Warm, sunlit office interior with bookshelves and natural light

Family Law & Divorce — Portland, Oregon

Thoughtful counsel
when it matters most.

Thornbury Family Law guides individuals and families through divorce, custody, and other family matters with honesty, patience, and a clear picture of what to expect — including cost.

Schedule a consultation See our fee ranges

About the firm

Family law is rarely simple. We make sure you understand every step.

Founded in Portland in 2009, Thornbury Family Law focuses exclusively on family matters — divorce and separation, custody and parenting time, support, adoption, and protective orders. We publish our fee ranges openly because we believe you deserve to know what this will cost before you hire us.

Thornbury Family Law reception area, bright and welcoming

What we handle

Practice areas.

We focus exclusively on family law. Every attorney at Thornbury spends their entire practice on these matters — no distractions, no side ventures into criminal defense or personal injury.

  • Uncontested Divorce

    When both parties agree on the key issues, we prepare all required filings and guide you through the Oregon dissolution process efficiently and affordably.

  • Contested Divorce

    When spouses cannot reach agreement, we advocate for your interests — in mediation first, and in court when necessary. We prepare for both.

  • Child Custody & Parenting Time

    We help parents build parenting plans that are realistic, child-focused, and durable. Oregon courts begin from a presumption that children benefit from both parents.

  • Child Support

    Oregon uses income-shares guidelines to calculate support. We help you understand the formula, document income accurately, and seek adjustments when circumstances change.

  • Spousal Support

    Whether you are seeking or opposing spousal support, we analyze the relevant factors — marriage length, earning capacity, standard of living — and represent your position clearly.

  • Property Division

    Oregon divides marital property equitably. We identify separate and marital assets, work with appraisers and financial analysts when needed, and negotiate practical settlements.

  • Adoption

    Stepparent adoptions, domestic infant adoptions, and agency adoptions. We prepare the filings, coordinate home studies when required, and attend the finalization hearing with you.

  • Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

    A well-drafted agreement protects both partners and reduces conflict if a marriage ends. We draft and review marital agreements that hold up under Oregon law.

  • Guardianship

    When a parent is unable to care for a child, a guardian can provide legal stability. We handle appointment petitions, annual reports, and contested guardianship proceedings.

  • Modifications

    Life changes — income shifts, a move, a new partner, a child's evolving needs. We help you seek or respond to modifications of custody, support, and parenting time orders.

  • Protective Orders

    If you are experiencing domestic violence or stalking, we can help you obtain a Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) restraining order — including same-day emergency filings when safety requires it.

Transparent pricing

What our services cost.

We publish actual fee ranges because we believe you should be able to make an informed decision before you hire anyone — including us. Every engagement begins with a flat-rate consultation so you can evaluate fit without financial pressure.

Initial consultation

$250 flat rate

60-minute meeting with an attorney. No obligation to retain. Fee applied toward your retainer if you proceed within 30 days.

Uncontested divorce

$2,500–$4,500 flat fee

Includes all required filings, one round of revisions, and appearance at finalization hearing. Both parties must agree on all terms before we begin.

Contested matters

$350 per hour

Initial retainer from $5,000. Retainers are held in trust and billed against as work is performed. You receive a detailed invoice each month.

Prenuptial agreement

$1,800–$3,200 flat fee

Drafting or review of a prenuptial agreement, including one meeting with each party and two rounds of revisions. Complexity affects the final figure.

Stepparent adoption

$2,000–$3,500 flat fee

Uncontested matters where the non-custodial parent consents or parental rights have been terminated. Court filing fees are additional.

Modification & enforcement

$1,500–$5,000+

Range depends on whether the other party contests the change and how much discovery is required. We provide an estimate after reviewing your existing order.

What moves the cost up or down

  • Cooperation between parties. The single biggest cost driver. Matters where both parties communicate in good faith resolve faster — and for significantly less — than adversarial cases.
  • Complexity of assets. Businesses, retirement accounts, real property, and stock options require valuation and more attorney time. We will tell you early if we expect to need a financial expert.
  • Parenting disputes. Custody conflicts — especially those involving allegations of abuse or relocation — require more preparation, more filings, and sometimes a custody evaluator.
  • Geographic complications. Out-of-state or international elements (a spouse living in another state, custody disputes crossing state lines) add complexity and may involve multiple jurisdictions.

