“Dilettante doctor’s wife dabbling at the law.” That was the parting shot from Amanda DuBois’ all-male law partners back in 1995. Thirty years later, it’s clear that she’s proved them wrong. This year, DuBois Levias Law Group is celebrating its thirtieth year in business. The name has changed a bit over the years, but when Amanda set up shop back in the mid-1990s, women-owned law firms were generally unheard of. Since then, we’ve had the honor of guiding thousands of Washingtonians through some of the most difficult transitions of their lives.
This milestone moment prompts us to pause and reflect on how we’ve chosen to show up in an industry where burnout is sky-high, especially for women. At our women-owned law firm, we’re proud to offer something different. According to the American Bar Association in 2023, fifty six percent of female lawyers reported feeling burned out in their jobs, compared to forty one percent of their male peers. We think law firms can and should do better. We’re proof that it’s possible.
We Reject the Traditional Law Firm Model
From the jump, our firm was not a traditional one. Amanda’s background as a nurse gave us a different model. In medicine, doctors are not handed a white coat and told to “learn the hard way” in a hospital. They go through years’ long residencies, during which they observe, encounter, and then eventually conduct patient care, all alongside seasoned physicians.
So, we created our own version of that. At DuBois Levias Law Group, mentorship is a core part of how we practice law and develop great attorneys. Our approach begins with guidance: new lawyers shadow senior attorneys and get some experience drafting pleadings, observing hearings, and sitting in on mediations. From there, they move into active roles, second-chairing trials, participating in strategy, and eventually leading their own cases and mediations with continued support in the background. Even as they take on full caseloads, weekly mentorship meetings ensure that no one is left to navigate complex family law issues alone.
We focus on creating confident, compassionate kick-ass lawyers who are exceptional at the work they do. We believe that providing ongoing support to our lawyers is the most effective (and humane) way to practice law and it leads to better outcomes for our clients and for our people.
We Believe Family Law Should Be Compassionate, Not Combative
Family law is hard. The emotional weight of divorce, financial disentanglement, custody battles, and co-parenting cannot be understated. In family law, “winning” isn’t a thing, which is why both parties wrestle with such enormous fear and anxiety. And in the midst of these overwhelming emotions, they must make financial and parenting decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Divorcing individuals really need legal and emotional support to help them through this incredibly stressful process.
We built our firm around that understanding. We are not interested in treating people’s lives like court dramas. That is why our approach is collaborative, honest, by-the-book, and thanks to our founder, Amanda DuBois, trauma-informed. Of course, we advocate on our clients’ behalf – fiercely, but we also help educate, guide, and provide emotional support.
We Center Equity in Our Hiring and Our Culture
Over the years, our team has grown more diverse, more experienced, and more rooted in the communities we serve, including King, Snohomish and Jefferson Counties. We are proud to be a second-chance employer, actively recruiting people whose lives have been impacted by the criminal legal system. That includes staff members who have served time in prison or have incarcerated family members. These staff members now play a huge role in the very system that once counted them out- a couple of them are even in law school.
Hiring impacted folks isn’t just a feel-good thing. It’s a smart hiring strategy. A study by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University found that formerly incarcerated employees have lower turnover rates and are no more likely to be fired than other workers. In our experience, they bring unmatched resilience and loyalty. Their empathy is not theoretical; it is lived. They know how to navigate tough emotional terrain, and our clients trust them deeply because of it.
We Create Space for Real Lives, Including Our Own
We know that life doesn’t pause when you are building a career. People have families, health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and creative passions, and they – well, we – deserve a workplace that respects all of it. That is why flexibility and remote work is part of our workplace culture, too.
Some of our attorneys work from home, some from our waterfront Fremont office, and yes, even from a converted bus with a laptop while traveling the country. We treat everyone, clients and staff alike, as responsible adults who deserve trust and autonomy.
This level of flexibility helps support employees who are continuing their education, raising kids, or caring for parents. But we don’t stop there; supporting the community we live and work in is important to us, too, which is why every year we ask our employees to select organizations that are near and dear to their hearts and then donate to each of those nonprofits. From charitable organizations like Rotary International, to pediatric cancer care, low-income and emergency housing to crisis lines, shelter animals and foster care to women’s safe houses, the contributions are distributed as widely as our team’s interests and passions.
And we support those of our team members volunteer at organizations that they find meaningful. Community service is one of our highest priorities here at DuBois Levias Law Group.
We’re Still Just Getting Started
Thirty years in, we’ve been named one of Washington’s Best Workplaces for 2024 and 2025. We’ve expanded into three counties. We’ve helped thousands of families recalibrate their new normal – all while operating from a place that is uncommon in the traditional legal system – accessible, compassionate, and human.
Over the last three decades, our firm has never lost sight of what is most important: building a future for clients that is fair, best for their children, and most of all, brave.
To the clients, colleagues, and community members who have been part of our journey – Thank you! Here’s to 30 more years of doing things differently.