Collaborative
Attorney
Gwen Mathewson

Collaborative Attorney & Mediator
Gwen Mathewson is a forward-thinking collaborative attorney and mediator, redefining how clients navigate family transitions in the Puget Sound region. A champion of out-of-court solutions, Gwen focuses exclusively on mediation and Collaborative Law — methods that offer clients the greatest agency in crafting solutions tailored to their unique lives.
Gwen is motivated largely by two concerns: the emotional complexities of family change and the prohibitive cost of traditional legal services. She believes that out-of-court services preserve precious resources and allow clients to make wiser, healthier choices for themselves and their children.
Gwen’s leadership and expertise are widely recognized. As a past president of King County Collaborative Law (KCCL), she guided the development of an Access to Collaborative program to enable more people to find affordable services. She’s currently a member of the Collaborative Professionals of Washington (CPW) and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), where she recently completed the 18-month IACP Leadership Academy.
Gwen brings intellectual depth and a multi-disciplinary perspective to her practice. She completed her formal education at Yale University (B.A.), the University of Chicago (J.D.), and the University of Washington (M.A. and doctoral candidacy). Her three-decade career included a stint in academia for study, teaching, and writing before she settled into her current family law practice.
Gwen’s extensive experience and educational background inform her thoughtful and empathetic approach to her work. She continually sharpens her skills through trainings, conferences, and discussion groups, ensuring her clients benefit from the latest strategies and insights.
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Practice Areas
- Collaborative Law
- Mediation
- Legal Consulting
Associations
- Washington State Bar Association
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP)
- King County Collaborative Law (KCCL)
- Collaborative Professionals of Washington (CPW)
- Washington Collaborative Divorce (WCD)

Whether you’re forming a partnership, getting married, separating, or divorcing, my approach is rooted in cooperative, creative, and cost-effective problem-solving so you and your family can embrace the future with optimism.
More About Gwen
Education
- Yale University, B.A. 1986
- University of Chicago Law School,
- University of Washington, M.A., 1993
- University of Washington, Ph.D. candidacy, 1996
Experience
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Attorney, Rimson Law Offices,
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Lecturer,
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Associate Attorney, 1990 to 1992
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Professional Trainings
- Kenneth Cloke, “The Magic in Mediation: How to Find, Feed, and Foment It,” 2024
- Jacinta Gallant, “Diving Deeper Into Insight,” 2023, 2024
- Joe Shaub, “The Psychological Divorce,” 2010, 2024
- Jacinta Gallant, “The Curious Mediator,” 2022
- Kasia Rutledge and Rakeem Washington, “Opt-In: Interrupting Racism,” 2022
- Forrest Mosten, “Advanced Mediation Training,” 2021
- Nancy Cameron and Victoria Smith, “Radically Rethinking Collaboration,” 2021
- Kim Gordon, “Inside Out,” 2020, 2021
- Casey Jackson, “Motivational Interviewing,” 2021
- Advanced Meditation Training, 2021
- Radically Rethinking Collaboration, 2021
- Collaborative Termination: Now what?, 2021
- Jacinta Gallant, “Insight Mediation,”‘ 2019
- The Insight Approach to Conflict, 2019
- Karen Bonnell, Anne Lucas et al., “Advanced Parenting Issues in Divorce,” 2018
- Pauline Tesler, “Beyond Collaboration: Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, and Deep Conflict Resolution,” 2015
- Jennifer Kresge, “Brains Matter: The Art and Science of Using the Mind in Conflict,” 2012
- Collaborative Leadership: How to Lead Without Taking Over, 2012
- Pauline Tesler, “Values, Money and Law in Collaborative Practice,” 2012
- Narrative Mediation, 2012
- Sharon Ellison, “Powerful Non-Defensive Communication,” 2011
- Dan Siegel, “Mindsight: Changing the Brain, Changing Relationships,” 2010
Speaking Engagements
- “Showing Up for Conflict: What Is the Professional Team To Do When Things Get Sticky?” Whatcom Collaborative Professionals, November 2024.
- “Developing a Curious and Empathetic Mind: Consultations in the Balint Method” (with Joanna Roth, Tim Peterson and Trevor Slocum), Academy of Professional Family Mediators, October 2024
- “Navigating Mediation in the Collaborative Law Process” (with Loretta Story, Carol Betts, and Peggy Hoban), King County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section, October 2024.
- “Mediating Conflict, Embracing Peace” The Akiona Law Podcast, May 2024
- “Why Collaborative Professionals Should Be LGBTQIA Allies (And What Do All Those Letters Mean)?” (with Kathy Campbell, Ariella Shuster, and Mary Sakaguchi), Collaborative Professionals of Washington, March 2023; and Collaborative Professionals of California, April 2023; and International Academy of Collaborative Professionals Forum, October 2023; and King County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section, March 2024.
- “Ethics in Collaborative Practice” (with Courtney Story), Collaborative Divorce Basic Training, December 2022; and Collaborative Divorce Basic Training, September 2023.
- “The Cracked Container” (with Anne Lucas and Kevin Scudder), King County Collaborative Law, December 2022.
- “Deepening Emotional Engagement and Finding Fresh Perspectives in Balint Groups” (with Joanna Roth and Kris Wheeler), International Academy of Collaborative Professionals Forum, San Diego, California, October 2021.
- “Reduced Fee Collaborative Law Services” to the King County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section, June 2021.
Preserve What Matters Most.
Choose Collaboration Over Conflict
Every step you take during a family transition shapes your future. Let’s find a way forward that prioritizes respect, clarity, and your values.