Reviews

Michael Minton is an experienced, knowledgeable, and responsive family law attorney. He was the third attorney in my post decree case and had to clean up some messes caused by my previous attorneys. He has gone above and beyond with regards to getting to know the particular matters in my case and has helped me to develop a legal strategy to accomplish my goals. He is well organized and extremely articulate in the courtroom. He is well respected by his peers and judges alike. He has been willing to collaborate with other attorneys on various matters in my post decree case. Michael is committed to fighting for your rights and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Having known of and following Mr. Minton's career for 20 years I was a fan of the image he presented as one that stands up for and protects a women's value, her hope and most important - her financial security and stability. I met Mr. Minton as a client of the company I worked for and over the years bumped into him during several charitable social functions. He was always quick to offer his warm smile, protective fatherly arm and kind words of encouragement. Minton had gone so far during one of those social encounters to offer his services free of charge when told I was divorcing. Fortunately, that union ended civilly, and inexpensively pro-se by my former husband and myself. Some years later, resulting from a new relationship, I found myself in a custody fight. I turned to Minton for advice on who HE would hire for his own daughter as I knew I could NOT Minton (several acquaintances spoke of bills in excess of 25,000 for just 6 mos. of work.) Minton, in the his familiar paternal fashion literally wrapped his arm about my shoulders and told me he would protect me and let him decide if he was too expensive for me. After a review of my financial information page (in his hands: showing only part-time work, @ 36k a year - a fully responsible, mortgage paying mom) he said 5k was as low as he could go. He also said he was not charging to "learn" my case, and that he would petition to go after the opposing party for his fees. I paid his fee, with a loan from my Dad. I told Minton personally, in client intake forms, and in subsequent emails that we MUST petition to have fees paid back by the opponent in my case - a fully working man living then utilities-free, car-payment-free, duty free, and rent-free with his mom. 8 months of continuances later (every one requested by opposing counsel, and agreed to without stipulation as to who paid for all these continuances, by Minton, and only by orders of the judge - we finally had a custody negotiation meeting - literally in the cafeteria of the courthouse. I wish I could say the meeting went well - but after watching the attorneys arguing for 5 hours over the trees - mine completely forgot about the forest and in fact - argued with ME - right there - over things I had said months prior were important to me. After having been handed off to one associate/intern after another, re-telling my story, re-writing the emails of concern, reiterating the desired outcomes, and petitioning to correct the errors made by Minton's associates - I should not have been surprised, but was instead knocked shell-shocked by the VERY first account invoice I received - yes 8 months AFTER I agreed to go into debt $5,000 and no more... for another $9000 dollars. YES - NINE THOUSAND. One better: he even sought a court judgment, 2 months BEFORE the end of my case, in which his motion states I received notice of that judgment hearing, that I agreed to such fees, and that I agreed to waive my right to APPEAR at this judgment hearing. (Really? My signature is on his motion too. That signature, I have no record of affixing, nor proof of how it got there.) Motivated by the treatment of other, less famous attorneys, and this one - a man I had developed a special relationship of trust with spanning 20 years - I returned to school to earn a paralegal degree so I could go to work for attorneys that would take these types of attorneys down: the types than extend litigations, withhold bills to keep clients in the dark about expenses - and even those that put their arms around the shoulders of naive - should know better - women looking for another easy judgement target. I now know, your attorney: 1. Owes a fiscal responsibility to handle your money judicially and with your FULL knowledge of how it is being spent. 2. MUST invoice in a timely fashion so as to keep you informed of his fees. 3. MUST petition for fees from opponent within the statute of limitations or face malpractice. Tough Lessons!