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17 May, 2021 by Anonymous
Mr lkenna Emeruem is a very unprofessional being, he never returns his call nor call back neither does he acknowledge his messages. The way he treat his clients especially his follow nigerian are very disrespecting and unprofessional. I paid this man to be my attorney and he never showed up on the day of my case what kind of an attorney is that, like that is not enough when I called him, he began cursing out on the phone and even dropped the call on me. This is so unprofessional.
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23 Oct, 2020 by Janine
Professional, knowledgeable and affordable. Most of all returns calls promptly. Highly recommend.
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18 Mar, 2021 by Rondall
This is the worst workman’s compensation attorney in the state! He let me completely hang myself in my hearing to get reimbursed for my travel expenses. This cost me about $6,000! Then I couldn’t even get him to return a phone call afterwards to see if he was filling an appeal. I would represent myself before I’d hire this firm. The only one that’ll give you any answers is their assistant “Tori Lowder”!
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24 Jan, 2020 by Chereyl
During consult he's Very calm, focused, nonchalant, laid back Guy. No Barking! I was so worried! Until He showed up in Court. He showed up and showed out! I am so impressed and Proud of Jacob! I'm team Jacob everytime. Phew! My heart is so heavy. Been takings L's for 2 years with this case. Finally God sent Jacob! Jacob is a testimony! Thank You Jacob and apologize for being so extra, extra, anxious!
God Bless You Sir!!
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15 Feb, 2024 by Dane
Mr. Flanagan has assisted me with numerous matters over the years. Ranging from family law matters to eminent domain. He always takes the time to discuss and explain things thoroughly in an easy to understand way. He is very personable, easy to talk to and has a deep understanding of the law and legal processes.
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16 Apr, 2022 by Stephen
It's a long story. Suffice it to say Mr. Flanagan represented me in April 2017, and my ex lost custody when she was arrested and charged with a felony. Mr. Flanagan obtained a protective order on the Friday after she was arrested. And then he disappeared! I called him over and over again over into the next week trying to reach him. In the meantime I had no idea a protective order was in place, so I turned the kids over to my ex to conply with the only orders I was aware of. When Mr. Flanagan finally called me back 6 days later, he finally told me about the order. By then my ex had the kids for 4 days she shouldn't have. That critical mistake cost me custody. All Mr. Flanagan could do was repeatedly scream the F-word and blame his paralegal who he had thought informed me. I didn't realize the magnitude of what happened, but then a few weeks later. He quit the firm and didn't even bother to call me and moved down near Houston. I found out he was gone when my ex called and tolde she heard my attorney was gone. So it was news to me. I see now he appears to be lurking in the Dallas area, and her I am in year number 5 of my protracted divorce still cleaning up his mess.
Opposing counsel's opinion is that Matt was incompetent, and this divorce should have been over in 2017. I don't disagree. Hiring him was the worst mistake ever.
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17 Jan, 2015 by James
Be very cautious when choosing an attorney: that "officer of the court" with whom one must be totally (self) assured will protect their 'better interests' as if it were the attorneys' own interests'. I only wish that a prior client of Mr. Quaid would have alerted me (via this review board).
We were charged fees for services not rendered: several (3) unsigned motions which were submitted to the clerks' office... but were not decided upon (by a Judge) due to "accidental" signature omission. I do have evidence/proof of my allegations. I have nothing good to say about my experience with this man.
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13 Mar, 2014 by Shelby
I was referred to Chuck by another attorney, who said he was one of the best and that he was known for his professionalism, results, and integrity. Chuck is an excellent attorney and knows every detail of the case that he is working on. He is never anything less than professional and fully prepared. He does not waist your time or your money. He is quick, concise, and to the point, but he is kind and caring at the same time - a very difficult balance to maintain. He always looks out for the best interest of his clients and is five steps ahead of me (and I am a worrier) and the opposition, so that says quite a bit.
