Client Testimonials

Effectively navigated a protracted divorce settlement

I engaged Mr. Bunch after a protracted and failed attempt by my former spouse and I to complete a divorce as co-petitioners without involving attorneys. The opposition continued to become increasingly confrontational and difficult, at which time, I engaged Peter to represent and assist me in navigating through the process. He was extremely mindful of the cost benefit trade-offs of various settlement scenarios and the associated risk and probability of achieving a particular outcome, whether that be through arbitration, mediation or before the judge. He focused on arriving at a fair and equitable settlement without contributing to further escalation, time and costs. I found him to be very open, communicative and responsive. The time and expense billed was very conservative and rational. I found his knowledge of recent case law very helpful, and his familiarity with many of the judges, mediators and arbitrators was valuable in the selection process and when working with them in mediation to arrive at a settlement. I highly recommend Peter Bunch and will certainly engage him again in the future.

Peter Bunch and his staff offer a great combination of big-firm professionalism and one-on-one attention.

In terms of the law, Peter not only seems to have the law down cold, including any number of make-or-break details his adversaries miss, but more importantly he knows the players, he knows the judges, and he knows how the law plays out in the real world of rushed mediators, imperfect courts, and overwhelmed clients. But the most striking thing about Peter for me was his willingness to sit me down, acknowledge my point of view, then firmly talk me out of harebrained impulses and keep me focused, even though it could have meant a lot of billable hours for the firm. In a lifetime's experience with lawyers, I've met few willing to hew so closely to a client's actual interests.

Peter saved me at the eleventh hour from disastrous prior counsel when no one else would touch a case gone thoroughly toxic. In several marathon weeks he and his remarkably sharp and sympathetic paralegal, Amanda Monaghan, untangled the mess and sat me down with all of the good news, the bad news, and unvarnished options, then stayed with me daily through a complex, year-and-a-half long divorce.

And, finally, at decision time, he and Amanda took me aside and gave me advice that had little to do with law or money and everything to do with quality of life, for which I am extremely grateful.

My journey with Peter began in 2009 when I decided to leave a bad marriage and begin the divorce process.

I was completely overwhelmed by the process and filled with fear over how this whole process would affect my children. Peter was very kind, listening to my story to get a complete picture of my situation. Peter took the time to fully explain the process, expense and armed me with valuable advise to survive what would be a very long, tumultuous divorce and custody evaluation.

I sought legal counsel from many attorneys before choosing Peter. I chose him because of his compassion, directness and professionalism. He was always prepared for every situation from negotiations, to depositions, to the courtroom and beyond. He represented my best interest and fought for me and my children.

His assistant, Amanda is amazing as was his entire staff.

I interviewed over half a dozen attorneys before finding the right one: Peter Bunch. Before finishing the interview, I knew he was the one.

My divorce case involved property, child custody, and family inheritance. Through it all, he was my best ally, always seeking the most favorable outcome for me. In the end, I got what I believe was fair. He is a master communicator and incredibly smart, with a stellar reputation in the industry. He knows how to deal with people - clients, opposing lawyers, judges - with finesse and tact. He is poised and well-versed in all aspects of family law. He returned my calls and emails with reasonable timeliness. He was efficient and results-minded, which certainly saved me hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in fees. His paralegal, Amanda is as sharp as he is. Together, I believe they are the best duo in all of Portland to handle a family law case.

I was referred to Peter by a good legal friend after leaving my initial divorce attorney.

To say that things were complicated at that point would be an understatement. And I was not being represented well at all.

Nevertheless, he took on my case and worked diligently on behalf. He was extremely fair, gave me the good and bad scenarios and represented me against a less-than-honest ex-spouse and less-than-responsive opposing attorney. Peter is exceptionally intelligent and well-versed on all aspects of divorce. He knows case law inside-out.

In the end he got me an incredibly fair outcome from one of the most conservative county courts in the State of Oregon (Clackamas) at least when it comes to men.

I have already given his name to two close friends who are enduring less than acceptable legal counsel from their current representation. I would not hesitate for a moment to refer Peter to my young adult sons if they needed outstanding legal counsel for domestic relations.

Peter Bunch is an outstanding attorney and I highly recommend him if you are in need of a divorce attorney.

Peter took on my case when it was a train wreck with seemingly no end in sight and my costs and fees rising. He quickly go up to speed, zeroed in on the key issues and finalized my divorce in short order. Always conscious of fees, when appropriate, Peter delegated work to his very skilled and experienced paralegal Amanda. I will always be thankful for the day I walked into Peter’s office.

Peter’s legal knowledge is extraordinary. He is experienced, bright, articulate, aggressive, and a very practical problem solver. In short, he has all the necessary tools to get the job done quickly and efficiently. At each stage of the proceeding Peter explained the issues, kept me fully informed and discussed the choices I confronted. I never had any doubts that Peter had my best interests at heart and always had my back. Peter Bunch is an exceptionally good lawyer. Equally important, he is a good person. Without hesitation, I wholeheartedly recommend Peter to anyone in need of his skills.

Mr. Peter Bunch provided advice on entering into a pre-nuptial agreement and then drafted an agreement suitable to our needs.

My now-husband and I were in a uniquely challenging situation and Mr. Bunch assisted us in deciding how to move forward. As a fellow attorney I appreciate how valuable and rare Mr. Bunch’s knowledge and skills are in this complicated area of law.

Praise For Amanda Monaghan (Peter's Paralegal)

Amanda -- Thank you for all of your help and encouragement through this case.

You are excellent at your job, but your pleasant and calm demeanor helped me just as much! You and Peter did a great job bringing the mediation to a conclusion -- and the most important thing is the successful mediation closure helps my kids.

I'm sure I will be over to clean up bills/paperwork, but in the meantime, just want to say "Thank you so much."

Amanda -- You have been professional, knowledgeable, proactive, respectful and helpful, always responsive and a pleasure to deal with.

I know you will always solve a problem if Peter is unavailable. I understand and appreciate your role in the preparation of the appeal brief and response, and it was significant, and wasn’t always during 8-5. It’s clear not only how much Peter relies upon you to complete and package the work he does, but how much he values your work. Peter is one of only two honest, ethical lawyers if have ever met-not a vast universe, but not trivial either. I greatly appreciate the work you two did to pursue a clear injustice in the division of this pension money; I have expressed to Peter I can’t think of anything I would have done which might have changed the result. The same is applicable to you. As you well know, lawyers are a very egotistical group-I think Peter is a very special exception.

Thank you very much for your help for these past months.