About The Firm
I founded Divorce & Custody Services after 17 years of litigation-focused family law. Over time, I've come to believe that the traditional adversarial approach to family law often fails to serve the best interests of families. Divorce does not have to consist of conflict, anger, or turmoil. The conventional path is expensive, stressful, emotionally draining, and often takes years. Unfortunately, children are frequently caught in the middle and bear the brunt of the anxiety their parents experience.
I want to help clients navigate the end of their marriage or resolve their custody and parenting time disputes as gracefully as possible, keeping your future in focus. In most cases, I believe out-of-court solutions are possible if both parties are willing. My goals are to offer tailored services based upon your situation; keep you out of court if possible; provide transparent pricing; and provide the best possible, personal services while you go through this difficult time.
A contested, litigation-focused family matter in Deschutes County takes an average of 18–24 months to finish, with some cases taking much longer. The court almost always "bumps" your case the day before your trial is scheduled due to a crowded court docket.The process is financially devastating to many people and often, clients are unhappy with the judge's decision after trial. When this happens, you still incur all of the preparation costs of the trial. It is common for cases to get bumped, or set over, three or more times. The process is financially devastating to many people and often leaves clients unhappy with the judge's decision. Once you are in the courtroom, the result is entirely out of your hands and the judge's decision is binding.
In contrast, mediation and collaborative approaches allow you to retain control over the outcome. I enjoy working with my clients to learn about their goals and provide innovative solutions for their family law matter. I have built a trusted network of experts that may be necessary in your case, such as financial advisors, appraisers, and mental health professionals.
I recognize that some family law disputes will not be resolved out of court and require court intervention. I will continue to offer litigation approaches to family law disputes in addition to other approaches.
Kelly Hansen
Attorney, Founder
Kelly brings an honest, skilled, straightforward approach to her family law practice. She has practiced law in Central Oregon since 2007, starting at the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office and moving into family law. Kelly has handled every kind of family law matter, including complex and high-asset cases, custody and parenting time disputes, right-to-move cases, and restraining orders. She also mediates family law matters and drafts pre- and post-nuptials.
One thing that sets Kelly apart from other family law attorneys is her wealth of professional and life experience: she grew up in Minnesota, has lived on both coasts, and has worked in public relations, the media, and the federal government. She has deep compassion for people going through difficult life transitions and finds it rewarding to help people during one of the most stressful times of their lives.
Former clients describe Kelly as articulate, honest, responsive, and strategic. She maintains a small client base to get to know her clients well and help them pursue their goals while always keeping in mind the financial and emotional impacts that family law involves.
Kelly earned her Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon graduating magna cum laude. Her undergraduate degree is from Georgetown University in Washington DC where she earned a B.S. In Foreign Service graduating summa cum laude.