Reviews

What can I say? I had a very unorthodox custody case on my hands; one that I knew was never going to be black and white let alone easy. In other words, we were in for a fight. John never once made me feel like I would have to buckle on what we both knew was right for my children. He used every single piece of information and evidence I had and put it to use. He remained calm under pressure which it turn made it easy for me to do the same. He was always honest, responsive, and just as determined as I was. This was more than a “win” for me, this was vindication and preservation of my children. The only word I have is gratitude. You’re not gonna find a law firm in the greater Richmond area with more competent attorneys or overall staff. Even my co-counsel was amazing. John was empathetic, goal driven, and abundantly knowledgeable for the case he had at hand. He prepped me for every point of legal opposition (and every single one was tried) and he handled every single one with tenacity and knowledge. There is no way I’d ever look to another firm if ever I need one for this in the future.

I am a 29-year-old single mother and new mom that has only been inside of a courtroom for a minor traffic stop, never have I sought out representation from an attorney before, and I until now have had any knowledge of the court system and its processes as it pertained to custody, visitation and child support. I never envisioned giving birth to my first child and spending my entire first year as a mother having a third party/judge dictate my parenting experiences and journey. I gave birth to my daughter in February of 2021, and shortly afterward the father of my child-filled for custody in Henrico. I remember receiving the notice on my door that I was to appear in court, and I panicked. My daughter's father recorded our phone calls, took screenshots of our text messages, had his mother chaperoned our drop-offs and pick-ups at the safe zone, and proceeded to make our experience stereotypical. Before John Karanian represented me, I fired two attorneys who were both referrals. The first filled documents on my behalf incorrectly and had no strategy. I felt that she generalized my circumstances. The second attorney was from a well-known law firm that advertised its services on billboards throughout Midlothian Turnpike. She was fresh out of law school and had zero litigation experience, which is how I ended up with a week-on-week off schedule for a 7-month-old with the father of my child living in Manassas, VA, joint physical custody, and little to no child support. I remember praying to God and asking him to be present inside the courtroom. I felt less than a human and hopeless as I sat and listened to someone take my dignity and joy away from me. I was a new mom, carried my baby for nine months, and had full psychical custody of her until that moment. I filed for an appeal immediately and began searching for a new attorney. I came across Barnes & Diehl and two other law firms. I read each attorney's profile and paid for consultations. At each consultation, I brought two folders with me that included samples of documents to provide a visualization of my scenario and about ten general questions that would provide me with information on their strategies to win the appeal. I say all of this to say that out of all the attorneys that I interviewed, John was the only attorney with a background in Psychology. John also answered my main concern: how will you manage my case and remember the facts about my case, especially being that he is representing me through an appeal? John advised me to provide him with a detailed written summary of the events that occurred over the past couple of months that I felt were important for him to know. John provided more information that would give out the strategy of my entire appeal (Thank you, John!). Every detail that John discussed during the consultation he performed in real life. I was allowed to see John in action. He represented me in the child support case after firing my previous attorney. John had no more than two weeks to prepare. He entered the courtroom; he was articulate, sharp, prepared, prompt, confident, assertive, and knowledgeable. Seeing John in the courtroom brought me peace. I had found the right representation for me, knowing that the wrong order can change the trajectory of my life but my child’s life. John communicated and kept me informed every step as he scheduled the trial date, during the discovery phase, and final negotiations and settlement. Every suggestion or strategy I discussed with my previous attorney that I felt would be beneficial for my case that was not considered. John outlined and executed those strategies and provided additional resources to ensure the presentation of the best case possible to place my child in the best predicament. John was brutally honest with me, kept my expectations reasonable and provided his professional opinion, which made a tremendous difference in my case. John was heaven sent, and I could not have asked for better representation.

Don’t look any further for an attorney. John Karanian is the best! John handled our case regarding grandparent visitation. My deceased daughter’s husband would not allow us to see our grandson. John was always very professional, returned all calls, and kept us informed at all times. John is very knowledgeable and has plenty of resources. If I had to note a negative about John, I could not think of even one. John’s psychology degree helped us make a decision also. Best of all, the case is over and our grandson just spent the night with us!

Great Law Firm to deal with. Was told how things would go and it went exactly as he said. This is my 3rd time using John Karanian and he was first class. Always on top of things and very professional. I would 100% recommend John and Barnes & Diehl, P.C. Had great outcome in all of my cases. Great for Divorce and Child custody cases.

We have used John 3 times in different cases with my husbands ex wife. He was very calm.... doesn’t get emotional but sticks to the law and the facts. I wouldn’t hesitate In recommending him!

