Irene King is an experienced Collaborative Divorce lawyer, North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Family Law and North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission Certified Family Financial Mediator. As a divorce lawyer and as a daughter embroiled in her parents’ divorce, Irene has endured the devastating and traumatic fallout of a traditional litigated divorce where people think they are seeking fairness, justice and to have their story heard and validated in a courtroom. What people do not recognize when they hire a traditional divorce lawyer is that they are signing up for a process that uses 18th century crime and punishment tactics to engage in a public battle. The cost is that children, families and communities suffer in a system that encourages and perpetuates conflict.
In 2015, after litigating for over a decade, Irene stopped going to court completely and opened the doors to King Collaborative Family Law, where she thoughtfully represents clients in a non-adversarial way. Irene has successfully concluded numerous Collaborative matters and believes there are so many benefits of a Collaborative Divorce that one of Irene’s goals is to ensure that one day Collaborative will be the first choice for families in transition and adversarial litigation will be the last resort.
The Collaborative Divorce process is a cutting edge and responsible approach for divorcing couples. It offers them the opportunity to intentionally choose a private, confidential process that serves their highest needs and priorities, preserves family finances, promotes the well-being and stability of their children, and allows them to problem-solve and communicate more effectively to heal and rebuild their lives.
In addition to her Collaborative Divorce practice, Irene negotiates and prepares settlement documents such as Prenuptial, Postnuptial, Separation and Cohabitation Agreements. In her role as a certified Mediator, Irene compassionately helps people settle their disputes and stay out of the courtroom.
Originally from Indiana, Irene graduated summa cum laude from Miami University of Ohio in 2000 with a BA in political science and a minor in vocal music performance. Irene earned her JD from The University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill, NC in 2004 and moved to Charlotte the same year to begin practicing family law.
Irene is a past President and current Executive Board member of the Charlotte Collaborative Divorce Professionals and succeeded in her passionate mission to expand the membership during her six years at the helm of the organization. She has been named “Legal Elite” in Family Law by Business North Carolina, a North Carolina “Super Lawyer” in Family Law, and has received other accolades for her work as a family lawyer. She is an active member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, NC Collaborative Attorney Network, My Collaborative Team, NC Civil Collaborative Law Association, Association of Family Conciliation Courts, Global Collaborative Law Council, NC Association of Women Attorneys, and speaks to law student classes, professional groups, and Collaborative practice groups around the state about Collaborative Divorce.
Irene loves to sing classical and all types of music, has sung the National Anthem at Charlotte sporting events and Naturalization ceremonies for the Western District of NC.
