Betsy Brinson
EXPERIENCE & APPROACH
Betsy Brinson’s pragmatic, measured approach to advocacy has benefited the Whatcom County legal community for over thirty years. She began her career as a deputy prosecuting attorney, including three years in child support enforcement and determination of paternity. In 1990, Betsy began exploring other areas of law in private practice, and, by 1992, that practice evolved exclusively to family law.
Betsy is currently accepting both collaborative and litigation cases in the areas of third-party custody, child support, parenting plans, dissolution of marriage, legal separation and uncontested adoption. In litigation cases, Betsy maintains a rigorous motions practice; however, she no longer engages in trial work.
In addition to traditional advocacy, Betsy also serves as a mediator and arbitrator and sits as the pre-trial Settlement Commissioner for family law cases in Whatcom County Superior Court. As one might expect of a Bellingham native, in her off-time Betsy can be found enjoying Lake Whatcom with her family, a good book, and her black lab Rosie.
PROFESSIONAL & VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATIONS
Law Advocates, Board Member and Volunteer
Whatcom Collaborative Professionals
Whatcom County Bar Association
Lake Whatcom Motorboat Club Member
Antique and Classic Boat Society Member
EDUCATION
University of Southern California School of Law JD, 1981
University of Washington BA, 1977
Lacy Heinz
EXPERIENCE & APPROACH
Lacy’s lifelong experience as an advocate for children and vulnerable adults is integral to her family practice. She is driven to help families in crisis find meaningful, durable solutions to complex problems through collaborative or mediated problem-solving. When cooperative work fails, Lacy utilizes litigation skills attained as a former prosecutor and works passionately on behalf of clients in the courtroom.
A 2005 University of Oregon Law graduate, Lacy served as the elected Student Bar President and liaison to the Dean. Upon graduating, she accepted the role of Assistant City Attorney in Yakima until opening her own practice focused on foster-adoption, Guardian ad Litem work, and support for vulnerable adults and their families.
Currently, Lacy’s practice centers on divorce, legal separation, parenting visitation schedules, and adoption. She recently served as the Domestic Violence Parenting Plan staff attorney for Law Advocates, a local low-income legal services organization. In her free time, she can be found consuming copious amounts of coffee, chasing her gaggle of kids (human and goat) around the farm, and reading various YA novels to keep up with teen slang.
PROFESSIONAL AND VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATIONS
Whatcom Collaborative Professionals
Whatcom County Bar Association
Teen Court Mentor (2019 – 2020)
Whatcom County Community Accountability Board, Juvenile Probation (2015 – 2018)
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest Committee (2015 – 2016)
EDUCATION
University of Oregon School of Law
JD, 2005
University of Oregon
BA, Romance Languages, 2000
(French and Spanish)
Jennifer Neevel
LEGAL ASSISTANT
When Jennifer Neevel obtained her BA in Environmental Science, it wasn’t anticipated that she would find her career home in the law. However, after years working with the public – many of those running a small business of her own – it is clear that Jenn’s skill set is best applied to working with families in transition. Her dedication is such that she is currently working toward attorney certification through the Washington State Bar’s APR 6 program.
When she is not helping families, Jenn enjoys spending time with her own family playing in the river, getting outs at first-base in softball, raising pigs and chickens, and enthusiastically tackling farm and outdoor life with her husband and their children.