I interviewed a handful of divorce lawyers last year. Ms. Kent's firm had been recommended by a…read morecouple friends who had been through the process. Even though her hourly was higher than everyone else's, I could tell she was smart and efficient. She did not try to create more conflict with my ex to have more billable hours. We did not end up going to trial but it was good to know that is her expertise. One of my exes first lawyers declined to take him when she saw I was represented by Ms. Kent.

You know, it's such a funny review to write and I was torn as to whether or not I should even do…read morethis. I mean, who writes reviews of law firms on Yelp? Well, I went through a rough divorce and these guys got me through it. It wasn't perfect, but it was never going to be and I truly don't believe I would have survived without them. I went into a divorce thinking it would be so simple because I'm such a reasonable guy. We'd just split everything and all would be fine, right? I mean, she could even have a little more than half because I wanted to make sure she was ok afterwards. Nope, didn't work that way. The ex made domestic violence claims, filed constant motions for this and that -- including a motion for contempt that included a photo of my toothbrush that I had not yet removed from the family home. It was pretty ugly and to be honest, her methods worked at first as I found myself with only one day per week with the kids while a parenting evaluator was scrutinizing my every word. But in the end, it was ok. Katherine got me through it and I can't imagine what things would look like without her. Look, I'm willing to accept the possibility that I had a top-5% style divorce, but my take is that this is something too big to risk with anyone else. If you end up dropping $15k on a divorce attorney and end up thinking "Hmm...that was a waste of money. I didn't need to do that.", then believe me -- that's a GOOD feeling. I mean, I know there's that "divorce for men" firm that apparently drops a ton of money on Google keywords, but even if you think things are going to be easy, seriously consider giving Katherine and Cynthia a call. If you have an ex who you even think MIGHT be a wee bit angry, you'd be crazy not to.

Professional and competent attorney? CHECK Proficient in…read moreCollaborative Law? CHECK Guide you through the process without making you go insane? CHECK Suggest a Mediator that you actually like? CHECK Explain the complexity of your situation without making you feel like an idiot? CHECK Strong worth ethic, but also funny? CHECK Possibly the more enjoyable part of my divorce. Highly recommend.

Sara was so helpful to me as my husband and I went through our divorce. He was adamantly opposed to…read moreretaining legal counsel of any kind, but I felt strongly that I needed professional guidance. Sara offered the perfect compromise, starting with a 1-hour consultation with me in which she explained all the steps involved in the process of divorce, as well as principles of collaborative law, to which she is strongly committed. (She does not do divorce litigation at all, though she recognizes it is sometimes appropriate, and can refer you to good attorneys who do.) She referred us to Teresa Sisk, a financially trained mediator with whom my husband and I were both comfortable, and over the course of several months we did do much of the work ourselves, including selling our house and splitting the proceeds. Sara was patient and gracious, and offered helpful advice as questions arose throughout the process. When the date of our hearing approached, I met with her once more to review the paperwork, which she very helpfully cleaned up, and made some important corrections to (corrections which, if they had not been made, would have meant our divorce being denied at the hearing!). I so appreciated her calm but firm demeanor, her flexibility in meeting our needs, and the sense she gave me that in her I had an ally. Divorcing was so stressful and emotional. Sara gave me the knowledge and support I needed to get through it happy and whole. And now ... I'm on the other side! On to the next chapter!

I can honestly say, I never thought I would write a review on a lawyer. Lowandbehold, this one is…read morea MUST. Jodie was by far one of my best life choices besides getting a divorce! My ex and his lawyer were completely unreasonable and not following timetables and guidelines. She kept them on task and "honest", which in this case is a stretch. She was available, detailed and kind at an extremely stressful time. She also kept me on task. So much so that I found myself researching things he was unwilling to provide, wouldn't prove, or was flat out lying about. And I came out with the best results I possibly could. I highly recommend Jodie Levy as a divorce lawyer!

Jodie is honestly the best. She has helped me wade through my nightmare of a divorce (almost 3…read moreyears and still going). If Jodie hadn't taken over my case when she did, I would not be where I am today. Jodie is knowledgeable of the law and knows what can and can't be done. I wouldn't recommend any one else but Jodie! She goes above and beyond to help.

