About Gretchen
Gretchen M. Wallacker is a Certified Family Law Specialist and has practiced family law exclusively for three decades. In that time, she has helped countless families transition out of their marriages, settling a full spectrum of complex family law matters that involve child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and property division, including division of high net worth estates.Drawing on her geographical focus in San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Silicon Valley, Gretchen understands the Bay Area's unique economic climate and the range of related sophisticated financial issues. And when it comes to child-related disputes, she understands the highly sensitive nature of these matters and does her best to help parents reach agreements that prioritize their family.Gretchen focuses her practice on Alternative Dispute Resolution processes that include mediation, settlement judging, consulting, coaching, and Collaborative Divorce. Whether as a mediator, settlement judge, consulting attorney, or Collaborative Counsel, Gretchen strives to minimize the emotional and financial cost to her clients and their families. She believes that resolving matters outside of court allows parties to retain more control of the divorce or separation process and reach a resolution that is specifically tailored to their lives and situation.And if a client is embarking on cohabitation or marriage, Gretchen skillfully prepares and reviews premarital, post-marital, and cohabitation agreements. She offers a variety of process options to create these agreements, including more traditional negotiations between counsel, collaborative 4-way meetings with counsel and clients, and mediation with consulting attorneys.
Gretchen M. Wallacker is a Certified Family Law Specialist and has practiced family law exclusively for three decades. In that time, she has helped countless families transition out of their marriages, settling a full spectrum of complex family law matters that involve child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and property division, including division of high net worth estates.
Drawing on her geographical focus in San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Silicon Valley, Gretchen understands the Bay Area's unique economic climate and the range of related sophisticated financial issues. And when it comes to child-related disputes, she understands the highly sensitive nature of these matters and does her best to help parents reach agreements that prioritize their family.
Gretchen focuses her practice on Alternative Dispute Resolution processes that include mediation, settlement judging, consulting, coaching, and Collaborative Divorce. Whether as a mediator, settlement judge, consulting attorney, or Collaborative Counsel, Gretchen strives to minimize the emotional and financial cost to her clients and their families. She believes that resolving matters outside of court allows parties to retain more control of the divorce or separation process and reach a resolution that is specifically tailored to their lives and situation.
And if a client is embarking on cohabitation or marriage, Gretchen skillfully prepares and reviews premarital, post-marital, and cohabitation agreements. She offers a variety of process options to create these agreements, including more traditional negotiations between counsel, collaborative 4-way meetings with counsel and clients, and mediation with consulting attorneys.
Practice Areas
Education
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Family Law, San Francisco (2026)
- Lawyer of the Year: Family Law, San Francisco (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year: Family Law, San Francisco (2020)
- Recognized: Family Law
- Practice Area: Family Law Mediation
- Practice Area: Collaborative Law: Family Law
- James M. Dennis Memorial Award, San Mateo County Bar Association, 2024
- Top 10 Northern California Attorneys, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers, 2022
- NorCal Chapter Fellow of the Year, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Northern California, 2018
- Top 100 Northern California Attorneys, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers, 2015-present
- AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubble, 2009-present
- Top 50 Northern California Women Attorneys, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers, 2009-2010, 2014-present
- Northern California Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers, 2005-present