Reviews

I had horrible experiences with lawyers in my past and Cate was absolutely fantastic. For the first time I was actually counseled and informed about basic terms regarding my parenting plan. With Cate's help I was finally able to win against my ex and not be taken advantage of. Thank you so much for all your help and services! Will be contacting Cate again if needed!

Initially I liked Cate. But as she began to work on my case, I realized she was confused, she couldn't keep anything straight, she couldn't litigate, and was disrespectful to me. Telling me I was stupid for being a housewife and for signing a prenup (which was supposed to protect me also). She kept calling me asking me for the same documents over and over, she got figures mixed up, dates mixed up and threatened if I didn't do what she said, she would drop my case. I was left in tears frequently. She was not qualified or skilled to understand the law, fight to protect me as a woman, my welfare, or the money that was being taken from me. Im in my 50's and it was important. I had to acquiesce often, even when I felt she was doing the wrong thing and making the wrong decisions because she would fight with me. Cate is not a strong lawyer. I began to think they were scamming me, running up a $45,000.00 bill in 3 months and doing nothing for my case or protecting me. She got me in trouble with a judge, and could not hold opposing party accountable for disobeying the law. She yelled at me in mediation when no one was yelling. Cate gave me lots of bad legal advice then dropped my case because I had to let them know this is all wrong. There was a lack of humility and they did not care about me or my case. Catherine left my case in a terrible position. Later, new counsel said she did all the wrong things. I don't believe Cate and Obrian and Associates are qualified to deal with complicated divorce issues, and they could destroy your finances. It is unconscionable these lawyers feel they can take this kind of money from you; leaving you in a worse position. Lawyers like this believe they have power over you, when they are supposed to be working for you and lawfully fighting for your rights and your position fairly. Catherine damaged me and took $45,000 of my savings in 3 months. It was heart-wrenching. The fees they charged me were unreasonable and I believe their office intentionally called me frequently to rake up fees; going over the same points day after day. I think Cate is probably a nice person, but there is horrible incompetence in the office. The firm head would not even discuss reducing the fees. Kristopher was quite arrogant, and they felt justified in charging me $45,000 for shuffling paper around in 3 months. She did absolutely nothing for my case but get me in trouble with a judge and give me some poor legal advice. Catherine would never let me get to a judge because I believe she was afraid of the judge as well as opposing attorney. My case was left in jeopardy. I do not recommend Catherine Victorino or Obrian and Associates. There is much more to this that I won't go into, but I would not want this to happen to another woman. According to Washington conduct laws for lawyers, they are to consider and settle disputed fees fairly. Obrian and Associates refused, even though I had clear proof she couldn't handle my case. They were arrogant and not compassionate. They only cared about where their next $5000 was coming from. Sadly, I had to report her to the bar.

I am so grateful that I have Cate on my side. I have a very complicated case that involves international divorce and custody issues. Cate meticulously researched and provided me with careful guidance on how to go about my impending divorce. She gave me the strength and the voice to face this unwanted battle. She has gone above and beyond for me and I cannot thank her enough.

Catherine was extremely professional and straight forward with her approach to my case. She kept me informed during the entire process of all of my options and helped me make informed decisions. I was very emotional in the beginning and reacting out of anger. Catherine kept me focused by being honest and straight forward with all possible outcomes and kept me on track. She did not file unnecessary motions or drag me through a process that wasn’t going to work. We come to an agreement that worked for us and Catherine was instrumental in us being able to obtain it without trial.

I hired Catherine to handle my divorce in early Feb. of 2019. I just terminated my agreement with her on April 24th. If I explain what happened here, they may not print my review. So I'll just warn you to be careful if you consider hiring her for your divorce. Other clients may have been satisfied with her service, but I would not recommend her based on her lack of professionalism and expertise.

Catherine Victornio is a very proficient attorney, but she has genuine empathy for her clients. In my opinion, this makes her push herself harder to get the desired outcome. This is exactly what she did for me, including following up after the case had concluded to check that I was doing well. From my initial contact with Cate, it was obvious that she was already well versed in everything it was going to take to get my divorce taken care of. To say she was conscientious and caring would be an understatement. We had to work together long distance, and her whole staff worked collectively to make certain all documents, signatures, and anything necessary was processed accurately and timely. Every question I asked, they already had answered. My entire experience with the team felt more like they were friends or family who were taking care of me rather that a group of people I had not met shuffling papers. Because of the tight timeframe we had to work together, I sent way too emails and documentation and called more that I should have. Cate was always reassuring and managed to sift through mountains of documents to get just what the court needed. Her tasks would have probably been simpler without my impediment, but she got through all that with grace, dignity and won. Make a note of that – she won what I had been told was a losing battle. Cate’s knowledge of the law and the legal system in general is second to none. She easily recognized when the opposing side was up to no good and quickly walked away and strengthened our position. She labored under difficult circumstances and a shortened time frame to achieve the very best outcome for me – exactly the outcome I needed. Her expertise notwithstanding, it was her caring and understanding that really helped me get through this ordeal. The entire team made me feel comforted, confident and assured. I am aware of how many late nights Cate worked hard for me and worked hard to keep me at ease. Cate continuously made me aware of what to expect and what the possibilities might be, I was never in the dark about the process. It is most likely her compassion that has strengthened her abilities.

