Reviews

Going through a divorce is not fun for anyone and hiring Tonya absolutely helped me through this chapter. Having an attorney who genuinely cared about me and my daughter made all the difference. Tonya is knowledgeable in all areas of family law. At times when I didn't think the laws were fair, her expertise navigated me through. She provided encouragement when I needed it and kept things real. No one wins in these situations, but I believe everything turned out as good as it could. If any other family law situations arise where I need legal representation, I will hire Tonya again and definitely recommend her services.

I initially hired a different attorney that I was referred to. Roughly 2.5 weeks in I knew I needed to make a change quickly. I'm so happy I made that change as quickly as I did to retain Tonya. My consult with her was 90 minutes which I loved because it gave me time to go over everything with her and for her to come up with a plan of action right on the spot. At the end of a long and tumultuous separation and divorce, I am pleased with the outcome Tonya was able to obtain for me and my kids. I don't say any of this lightly and truly believe the universe was looking out for me. Tonya is extremely skilled in many areas of the law. She's strategic, kind, ethical, and honest. The amount of attention and detail she put into my case while working on so many other cases impressed me. Some other things that stand out to me is her work ethic and genuine care for my kids and I. I went through two mediations with her and she's top notch at negotiations and and has strong argument skills. Seriously the best! Tonya went above and beyond to help me with mindset and see things a different way which helped me become a better person through this very difficult time in my life. I never felt judged by her when crying as much as I did when having to speak to her about some of the awful things that happened to me in my marriage. Tonya always explained the law to me while still hearing what my goals were and tried her best to help me reach each them. While working on each step of the process, she put a tremendous amount of detail into her instructions to set me up for success. One example of her work ethic is when working on Discovery for me, there was a mishap with one of her emails making it's way to my spam folder instead of my inbox. This caused her to not hear back from me for the last and final step, yet she still made it a point to get it filed in time. She really left no stone unturned through each step. I appreciate that Tonya didn't just tell me what she thought I wanted to hear, she was straight forward with me about the laws and specifically in my county (Union County, NC). She had many ideas to help my case...some I was on board with and others I wasn't always crazy about, but one thing is for sure, she was always accurate and I saw results in my favor many times. I quickly realized that I can trust her and she is HIGHLY SKILLED at her craft. Her follow up and follow through is impeccable! She's not just any attorney, she also shows her human side which is the perfect mix I needed. I could not have made it through this divorce without her and very highly recommend scheduling a consult with her if you're looking for a family law attorney in Mecklenburg or Union County, NC. I could probably write a novel about my experience with Tonya, but these are just some highlights. :-) Some words of advice to keep in mind is that attorneys are not perfect (because they are human), the laws aren't always fair and nobody truly "wins" in divorce. Tonya definitely stands out as one of the best of the best!

When I met with Ms. Graser, she was unbelievably condescending and patronizing. I felt like I subjected myself to be looked down on by her rather than receive actual, helpful advice. She needs to find another career where empathy and compassion is not required or where a cold, robotic demeanor is appreciated. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for a family law attorney who actually cares - Ms. Graser isn’t it.

In a bad time and when it was hard to focus Tonya kept on tract with all the facts and helped me Get full custody of my two sons.

My wife and hired Mrs. Tonya Graser Smith for a sensitive family custody matter. Tonya made us very comfortable and her knowledge of the legal system made the process must easier than we had expected. She took the time to make us feel like we were her most important client while we were with her. She purposefully did everything that she could to save us money on the services she performed on our behalf. In this day and age of lawyers with bad reputations, Tonya was a pleasure to do business with and I highly recommend her practice to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and compassionate professional.

I hired Tonya to handle my separation and child custody agreements. She was very attentive to my case and carefully explained each phase of the process. As we progressed, Tonya advised what my options were and explained the impact of each potential decision carefully. Her professional but caring demeanor helped me maintain a level head during a very emotional process. If I have additional legal needs Tonya will definitely be my first call.

If you really need someone who is knowledgeable, friendly, professional and helpful, then Tonya is the lawyer for you. She helped me through a very long drawn out divorce, but was very patient and responsive to my needs and requests. She knows the law and was thorough in answering my questions and helping to get me overall get through a very stressful time. Thank you Tonya!

