics in Family Law, National Business Institute, Washington State Convention Center, December 11, 2014, Seattle, WA
  • Spousal Benefits Eligibility During and After Divorce, National Business Institute, Washington State Convention Center, December 16, 2013, Seattle, WA
  • Divorce Litigation: From Start to Finish: Enforcement and Post-Trial Modifications, National Business Institute, Washington State Convention Center, July 12, 2011, Seattle, WA
  • Special Collection Techniques, King County Bar Assn. Brown Bar Lunch CLE, September 2008, Seattle, WA
  • Unique Enforcement Techniques in Child Support Child Support Collections, Washington State Association of Prosecuting Attorney's Child Support Enforcement Training, May 2008, May 2007, May 2003
  • Judicial Enforcement of Support Obligations, Washington State Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s Child Support Enforcement Training, May 2002, Vancouver, WA
  • Numerous in-house trainings at the Division of Child Support on judicial enforcement, modification and appearance cases, in-house training at Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons
  • Best Lawyers
  • Best Law Firms
  • AV Preeminent
  • Chambers Top Rank
  • Puget Sound Business Journal Washington's Best Workplaces 2023
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  • Best Lawyers - Lawyer of the Year 2024
  • Super Lawyers
"Thanks for all the work for our family over the past year. We’re really glad you are on our side."
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