Without attempt, he made the opposing counsel look like she was an unprepared child playing dress up in Mommy's clothes compared to him when we were forced to go to court against a large "high powered law firm" that my ex-husband paid EIGHT times as much money for and he got far less results in court than I did. My first ex later admitted he was embarrassed by the lack of professionalism the partner at his firm showed in comparison to Chuck - especially in court because we were so well prepared. In comparison to us, it literally looked like they had just shown up that morning without any preparation. The judge was even restraining himself from laughing under his breath at the differences because of the inadequacies Chuck so brightly brought to light. We both had five and a half months to prepare; however, it showed that Chuck had wisely used that time to work on the case so that we would not have any surprises, bumps, or bruises along the way. His courtroom presence was nothing less than stellar. I have been questioned many times, but no one can hold a candle to Chuck's rapid fire, on-your-toes method of questioning.
Unfortunately, I am a repeat customer, he doesn't offer a discount for multiple divorces, and I have sent over a half a dozen friends to him over the last several years for divorce and custody issues; however, none of us could be more pleased with the services that we received, so none of us can complain about anything except our ex's which is our own doing.
He worked with me for months on my second case as well, going through my case with the understanding, care, and compassion of a big brother. He always had my best interest at heart. We were given one curve ball after another by the opposing counsel and Chuck handled them all like the consummate professional that he is, giving me adequate time to recover before we settled (I had an injury from domestic abuse that was still being treated under my ex's insurance).
He is the type of person that completely restores your faith in the legal field and makes you speak up whenever someone tells a lawyer joke at a party. I am truly blessed to have found an honest, diligent attorney who is also personal and professional. You don't receive any less from his staff either. They made two horrible experiences as pleasant and easy as possible. I knew that with Chuck on the job, I did not have to worry about anything because he had everything I could possibly anticipate and more already under control. I just can not say enough good things about him.
I HIGHLY recommend Chuck without reservation and I have multiple times already. My only mistake is that I didn't call him sooner! I'm happily married to a wonderful man now. Chuck is a great person and a fabulous attorney. If you have any family law needs, he is the person to call.
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28 Jan, 2019 by Sean
I hired Michael to handle my divorce as well as a subsequent custody battle. I could not have asked for more from both a legal and personal perspective. Michael made sure to take the time to understand what I really wanted through the whole ordeal and guided me through each step. He excels at listening but also giving tough advice to help you get where you want to go... through very emotional times. I always felt like my daughter and I truly mattered to him. But with that being said, we don’t hire lawyers to be our friends... we need results. And Michael delivered on every strategy and every hearing and through the process we got everything we were looking for and more. Many elements were victories without precedence I believe. Trust my review. I have my daughter full time and cash in my pocket as proof of Michael’s effectiveness as an attorney. And doing business with a gentleman was a plus.
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27 Jan, 2019 by Jeffrey
Absolutely horrible experience and the biggest waste of money in my life. Michael Wilson has been nothing a paper pusher during my custody battle. Michael never cared about my case what’s so over and it has showed.
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17 Jun, 2022 by Anonymous
Did not hear my side of the story and supposed to been defending me I did everything he asked every court date when he tell me not to come or leave the courthouse I've done that I reported twice a week I did all that I'm in a wheelchair with one leg I had a court day Wednesday me and him talk Wednesday Tuesday and Wednesday he even sent me a police report I'm just now getting a police report from November 26th but it's not nothing on there that I said that I'm the one call the police so if I call the police that mean they supposed to have gave me a chance to say something I was in the house A man jumped up in a piece of glass broke and scratched him on his hand or he scratched his stuck himself with that ice pick he said over there but he picked up a 40 oz bottle so I throw some plastic season is to try to knock it out his hand went back and call the police but my law you don't he I don't know he text me at 11:00 this morning and said we have court she going to issue a warrant she issued a one I'm out of town and I'll be gone for 3 weeks that's what he said now the bonding company trying to figure out why m i getting off a warrant.. he seem like he was a pretty good cool guy but I don't know what happened I'm quite sure he was real busy but I'm not trying to go to jail after I've been going through all the treat seizures and everything that he asked of me I liked him but seem like he just dropped my cage today my court date was Wednesday how did I have a court date Friday Wednesday I told him I didn't want to pay no money to take no class because he haven't even listened to my side of the story and we've been dealing with this for 6 months. He done told me at least three times oh you don't need to come you don't need to come you know he keep telling me that and then when I show up he said oh I'm going to be at least 3 hours late leave and I stand in for you that's what he's been doing that's why I kind of thought he was okay. For for me.