I came into this family matter expecting the worst results being a man and hearing all the negatives about how men are treated in family matters. I heard good things about Burt Cordes law so I went to them for help. I met with Tonya and her associate Ashley for a consult and I agreed to retain them that day. I was under the gun with this matter and I was assured we would meet the challenge head on. Tonya and Ashley were fantastic in every way. Tonya was the brilliant attorney doing the fighting and Ashley was the fiery associate that loaded the gun for all the battles. They helped me to believe I had a fighting chance against the system and also against my X. They are a great team backed by a great firm. If you need Help with your family matters you will be doing yourself a wrong doing by not retaining them to help you through it. I'm not good with words but simply put Tonya is a awesome attorney that can keep you calm and guide you to the best results through her knowledge and wisdom in the court room. I didn't believe it could be done but Tonya gave me the support and help I needed to stay the course and achieve a great result.

I followed my divorce attorney to Arnold & Smith from another firm. Tonya Smith made no guarantees or promises or any means of coercion to get me to follow her. She simply let her record stand. It did well. I did not hesitate to follow her to Arnold & Smith. Tonya always held my interest at the foremost. She also kept a keen eye on keeping me on track, for the health of the case and to help curb paying unnecessary fees coving things that were not pertinent to the case. Tonya showed concern and believed my side of the case. Once I hired Tonya, I knew I had a fighting chance. There were many times when I would call her all frazzled and nervous about my divorce. She always knew the legal advice I needed to handle the situation. She always calmed my nerves. Tonya was constantly on the proactive side of the case. She tried to get everything settled in a timely manner. Unfortunately, the Cabarrus County Court System was not very conducive to that means. Not to mention the many, many communications through unanswered letters, phone calls, and emails to opposing council. Although this discouraged me, Tonya kept at it. When the situation warranted it, she would hold Opposing Council’s feet to the fire. During my Civil Trial, she picked apart what my ex-wife put together to try to get me to not be able to see my little girl. At the trial, my ex-wife didn’t stand a chance against Tonya. Not only did she make her look like the fool she is, Tonya got my case dismissed. I did my best to follow her advice to the letter. I know I wouldn’t have come through my divorce with what marital property I have, and more importantly, my wits without Tonya. She handled my case with professionalism, integrity, and without having to stoop to the tactics that the Opposing Council used. In short, I believe Tonya to be a rock solid attorney.

From the moment you walk through the door and are greeted by the receptionist, you have a feeling that your legal problems are in capable hands at Arnold & Smith. Their staff of attorneys, paralegals, and support personnel are professional and caring. My attorney is Tonya Graser Smith and I would recommend Tonya to anyone in need of legal counsel. Tonya is knowledgeable in the law and the legal system, but more than that, she is responsive to my questions, keeps me updated on my case, is sensitive to my situation, and she represents me very well in Court (do not underestimate the importance of this; I have seen other attorneys in action and would be embarrassed to have retained their services). Tonya is the consummate professional -- always extremely prepared and up for the challenge. What more could you ask for? Paul (going through Divorce), client of Tonya's since July 2012

I met Tonya when I needed a Family Law attorney for child custody. Her name was given to me by another attorney, who knew "of her". On blind faith, I called Arnold and Smith and was given an appointment for the following day. From the moment I met Tonya, I was impressed with her professionalism and sincere concern for the dilemma I was in. I would come to know that she not only a highly skilled, knowledgeable but passionate for her brand of law. This was my first encounter with an attorney, and the court system. Six months later, we reached a successful conclusion to my case. I am forever grateful to Tonya for her work on my behalf.

As a father I was terrified of what divorce could mean for me and custody of my son. I wanted to ensure my time with my son and additonally protect myself legally and financially. Without the benefit of any previous advice I found her by chance and I took a chance. I walked into their office very nervous and unsure. I walked out confident and secure that things would be okay. Tonya set me at ease from the first meeting and I knew I had made the right decision choosing Arnold & Smith. As my case progressed she was always available for all the anxious moments. She guided me through the process and ensured that I understood each step. I never felt as though I was just another client as she treated me like a friend. Tonya was open and honest about my high expectations but worked hard to achive them. And in the end she got the reults (and then some) that I wanted. I could not be happier with the service I received and would gladly recommend Tonya and the entire Arnold and Smith team.