For those of us who have had to deal with the legal system to fight for our families, it creates a very challenging time on many levels. What I’ve found is that in those unfortunate cases, the attorney can make all the difference. I recently called Catherine for some advice on a situation with my ex who refuses to pay his share of shared expenses. It would cost me more in legal fees to collect than the amount due which is why it didn’t make sense to take action (which I’m sure my ex knew). She was very helpful and told me about some community resources that I had no idea were even available. I have found that it’s difficult to find an attorney who is a good fit for one’s needs because so many won’t spend even 5 minutes with you without charging you their minimum hour fee. I appreciated her compassion and resourcefulness and highly recommend her. I will definitely be using her the next time I have a matter that requires representation.

Cate was instrumental in getting my divorce done fast, on fair terms and in a very cost-effective way—everything I wanted. Cate has unique combination of skills—trained lawyer and financial adviser, with deep understanding of human psychology and how to get things done. But probably the most important, she is your loyal friend and wise adviser/partner when you really need it—during the divorce. I’m very lucky that I've met Cate (it was by referral). Now I want to help others to reclaim their lives—finalize your divorce and start living!

I find no other way to write this review than to make it personal, because that is the relationship you end up having with Ms. Victorino. First, I am not related to Cate in any other way than as a client. This is one client that hopes to return favor! I know I gave her outstanding marks...but she deserves all of them and I welcome any contact or questions you may have, if you are considering her as your lawyer and offer that to Cate for all she has done for me and my kids. I recommend Cate because she didn't just see me from a professional standpoint as "a client"...I believe it became personal with her as well. She wanted to help me not only get a fair result (at a minimum) but get through a very painful divorce. I can't tell you all the emails and phone calls I made to her...but she always responded quickly and gave my much more of her personal time than I would have got elsewhere to help me understand and DEAL with a pending divorce. Not long after contacting Cate, I soon felt she was not only my lawyer...but that she also treated me like a friend (with much welcomed, and experienced advice). She encouraged me to kept the process clean...even when initially I wanted to respond (in kind) to the the route the opposition chose to go. She showed class and professionalism and I soon felt I had a very respectable lawyer on my side. That's not to say she didn't empathize with me (which I needed as well)...but in the end her approach I think affected my getting a MUCH better outcome than either of us could ever have expected! Eventually, when it came to mediating (with the opposition's choice of mediator)...I believe he too saw the differences between the two lawyer's style...I have to believe that made an impact as well with the final result. She always told me what to expect...she didn't sugar coat anything. Then we tried AS A TEAM to get a better outcome from separation all the way to the final divorce decree and I am happy to say did MUCH better than I could have ever hoped. The opposition thought "The more you spend...the more you get". She got a law firm lawyer who cost much more, was less experienced AND professional, who "nickle and dimed" my Ex...as her lawyer tried her best to drag this all the way to trial with even more fees/expenses! If you help Cate help you even a little bit, then paralegals and big law office practices (and EXPENSE) are basically unnecessary. She does a great job in preparing, and will work well with you to best represent you as her client. You get personalized, professional attention you will never get from a law firm that only sees you as one of MANY clients to pay for their overhead. Understand, Cate listens to her clients. She'll give you her professional advise...but proceeds with your wishes after she is sure you understand the risks. I know you will be MUCH better off with Cate in the end if for no other reason than what was learned through my experiences and the results. I had dealt with an injury lawyer in the past. This is also the second round for our going down the path towards divorce, where previously I dealt with a law team and mediator...but this is the first I've taken the time to write a comment about my lawyer...because she deserves this praise and so much more! I really can't say enough good things about Cate. You will be happy with choosing her as your lawyer. I hope she refers any potential clients to speak to me directly if you are unsure and want more details!

As everyone knows, divorce is not easy on families. In times of crisis, like divorce, you need an experienced, no nonsense, "tell it like it is" attorney. I found that in Catherine. She always, always put my best interests at heart first and when I didn't feel like fighting for my rights, she fought for me. Catherine was always there, ready to help, empowering me to make tough life changing choices and was with me every step of the way. She puts her clients first always, listens, gives good sound legal advice and genuinely cares about her clients. With her, you are not just another bill rate. Catherine is the best. Highly, highly recommended.