Court filing fees, process server fees, and third-party costs (appraisers, accountants) are billed at cost and are separate from attorney fees. We provide a written estimate of likely third-party costs at the start of each engagement.

What to expect

From first call to resolution.

Family cases in Oregon typically take between three months and two years depending on complexity and cooperation. Below is a realistic picture of the path from your first contact with us to a final order.

  1. 01

    Initial consultation

    We meet for 60 minutes. You share the situation; we ask questions, explain Oregon law as it applies to your facts, and give you a clear picture of likely timelines and costs. There is no obligation to proceed.

    Typically within 5 business days of first contact
  2. 02

    Retention & case plan

    If you decide to hire us, we sign a fee agreement, you fund the retainer, and we prepare a written case plan — the specific filings we expect to make, the issues we need to resolve, and a realistic schedule.

    Within 1 week of consultation
  3. 03

    Filing & service

    We prepare and file the petition for dissolution (or the responsive pleading if your spouse filed first). The other party has 30 days to respond once served. Oregon imposes a 90-day waiting period before a divorce can be finalized.

    Oregon 90-day statutory waiting period begins
  4. 04

    Negotiation & mediation

    Most family cases settle without a trial. We negotiate directly with opposing counsel and, if needed, use a private mediator. Oregon courts frequently order mediation for parenting disputes before allowing a contested hearing.

    1–6 months, depending on complexity
  5. 05

    Settlement or hearing

    If the parties agree, we draft a marital settlement agreement and submit it to the court for approval. If agreement is not possible, we prepare and present your case at a contested hearing or trial before a judge.

    Uncontested: as few as 90 days. Contested trial: 12–24 months.
  6. 06

    Final judgment & implementation

    Once the judge signs the general judgment of dissolution, we help you implement it — transferring property titles, preparing QDROs for retirement accounts, and drafting parenting plan exhibits that attach to the order.

    Typically 2–4 weeks after hearing

Mediation vs. litigation: a plain comparison

Mediation

  • A neutral mediator (not a judge) helps both parties reach their own agreement
  • Confidential — nothing said in mediation can be used in court
  • Typically faster and less expensive than litigation
  • Works best when both parties are willing to negotiate in good faith
  • You retain control over the outcome

Litigation

  • A judge hears arguments and evidence and makes binding decisions
  • Appropriate when one party is uncooperative, hiding assets, or poses a safety risk
  • Can be necessary to protect your rights or your children's safety
  • More time-consuming and costly, but sometimes the right choice
  • We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, even when we expect settlement

The attorneys

People, not credentials.

Every client at Thornbury works directly with a named attorney — not a paralegal, not a rotating associate. You will know who is handling your matter and how to reach them.

Clara Thornbury, founding attorney

Founding Attorney & Partner

Clara Thornbury

Clara founded Thornbury Family Law in 2009 after eight years at a large Portland litigation firm. She left to build a practice where clients are never handed off and where the attorney answering the phone is the same one who will be in court with them.

Clara's practice centers on contested divorce, custody, and domestic violence protective orders. She has completed over 200 trials in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. Outside the office, she volunteers with the Oregon Law Center's domestic violence legal services program and mentors law students at Lewis & Clark Law School.

She grew up in the Willamette Valley, attended the University of Oregon, and earned her J.D. from Willamette University College of Law.

Bar admission
Oregon, 2001
Focus
Contested divorce, custody, protective orders
James Okafor, attorney

Attorney & Partner

James Okafor

James joined Thornbury in 2014 and became a partner in 2019. He came to family law after working in community mediation and brings a negotiation-first philosophy to every case — he looks for agreement wherever agreement is possible and reserves the courtroom for situations where it is genuinely necessary.

His practice covers prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, high-asset property division, and adoption. He has a particular interest in cases that cross state lines, having handled several matters involving Oregon, Washington, and California simultaneously.

James grew up in Southeast Portland, attended Portland State University, and holds his J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Bar admission
Oregon, 2013
Focus
Property division, prenuptial agreements, adoption
Mei-Ling Barros, attorney

Attorney

Mei-Ling Barros

Mei-Ling joined the firm in 2020 and handles a full range of family matters, with a focus on child custody and parenting time. Before law school she worked as a family counselor, and she brings that background — an understanding of what children actually need from parenting arrangements — into her legal work.

She handles contested custody cases, parenting plan modifications, and relocation disputes. She also assists clients in uncontested matters who want to keep costs down but still have a licensed attorney review every document before it goes to the court.

