Carol A. Soderquist earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Arizona State University College of Law and was admitted to the Arizona State Bar in 1998. Her practice strengths are negotiating and rapidly solving complex cases. She participated in the Maricopa County Superior Court probate court mediation project in 1999, and continued her mediation education at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
She is a Collaborative Divorce practitioner, an out-of-court program where the parties, with the assistance of experts, agree upon the terms of their decree of dissolution, which is then submitted to the court. The core of collaborative divorce is cooperative resolution with the goal of keeping family relationships intact.
Ms. Soderquist's litigation experience involves a wide spectrum of complex, multi-national probate, exploitation of vulnerable adult and mental health matters, as well as issues involving family law.
Ms. Soderquist served as a judge pro tem and as a Parent Coordinator/Special Master for the Maricopa County Superior Court. In addition to being a lawyer, she is licensed as a private fiduciary by the Arizona Supreme Court.
Ms. Soderquist was a past Chair (2003-2004) of the Arizona State Bar’s Mental Health & Elder Law Executive Council.
Each member of our team brings a unique skill set to the table and each is committed to providing an exceptional client experience. We provide the highest level of advice in every aspect of a client’s financial situation including investments, retirement plans, business, tax, and estate planning. We develop a customized comprehensive plan to help our clients achieve their goals and bring clarity to complex situations.
I have been a family law practitioner in the East Valley for about 35 years now. Collaboration and mediation are essential to a good outcome for the persons I serve, whether with individual representation or serving as their mediator. I also handle guardianship, conservatorship, and adoption cases. My spouse and law partner Rich Zawtocki handles civil litigation, contract, education, and personal injury cases. Our associate attorney Ali Abella Korte handles all of the above, but with a focus on family cases.
Summary: With an expertise in collaborative divorce, mediation, and family and juvenile law matters, Kristine has over two decades of experience working with children and families experiencing difficult transitional life events. Borne of deep appreciation for holistic, solution-focused practice, Restorative Law and Mediation was organized in 2014. Kristine’s multi-disciplinary approach to practice is influenced by her legal education received from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (’08), and Masters in Social Work at Arizona State University (’93). Kristine has practiced family law since 2011, has worked as an adjunct professor, Faculty Associate, or in legal education since 2008, and was a child welfare social worker and therapist for fifteen (15) years prior to law school. Kristine is a Faculty Associate at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center- teaching courses in Foundations in Dispute Resolution, the Mediation Clinic, and Collaborative Law and Mediation trainings. Kristine participated in a faculty exchange with Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico City campus, presenting in an interactive three-day workshop on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and restorative justice. Relevant Experience: Family/Juvenile Law Attorney and Collaboratively trained since 2011. Contractor for Maricopa County Juvenile Court- creating training curriculum and further developing dispute resolution services in juvenile court. Founder of Restorative Law and Mediation, PLLC in 2014. Served as President and Vice President for Collaborative Professionals of Phoenix; former Board Member for Voices for CASA Children; Former Director for the Child Welfare Training Institute at the AZ Department of Child Safety; Former Director of Adoptions for Aid to Adoption of Special Kids. Served on the Advisory Committees for Child Welfare Reform for Governor Napolitano.
Kristine has coached the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law mediation team for the American Bar Association (ABA) Representation in Mediation Competition for nine years. Kristine is the only national champion of this competition (’06) that has coached five (5) subsequent national competition teams and two (2) national champion teams (’12 and ’14).
Kristine’s best days in the profession are being witness to the transformative process of those that start in despair, and go on to create meaningful futures.
After recently becoming an empty nester, Kristine spends a lot of time hiking and dancing, and enjoying cherished time with family and friends.