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28 Apr, 2015 by Philip
Glenn was, to me, an excellent attorney. He knows the law well. He takes the needed time to counsel with you to obtain all needed information and gives excellent legal advise. There were many times Glenn was more than an attorney but also a caring friend. Often he said just the right words that I needed to hear to help me gain wisdom, strength and endurance. He not only has an excellent reputation as a skilled, successful, wise attorney but he is also known for his caring, good heart. He will fight hard for justice and the rights of his client.
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10 Aug, 2017 by Gary
David was our adoption attorney. He did a great job, was professional and organized. I would recommend him to anyone doing an adoption even if your agency tries to steer you in another direction. I am a family law attorney, who does little or no adoptions, and I refer all the adoptions coming to my office to him. I have never had negative feed back. You can trust he will do a great job.
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16 Feb, 2016 by Anonymous
Was hired for surrogacy & pre-birth order. The office dropped the ball on getting everything filed, the pre-birth order was NOT filed until after the baby was born. It marred a beautiful situation because the hospital didn't know who the legal parents were & we had to stay in the hospital an extra day. A person had to drive from his office to Austin & have both myself & my IPs sign paperwork so it could be filed in the courthouse & a certified copy brought to the hospital. So after staying in the hospital 4 days & being asked numerous times to fill out the birth certificate everything got straightened out. Both myself, the agency & my IPs had inquired about the order starting at 20 weeks gestation & had even been told it was done, which was not true.
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20 Oct, 2024 by J s
16 Oct, 2024 by Luis de la fuente
01 Sep, 2024 by Arlen sauer
These scamming pieces of trash, continuously send me warnings, I've already contacted the city I apparently have a warrant from. No warrant. Already paid YEARS AGO! Yet they continue their scare tactics. There's a special place in hell for companies like this. Just wait when I get to actually talk to someone, whatever nonexistent god they believe in better protect them that day.
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23 Apr, 2017 by Anonymous
She helped my son with his case and kept me informed along the way. I thought she was amazing.
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13 May, 2015 by Anonymous
I've been waiting a long time to decide if I wanted to post this review. I'm not a mean-spirited person and when I have a conflict, professional or otherwise, with someone, I tend to want to just put it behind me. But as I've seen friends and family members in the Dallas area work their way through the pain of a divorce, I've decided that I should probably go ahead and bite the bullet.
I was extremely happy with Audrey's responsiveness when I came in to see her for my consultation. She seemed to understand exactly what I was going through with my very abusive husband. I paid her the full amount of her retainer.
The first thing she did was make a recommendation that I felt was unethical. I decided not to do it, because I was certain my ex-husband's attorney would see right through it since it is a common, if somewhat underhanded, tactic. I don't know if that refusal was why she decided to stop answering my emails and phone calls, but from that point on, I spent more than a full year trying to get her to do what she said she was going to do. I made appointments with her that she didn't attend. I sent hundreds of emails over two years, and she only responded to about 5% of them. She filed motions that she didn't tell me she was going to file, and that I didn't get a chance to review prior to filing. She ignored attempts from my ex-husband's lawyer to contact her and move things along. When I tried to talk to her about how disappointed I was in her lack of responsiveness, she scolded me for sending her so many communications. Most importantly, I recently learned that she did not file the actual divorce paperwork when she said she did, and my ex-husband ended up filing first. She did not adequately stand up for me in court during the initial hearing, and seemed unwilling to schedule any further hearings. She did not deliver paperwork to me that I had a right to see. Working with Audrey brought me an incredible amount of anxiety and grief.
Eventually I fired her and hired another attorney. When my new attorney attempted to contact her to get all of the paperwork, she did not receive a response from Audrey's office. After hiring a new attorney, it took only 5 months to finalize a divorce that had, at that point, taken almost two years to work through.
Audrey is clearly a very intelligent and knowledgeable lawyer. She came highly recommended from another lawyer I know who held her in very high esteem. In the rare instances when I felt like Audrey was working for me and attending to me as a client, I felt well taken care of. However, on the whole, my experience with Audrey was such that I cannot help but urge anyone going through a difficult divorce process to choose another attorney.