Mei-Ling grew up in Beaverton and attended Oregon State University. She earned her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she received an award for her work in the family law clinic.

Bar admission
Oregon, 2019
Focus
Custody, parenting time, relocation disputes

Client perspectives

In their words.

"Clara explained every option without making me feel rushed or foolish for not knowing the law. By the end of our first meeting I actually understood what the next six months would look like. That clarity made everything more bearable."

R.H. Multnomah County, 2024

"James handled our prenuptial agreement and somehow made it feel like a conversation rather than a negotiation. He kept us focused on what we were building together, not what we were protecting against each other."

T. & A. Moreau Portland, 2023

"Mei-Ling genuinely listened when I described what my kids' schedule actually looked like. The parenting plan she drafted reflected our family's real life — not some generic template. It has worked well for two years."

D.K. Washington County, 2022

Client testimonials reflect individual experiences and are shared with permission. They do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of the outcome of any future matter. Results in family law depend on facts specific to each case.

Questions & answers

Frequently asked questions.

These are the questions we hear most often from people considering hiring a family law attorney for the first time. If yours is not here, please reach out — we are glad to answer directly.

The range is very wide. An uncontested divorce where both spouses agree on all terms — property, support, parenting — can cost as little as $2,500 in attorney fees plus roughly $300 in court filing fees. A contested divorce that proceeds to trial can cost $20,000–$60,000 or more per side.

The biggest driver of cost is cooperation between the parties. Every contested motion, deposition, or discovery dispute adds time and expense. We are honest with clients when a fight will cost more than it is likely to gain.

Oregon has a 90-day mandatory waiting period from the date of service. An uncontested case with no contested issues can finalize at or shortly after 90 days.

Contested divorces typically take 12–24 months. Cases with business valuations, significant asset disputes, or contested custody — especially if a custody evaluation is ordered — can take longer. Court dockets in Multnomah County are currently running 12–18 months for trial settings.

No. Oregon is a no-fault divorce state. You do not need to prove adultery, abandonment, or any wrongdoing to obtain a dissolution of marriage. "Irreconcilable differences" — simply that the marriage has broken down and cannot be saved — is sufficient grounds.

Fault can become relevant in limited ways: domestic violence, for example, may affect a parenting plan, and extreme financial misconduct can affect property division in some circumstances. An attorney can advise you whether any conduct in your specific case is legally relevant.

Oregon courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child. The court considers the emotional bond between the child and each parent, the capacity of each parent to provide a stable, loving home, the child's adjustment to home, school, and community, and the willingness of each parent to facilitate a relationship between the child and the other parent.

Oregon distinguishes between legal custody (decision-making authority for education, healthcare, and religious upbringing) and parenting time (the actual schedule). Sole legal custody and joint legal custody are both available options depending on the facts. Courts will not award joint custody unless both parents agree to it.

Yes. A Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) restraining order is completely separate from a divorce proceeding. You can seek one at any time, regardless of whether you intend to file for dissolution.

In an emergency, Oregon courts can issue an ex parte restraining order (without the other party present) on the same day you file. A hearing is typically scheduled within 21 days where both parties appear and the court decides whether to extend the order. If you are in immediate danger, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

The initial consultation is a 60-minute meeting with one of our attorneys. You share the facts of your situation — or as much as you feel comfortable sharing at this stage — and the attorney explains how Oregon law applies to your circumstances, what the process will likely look like, and what it will probably cost.

There is no pressure to retain us. Many people find the consultation alone gives them enough information to decide whether and how to proceed. The $250 consultation fee is applied toward your retainer if you hire us within 30 days. Consultations are available in person at our Portland office, by phone, or by video.

You are not legally required to have an attorney in Oregon to obtain a divorce. However, even in a straightforward uncontested case, the paperwork is extensive, the requirements for dividing retirement accounts are technical, and errors can be costly to correct after the judgment is entered.

Many clients in uncontested matters use our flat-fee service: we prepare and review all documents, ensure the settlement agreement covers everything it needs to, and attend the finalization hearing. The peace of mind — and the protection against an error you would not catch until years later — is typically well worth the cost.

Attorney and client in a calm, private consultation

Schedule a consultation

Talk with an attorney.

Your initial consultation is confidential, no-obligation, and with an attorney — not a receptionist or intake coordinator. We make time to answer your questions thoroughly.

Office hours

Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm

Evening and weekend appointments available on request.

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