David Starks

Practice Areas

Family Law/Matrimonial: complex divorce (cases involving business interests, complex financial issues, or asset values of $1 million or more), complex custody, Hague Convention cases, international divorce and child custody, international and local relocation, parenting plan modifications

Career

David B. Starks is a partner at McKinley Irvin, a family law firm with offices throughout western Washington. From the firm's Seattle and Bellevue offices, he offers compassionate representation to clients throughout King County navigating contentious divorce proceedings, including those involving significant assets and challenging child custody matters. With a background in business and commercial law, he is particularly well-equipped to assist his clients in strategically valuing, retaining and preserving the assets they worked diligently to earn, and his negotiation and arbitration experience helps him devise balanced and practical solutions to high-conflict custody and property division matters. Mr. Starks also concentrates a portion of his practice on international family law cases, including those involving the enforcement and recovery of foreign support awards and the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Mr. Starks obtained his J.D. cum laude at Seattle University School of Law. Following his graduation, he gained experience in mediation, arbitration, and litigation involving securities and maritime law through the National Association of Securities Dealers, the self-regulatory FINRA predecessor that oversaw the operation of stock markets like the NASDAQ. Mr. Starks is admitted to practice in Washington and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington.

Professional Memberships

Diplomate, American College of Family Trial Lawyers (ACFTL)

Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)

National Liaison, Washington State Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)

Past President, Washington State Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 2017-2018

Past Newsletter Ex Officio, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)

Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)

Executive Committee, International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)

American Bar Association (ABA)

Past Co-Chair, American Bar Association, International Law Section Family Law Committee, 2010-2011

Section Advisor of the American Bar Association to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws’ Drafting Committee on the Implementation of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children

Washington State Bar Association (WSBA)

King County Bar Association (KCBA)

Awards