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30 Apr, 2015 by Tyronejackson
I have hired this young lady to to obtain visitation rights for my children and to hold my children's mother for denying me visitation in the past.without the courts I have absolutely no way of seeing my children. as I have thoroughly explained that to Audrey.I have shown her 10 police reports stating that she deny me my rights to see my children. including one that said she would rather go to jail then to let me see my children. Audrey was not moved at all to help as she took my money. the children are in a household where there was domestic violence. I've told her that I need everything done legally and by the court as you can see and I have experience being a black man going before the policeto see my children I'm already a victim. the first person they want to arrest is me unless I show them document real fast. she did not take me seriously but it seems that she helped the mother as my case got worse dealing with an inexperienced Attorney such as Audrey.Audrey had an opportunity to help to young lady my daughters my beautiful daughters to obtain a relationship with their father whom they love and I love but audrey has failed. Don't know why she did not carry out the orders but it seems that she worked out an agreement with the other parties Attorney because everything she told me she was going to do she did not do. Not only does she represents her people wrongly her appearance is extremely terrible in and out of the courtand to top it all her secretary Mary has been terrible attitude as well I came to Audrey by recommendation of a friend whom I trusted. Do not hire this attorney is he's a joke and I still don't have a relationship with my daughters. in society they say black men don't want to be a part of their child's life look at Audrey she's part of the reason because we want to be a part of our children's life we just can't get qualified help
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25 Jun, 2018 by Anonymous
Vickie seemed very resourceful and knowledgeable during our initial consultation. After hiring her, she failed and disappointed me beyond belief. Her indolence caused me to lose more rights than I had before I hired her
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16 May, 2018 by Anonymous
Failed to communicate main issues. Failed to represent and keep me updated on costs hrly and documented time . failed to bring out main issues . failed to keep me knowledgeable about my particular case. Failed to represent me when needed most. Morally not sound does not seem to care about the clients welfare representation.
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29 Dec, 2017 by Anonymous
Ms. Vickie was very helpful in my husbands case. My husband was having to pay child support for years for a child that was not his. So when I found out I made him take paternity and we called her and she got all of his back child support as well as the current child support dismissed. Also she got him custody of the daughter that is his and put the mother on child support since his daughter as living with him anyway and he was still paying child support. The mother is now paying child support to him.
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19 Apr, 2024 by Anonymous
Has an attitude like tim ohares n can get very aggressive with clients wouldn't hire her for the world
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04 Feb, 2022 by Shmuel
Gina was court appointed to represent three young children.
She refused to communicate with the parents' attorneys and repeatedly held up efforts to better the situation for her clients.
Egregious behavior.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/dallas-couple-wrongly-accused-cps-gets-kid-back-16832248.php
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19 Oct, 2016 by Anonymous
Miss Clark is one of the most knowledgeable attorneys working in the DFW area. She is always there when you need her and she is very happy to help.
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19 Feb, 2023 by Anonymous
During the case, she did not read any of the discoveries or bother to review the CPS cases, police report or review the physical child abuse photos. She was more concerned with increasing my child support in which the Office of the Attorney General stated it should have been decreased and not increased. She is very pathetic and the worse judge in the State of Texas. I'm glad she is no longer in office. NO ETHICS WHATSOEVER!!!
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20 Jun, 2014 by Tammie
I paid Kim Cook up front, I was not on any trpe of payment plan. Kim never kept me informed with my case. I had to call her continuously when my court date was upcoming to ask basic question: Where is the court building, what dept do I go to?.. After the court case, and the Judge made a ruling, the state of Texas would not reconize the court order . The state of Texas has informed me that some communication was not done, and there for they cannot honor the order. I've attempeted to contact Kim Cook , and her only response was she's did everything right. According to the Texas Attorney General she did not do anyhting right. Please save your money and do not get taken advantage of. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!! The feel that I received from Kim Cook was she was to busy, or didn't care . Going through Child custody is already challenging enough you need an Attorney that will make it less stressful not add to the stress!!!!
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21 Dec, 2010 by Anonymous
Attorney Kim Cooks is a very ethical agressive attorney who helped me on my custody case. She was very personable and passionate about my case. I would highly recommend her to my friends and family.