Wisdom is a word you don't normally hear when speaking of attorneys but John is the exception. John guided my case with much wisdom. I was in court for 3 trials with John and had positive outcomes with all. He is very level headed and I did not see him get out of character, not one time. Because he was so calm, I was able to also stay calm on the stand and give good testimony. He is also a psychologist which also helped with him being able to effectively communicate with the judges and pull the truth from opposing party. The judges respect him and I respect him very much. I wish I would have found him during my first trial but in the end it all worked out and I would not hesitate to hire him again. Billing was not an issue. I knew exactly what he was doing for my case and he always kept me informed about the actions in my case. His communication with me was awesome. Crystal, his assistant is wonderful as well. They are a great team.

I cannot understate the regard that I hold John Karanian in. He is a fantastic attorney. In the beginning of my divorce we discussed what my goals were and what my restraints were, especially my budget. Here at the end, all the goals have been exceeded in ways I could scarcely hope for in the beginning. He kept my budget in mind the whole time. I knew at the beginning that I has two choices One was to micromanage my divorce, the other was to let John lead the charge. I let John lead the charge and personally believe that was the best possible use of John's talents. When it came to the case he was no nonsense and methodical. Every move we made was well prepared for before hand. Even though he was leading the charge he let me know what was going on and why. My Ex was trying to play games with custody, property and support. Every week would come a new demand or request from her. John sliced through those obstacles incredible efficiency. I would be frustrated, angry or just plain upset but John's calm cool way of handling her games was amazing. When you go through a divorce there is no shortage of advice you get from people, especially ones that have never had a divorce. My polite response was, "I will consult my lawyer about that." I would ask John about it later and he would explain to me why it was not, almost always, a good idea or how my case was different. John was very patient about this process and understood what I was dealing with. John was very responsive with my emails and phone messages. It was rare that John did not get back me the same day. If he did not it was always at his earliest ability to respond. The entire staff at Barnes and Diehl were exceptional, especially Crystal. Crystal is John's assistant and she was always helpful, knowledgeable and made sure my concerns made it to John. John I cannot thank you enough.

Wanted to let people know if they need a family law attorney Mr. Karanian should be the only place you look and consider. I was looking to hire an attorney for a custody case with my ex-wife. I need someone who could understand, in details what my son's counselor was saying. Then I read Johns profile on his website. I knew I had found the attorney I was looking for. From the moment I met John, he played it really calm and levelheaded me, on the other hand, I was a train wreck. My ex-wife had managed to come between my son and I. My ex-wife was trying to ruin the single most important relationship I have. On our first court date, John asked the judge to uphold the custody order that was in effect since our separation. To this date, she was holding my son from me. Once the court date was finished and a trial was set this is when John really sprang into action. He methodically planned a case and when it was show time John was AMAZING and didn’t disappoint. John was very strategic in his line of questing and at the end of the day John, with the help of my son family councilor mad it crystal clear what was going on. The end result is John my son what he really needed (both parents in his life without interference) and now fast forward six months later my son is back to normal, A-B honor roll at school and flourishing in both homes. He still continues to see his counselor too have a person he can talk to in private. John thanks for all your tireless work in showing the court, I’m a great father to my son.

I hired John because I had been separated for a few years and then things got complicated. I decided finally to get a lawyer and I chose John based on his reviews and profile. I'm very glad I did. He helped explain the complex, in simple terms and ultimately ended up saving me money in the long run with his guidance. He and his staff kept me up to date each step of the way, which eased my mind. I would recommend him highly and without hesitation.

My experience with Barnes and Diehl was very positive from the start when I consulted with John Karanian. John is a very thoughtful and competent lawyer, who always had my best interest in mind. I always knew I was in good hands, because of him I now have primary custody of my five year old son. John is a solid lawyer who practices nothing but the best. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is in need of divorce or child custody lawyer. Now I am able to have peace in my life, to focus on raising my son.

God sends angels in different forms just when you need them the most, and Attorney John Karanian was one of them. John is an awesome person and an excellent attorney who is always willing to go the extra mile. We never felt alone during the entire custody then adoption process. John was always supportive, caring, and understanding. John is very professional and knowledgeable. John always returned my calls or emails whenever I had a question or concern, even when I had to talk to him during his time away from the office. It is so nice to be able to express your concerns to an attorney and have things explained to you without being rushed or bombarded with terms you don’t understand. Our whole family is very pleased with John Karanian and he will forever be a part of our family. I highly recommend John Karanian.

This outstanding attorney deserves more than just 5 stars. I hired John for my high conflict custody/visitation case. I'm so very happy I made the decision to hire him. He's an expert in his field, kept me well informed as well as being very diligent and proffesional. He clearly has passion for the work he does. John yielded the best possible outcome for me in my case. I highly recommend this attorney.