Biography
Andrea Saunders is a dedicated family law attorney with more than a decade of experience advocating for individuals and families navigating complex and emotionally challenging legal matters. Throughout her career, Andrea has focused her practice on serving individuals with limited access to legal resources, as well as developing strong legal teams and mentoring newer legal practitioners.
Before joining Modern Family Law, Andrea served in multiple leadership roles with Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers, including Senior Managing Attorney of the Family Safety Project. In that role, she expanded an underfunded family law program into a thriving legal team through strategic grant development, community collaboration, and strong mentorship. Andrea has extensive experience handling family law and civil protection order matters while also working closely with courts, community organizations, and regional task forces to improve access to justice for vulnerable populations.
Andrea’s legal career also includes extensive civil legal aid work within Native American communities, including the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Navajo Nation. She represented clients in several jurisdictions and provided community education on a wide variety of legal issues. Through this work, she developed strong cultural humility, thoughtful communication, and skillful case management.
Andrea was born and raised in Washington state and is most at home near evergreen trees, salt water, and rocky beaches. After several years spent in California and Arizona, she moved back to her home state to enjoy the rain and scenery. Outside of her legal practice, Andrea dabbles in her garden, sings in a choir, reads ferociously, and makes crafty things.
Interesting Facts
Andrea believes that effective family law representation begins with listening carefully and understanding each client’s priorities, concerns, and long-term goals. She recognizes that every family situation is unique and works closely with clients to develop practical legal strategies tailored to their individual needs. Andrea approaches every conflict to do more good than harm.
With extensive experience handling high-conflict and sensitive family matters, Andrea prioritizes thoughtful negotiation and efficient problem-solving whenever possible. At the same time, she understands when strong courtroom advocacy is necessary to protect her clients and their families. Her leadership background and years of litigation experience allow her to navigate complex cases with both empathy and confidence.
Andrea earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2012, where she completed internships with organizations including the Homeless Advocacy Project, California Indian Legal Services, and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel. During law school, she received awards recognizing her dedication to public service, including the Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award from the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Pro Bono Publico Award from One Justice. She did not realize it at the time, but Andrea was destined to be a family law attorney, receiving the CALI Award for Excellence in Topics in Contemporary Family Law.
Andrea received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with concentrations in Law/Crime and Social Organization/Social Inequality, from Western Washington University in 2009. Andrea also minored in English and was actively involved in student leadership through the Associated Students Board of Directors.