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06 Nov, 2024 by Anonymous
I hired Julie to help me resolve issues. I am divorced and house belongs to me in divorce decree. Ms Julie made me agree to so many stuff in order for my ex husband to obey to finally sign what he was already court ordered to sign. She did not wanted to fight for my rights in anyway. She did not wanted to take case to court, plus she worked more in favor of my ex husband, it felt like he hired her not me. It is disaster and I am in progress of involving Bar Association.
She gave me a feeling like she is a misogynist, if you are female, do not fire her please.
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12 Jun, 2018 by Joseph
Julie is a good lawyer. She works well with clients and keeps you informed. We had zero issues with the way she handled my son's case, and we won. Thank you Julie.
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27 Jan, 2017 by Anonymous
This lawyer is nothing more than a settlement attorney. She does not know how to go to trial. She is not a good negotiator and she is always reacting - never proactive. I had a very strong case but because Julie Zanutto was my attorney, I was bullied and pushed around the legal process. My ex was laughing at my attorney's inability to perform the simplest tasks. She is always confused by the other attorney and she is easily tripped up. Do yourself a favor and stay away!!
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02 Oct, 2019 by Anonymous
I would NOT recommend this attorney. I had a bad experience with here and was not happy with it.
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20 Nov, 2014 by Anonymous
She got me custody of my child in a very stressful ordeal. Other lawyers said I couldn't win. Spent long hours late at night and on weekends on my case
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01 Jan, 2019 by Raquel
My fiance (at the time) had a horrible situation with his son's mother from the get go. Just a terrible person, drug use, abuse, and even deeper issues than we ever imagined. With CPS getting involved, my fiance had custody of his son with Mr. Casteel's constant help throughout the process, within a few months. He was fast, fierce, knowledgeable, and professional. Could not have happened without him. Highly recommend. This was several years ago, I should've posted sooner, but truly he's a fantastic attorney.
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27 Feb, 2015 by Bambi
Mr. Casteel was our child support attorney in a modifacation. On this modifacation in 10/14 he showed up in court and did not follow through with the change. It is now 5 months later and we are still trying to get the modified amount to go in effect. He has not returned any of our phone calls, texts, or emails. We have now been over paying child support for 5 months and counting due to his lack of care.
We hired a lawyer for a reason, and he has failed us in a massive way. I do not recomend him. Spend the extra money and get someone who will see it through to the end, not just show up to court and demand money for services he has no intention of providing.
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20 Sep, 2018 by Farhan
Mr. Chu was a savior. He appealed my deportation judgement with the BIA and assisted me in filing an ineffective counsel plea for my previous attorney and having the case remanded. If it wasn’t for Mr. Chu’s diligent hard work and faith in me I would not be in the US anymore. After going to court with me the immigration judge decided to terminate my case and throw it out lacking merit after a 6 year pursuit. Don’t waste your time and money, hire Mr. Chu, he is worth every dollar.
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22 May, 2016 by V. n
First time meeting Mr. Chu I did not get a good impression of him. I and a family member arrived at his office for consultation. Although, we arrived on time for our appointment we still had to wait for awhile until his meeting with a previous client is finished, which is understandable since important meetings should not be rushed. However, our turn had eventually been procceeded to meet him; a friendly extension of his handshake was not offered, no introduction from his part, a high-mighty attitude or behavior was displayed along with his open-collar loose dark shirt. Perharps, that was his norm of dressing in his office or getting ready for drinks at a high-class bar later, which it was perfectly fine, he deserves to relax with his hard working ethics here and there. It seemed like he already became a judgemental upon us stepping into his office based on his leaned back chair sitting behavior. We presented him a small case (not serious) and wanted to hear from a professional legal aspect. An overcharging fee of 20-25 minutes of consultation, he complied to us of contacting him if we had further legal questions. Later on that day, we called him for a question and sounded like we interrupted him. He claimed he would call us back, but never did. I have met attorneys of similar fields department with high credentials in the past, but their professionalism and positive attitude well exceeded William Chu's.
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26 May, 2023 by Rex
In April 2022, Beth Ardanowski was paid a $5000 fee to update my will, create two trusts and provide legal advice. After eight months, she completed none of these tasks and has not replied to my last four emails requesting a settlement statement on my account. I'm not asserting that she is unqualified. I just feel it important to share my experience, which was poor.
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30 May, 2017 by Anonymous
Paid her retainer and did not return my emails or phone calls. Horrible representation and, in my opinion, is one of the worst attorneys I have worked with.
