Elise Buie

Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans forcing the evacuation of my family. Initially we moved to rural Georgia, then to Minnesota, and finally to the Pacific Northwest. After undergoing my own divorce and multiple relocations due to Hurricane Katrina, I truly understood what it meant to put the “best interest of the kids” ahead of my own. I decided to focus my practice on family law and serving as a guardian ad litem, advocating for children’s best interest in high-conflict divorce and dependency matters.

I pride myself on my ability to work through huge problems and major life transitions. If Hurricane Katrina did not stop me but instead propelled me to my passion – families – then no problem is too big and no transition too messy. I know what it’s like to be a “stay at home” mom thrust back into work in order to survive. I know what it takes to juggle a demanding career and a large family.

I strive to preserve civility and respect during the divorce process. I educate my clients on the impact of conflict on children so they can make the best decisions for the future health of their family. I work closely with my clients to ensure they understand their options and rights so that they can make informed decisions about their future. I bring a breadth of experience with high-conflict families to every family law case I handle. My goal is to serve each client on an individual basis. I strive to find real-life workable solutions for the families I serve, realizing that a marriage might be over but a family still stands.

My practice involves all aspects of family law: preparation of postnuptial and separation agreements, parenting plans, child support, simple and complex financial cases, relocation, and blended families. I am collaboratively trained and have had 40 hours of mediation training. I have a deep understanding of complex parenting issues which clients may face when divorcing. I bring the attention to detail and experience required to capably handle complex financial cases.