Helping clients reclaim themselves—and their lives—impels every aspect of Lindsay Noel’s work. The summa cum laude law graduate of Seattle University School of Law says she never forgets that the personal aspects of family law are as critical as the legal considerations. “I’m in the people business as much as the legal business,” says this Tacoma-based member of the McKinley Irvin team for whom family law practice is deeply personal. While a college student, Lindsay’s parents engaged in a complex legal process to secure permanent custody of her cousins’ children. The experience, she says, positions her to provide especially effective, compassionate counsel to clients facing family law issues like child custody and child support.
"There are no boilerplate cases in family law. I learn as much as possible about each of my clients. I listen carefully and respectfully to their individual stories in order to identify compelling, often unique issues and circumstances. Sharing these considerations effectively with the courts is critical to securing the best possible outcome in each case."
All of this requires meticulous attention to the details, Lindsay adds, to make certain that mediators and judges are getting the “full picture” of myriad facts that inevitably accompany every case (financial accounts, property holdings, career considerations, parenting issues, and more). It also means developing a professional reputation for candor and integrity.
"It’s important that members of the judiciary know they can trust you,” insists the former trustee of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. “When you have a difficult case or a situation that is a bit different from the norm, the court is more likely to land on your side if they know you are competent, trustworthy, and honest."
Those are the very traits Lindsay says she most admires in her McKinley Irvin colleagues, a fact that prompted her to join the firm some 10 years ago.
"It’s an honor to be affiliated with the largest family law firm in the Northwest,” she notes. “I can trust the people for whom I work; and they can trust me."