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22 Oct, 2015 by Lawrence
Beth is a great attorney to have on your side. She is very reasonable and cuts through all the nonsense that most attorneys enjoy getting wrapped up in. She represented my business in a divorce case and ended up doing a better job than my personal family attorney because she did not play the "family court games" that the other family attorneys did.
Since my divorce, I have turned to Beth for help with agreements, contracts, and other general business legal advice. Beth is not your typical attorney, she doesn't waste your time trying to keep the meter running, she has an eagle eye for details, and you will never get the attorney ego attitude with her. When you are tired of playing games with other attorneys, hire Beth so you can take care of business rather than getting lost in the legalese.
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10 Sep, 2024 by Connie belew
09 Jun, 2024 by Vince corroo
11 May, 2024 by Beulah darnell
He's a very good attorney to hire for adult disability.
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15 Feb, 2024 by Anonymous
Started a motion without consulting me. She used false information and made up evidence. She was rude, unprofessional and did not answer my questions/concerns even after demanding payment. I am in the process of file a grievance with the State Bar of TX.
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27 Sep, 2021 by Anonymous
Monique is Amazing!!
I met her under the circumstances of having no bond allowed an she was able to convince the judge for a bond when I was told by many attorney’s that it was impossible.
Very pleasant to speak with and very informative, always willing to assist on any measures. She works with you at all times of the day.
Monique recently helped complete a custody battle from 2014 which we avoided incarceration. Monique reinsured me and guided me through each step. “I WALKED FREE”.
I highly recommend Monique! She is very professional, approachable and gives you an honest direct option on the matter!
Thank you,
KH
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01 Jun, 2021 by Anonymous
She is rude and non informative
She wasn’t helping me at all but made the case worse.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What a Family Law Lawyer Can Do for You
A family law lawyer provides legal services related to family relationships, including marriage, divorce, child custody, and adoption. Family lawyers help clients navigate emotionally charged legal issues, providing guidance and representation in disputes that affect spouses, children, and parents. Whether you're going through a divorce, seeking custody of your children, or drafting a prenuptial agreement, a family law lawyer ensures your rights are protected and your interests are represented.
Family law attorneys often handle sensitive matters and offer objective legal advice, helping clients reach fair outcomes either through negotiation, mediation, or litigation.
When Should I Hire a Family Law Lawyer?
Hiring a family law lawyer is beneficial in several situations, especially when legal matters involve close personal relationships. Common reasons to hire a family law lawyer include:
- Divorce or separation: When ending a marriage, a lawyer can help you navigate issues such as division of assets, spousal support, and child custody arrangements.
- Child custody and visitation disputes: If you and your co-parent can't agree on custody or visitation, a lawyer can represent your interests and work toward a solution that benefits your children.
- Child support: Whether you’re seeking child support or defending against a claim, a lawyer can help ensure the appropriate amount is calculated and enforced.
- Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements: A lawyer can help draft or review agreements that protect your assets in case of divorce.
- Adoption: Family law lawyers guide you through the legal process of adoption, ensuring that all requirements are met.
- Domestic violence or restraining orders: If you're a victim of domestic violence or being falsely accused, a lawyer can help you obtain or challenge protective orders.
- Paternity cases: If there are questions about the paternity of a child, a lawyer can help establish or dispute legal fatherhood.
Hiring a lawyer early can prevent issues from escalating, and they can offer you the best chance of achieving a favorable outcome in emotionally charged situations.
What Does a Family Law Lawyer Do?
A family law lawyer provides a wide range of services depending on your specific legal needs. Their responsibilities may include:
- Advising on legal rights and options: Helping you understand your legal rights regarding divorce, child custody, support, and other family law issues.
- Filing legal documents: Drafting and filing petitions, motions, and agreements with the court, such as divorce papers, custody agreements, or support orders.
- Representing clients in court: Arguing your case in front of a judge if a settlement can’t be reached through negotiation or mediation.
- Mediation and negotiation: Assisting with alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to reach agreements on issues like custody, property division, and support without going to trial.
- Enforcing court orders: Helping you enforce court orders related to child support, alimony, or custody if the other party fails to comply.
- Drafting prenuptial or postnuptial agreements: Creating agreements that protect your assets in the event of a divorce.
- Handling adoption proceedings: Ensuring that the legal process of adoption is followed, from filing paperwork to finalizing the adoption in court.
How Are Family Law Lawyers Paid?
Family law lawyers typically charge clients in one of several ways, depending on the complexity of the case and the lawyer’s experience. Common payment arrangements include:
- Hourly rates: Most family lawyers charge by the hour, with rates varying based on experience and location. Clients are billed for the time spent working on their case, including consultations, court appearances, and document preparation.
- Flat fees: For more straightforward legal services, such as drafting a prenuptial agreement or handling an uncontested divorce, some lawyers offer flat-fee arrangements.
- Retainer fees: In cases that are expected to require significant time and attention, such as contentious custody battles, a lawyer may charge a retainer, which is an upfront payment that covers the initial costs of legal services. The lawyer then bills against the retainer as they work on your case.
The exact cost will depend on the complexity of your case and the lawyer’s fee structure, which should be discussed upfront.
How Much Does a Family Law Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a family law lawyer varies based on factors such as the lawyer's experience, the location, and the complexity of your case. Here are some general cost guidelines:
- Hourly rates: Family law lawyers typically charge between $150 and $500 per hour, depending on their experience and the complexity of the case.
- Flat fees: For simpler cases, such as drafting a prenuptial agreement or handling an uncontested divorce, fees may range from $1,000 to $5,000.
- Retainers: For more complex matters, such as contested divorces or custody battles, lawyers may charge a retainer ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 or more. The lawyer will bill against the retainer for the work they do on your case.
- Additional costs: You may also be responsible for additional costs, such as filing fees, mediation fees, or expert witness fees.
Always ask for a clear breakdown of the lawyer’s fees and any additional expenses during your consultation.
Top Questions to Ask a Family Law Lawyer
Before hiring a family law lawyer, it's important to ask questions to ensure they're the right fit for your case. Here are key questions to ask during your consultation:
-
What experience do you have with family law cases like mine?
Make sure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, whether it's a contested divorce, child custody dispute, or adoption. -
How will you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges by the hour, a flat fee, or requires a retainer. Ask for an estimate of the total costs involved. -
What are the possible outcomes of my case?
An experienced lawyer should be able to give you a general idea of what to expect based on the facts of your case. -
What is your approach to resolving disputes?
Ask whether the lawyer tends to favor negotiation and mediation or whether they prefer to take cases to court. This can help you determine if their style matches your goals. -
How long do you expect my case to take?
While it’s difficult to predict, the lawyer should give you an estimate based on similar cases. -
Who will be handling my case?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may do much of the work, so make sure you understand who will be your main point of contact.
How to Check the Credibility of a Family Law Lawyer
To ensure you're hiring a reputable family law lawyer, follow these steps to verify their credentials and reputation:
- Check state bar association records: Verify that the lawyer is licensed to practice in your state and is in good standing with no disciplinary actions.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for reviews on websites like Avvo, Google, or Martindale-Hubbell. Previous clients can give you insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and success in family law cases.
- Request references: Ask the lawyer for references from past clients who can speak to their experience with the lawyer.
- Review their website or professional profile: Look at the lawyer’s background, case history, and areas of focus to ensure they have substantial experience in family law.
- Look for professional memberships: Membership in reputable organizations, such as the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), can indicate a lawyer's expertise and dedication to family law.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first consultation with a family law lawyer, it’s important to come prepared. Here’s what you should bring:
- Relevant documents: Bring any documents related to your case, such as marriage certificates, prenuptial agreements, financial records, custody agreements, or court orders.
- List of assets and debts: For divorce cases, prepare a detailed list of all assets (e.g., homes, bank accounts, retirement funds) and debts (e.g., mortgages, loans, credit card balances).
- Details of the family issue: Provide a written summary of the situation, including key dates and facts related to your divorce, custody dispute, or support issue.
- Questions for the lawyer: Write down any questions you have about the legal process, costs, and potential outcomes.
- Your goals: Be prepared to discuss your objectives, such as custody arrangements, property division, or spousal support, so the lawyer understands your priorities.
Being organized and clear about your situation will help the lawyer evaluate your case more effectively and offer the best advice for moving forward.