Humane Legal Warriors…read more Veronica came billed by her referrals as "a real bulldog" though occasionally hard to reach due to high demand. In consultation she quickly grasped my situation with a few pointed questions. In court, where opposing counsel showboated or exaggerated, Veronica was calm, matter-of-fact, almost conversational. This was unnerving at first, but after our first couple rulings (favorable), I saw the other attorneys' performances as aimed at clients, not the judges. Veronica doesn't perform or exaggerate; She deals in facts that matter to the court, and delivers. When opposing counsel misrepresented events or twisted my statements, Veronica was quick to object sharply. I did not find her hard to reach: She seems to monitor e-mail at all hours, replying on weekends and holidays when necessary. Amy, her Chief Managing Paralegal, is fantastic - Sharp, tough, efficient, quick to recognize strategic value of details, and empathetic when needed (I needed a lot of reassurance). Divorce is awful enough, but the opacity and pace of the legal system is terrifying when family and financial matters seem to hinge on every ruling. Amy did a great job of keeping events in context of the law and our strategy, advising me on what to expect, and preparing me for each next step. She was responsive even when clearly managing a heavy case load. Working closely with her, I found myself fascinated by the process, and as another reviewer relates, at times even enjoying it. Both of them can be abrupt, perhaps an occupational hazard which I found intimidating, but came to recognize as ultimately in my best interest by not wasting time on what wasn't material or legally advantageous. Both could also quickly switch tone when I made clear my nerves were frayed. Their small adjustments and spontaneous offerings of compassionate perspective helped me trust they were honoring their fiduciary role, and actually cared about the outcome for me and my family, not just for their scorecard. As my case unfolded, that trust was rewarded with results. Despite the opposing party hiring a big firm and spending over twice what I paid in legal fees, the court ruled decidedly in my favor at nearly every hearing, and we settled with a very reasonable financial division. Most importantly, what Veronica, Amy, and their team secured for me is beyond valuation: A fair custody arrangement, and the legal protection throughout a very contentious divorce to enable me to live my life and enjoy some of the best family moments I've had in years. I feel unbelievably fortunate to have had Veronica, Amy, and their team represent and guide me through an otherwise very trying ordeal.

I hired Ms. Freitas for a complicated divorce case from a 30-year marriage after seeing positive…read moreGoogle reviews. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing. I later read that she review gates, and from my experience, it appears this may be true. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Ms. Freitas for complex divorce cases. She doesn't listen, is unprepared and sticks to her agenda, not what is best for her client. Her communication was inconsistent. Important emails were not read before calls, and I often received multiple, confusing responses from different team members. I spoke with Veronica twice; the initial consultation 1.5 years before and a useless phone call 2 days prior to mediation where she berated and lectured me instead of discussing my concerns. Veronica's preparation for mediation was lacking. I had to review materials myself with the mediator, as Ms. Freitas had not read the opposing counsel's documents. Billing was unclear and included charges from unidentified staff. When I raised concerns, Veronica became defensive, stating she was cheaper than most attorneys and I should be grateful.

Kathleen Royer has mediated family law cases for me on three occassions. I recommend her without…read morereservation! Ms. Royer is knowledgable, has a keen understanding of child development, and is a well respected attorney and former Pro Tem Judge. She is able to clear a path toward resolution in high conflict cases and moves toward an efficient and fair settlement. Ms. Royer brings a wealth of experience in family law and is one of our respected leaders in the area. Consider using Kathleen Royer as your mediator, you won't regret it.

Kathleen helped my husband and I work towards and amicable divorce. We wanted to come to the…read moreeasiest dissolution of our marriage, however we have kids and a house and needed guidance getting through this process. Kathleen simplified the paperwork and was able to meet us where we were at for our specific process. Time and money well spent!!

She represented me to the fullest and took special care of a delicate situation. I appreciated the…read morecare and thought she had strategically to resolve my issue.

See the review of 6/26/15, and the 4 other bad reviews since then. This is all still the same, poor…read morerepresentation, unprepared your during mediation, causing me to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in my divorce. I was never even told to file for alimony or child support and I filed in July 2020, when asking for food stamps and on unemployment. She never even explained that I couldn't ask for that money back. In mediation she was a deer in the headlights, letting the mediator dictate the decisions, she didn't even have my financial spreadsheet ready when the mediator asked for it. I am a survivor of both emotional and financial abuse, she knew this going into mediation. I was forced to comb through numbers and produce while flooded with PTSD. I was unable to calculate the numbers, and that should have been her job. I was re-victimized during mediation. When I wrote Karin and Melissa the next morning, explaining that I needed them to be my voice, asking them why they froze up and why they let Cheryll the mediator dictate the decisions, and told them they didn't consider the mortage owed on my home, only the equity. They didn't even confirm the numbers used in his bank statement were not correct. Their firm is clearly not prepared for complex asset divorce, or dealing with women from domestic abuse and financial abuse. This has been a complete nightmare. I only ask for what is fair, and now I walk away with nothing but child support that can be overturned at any time. I hope no one else goes through this nightmare. I signed a CR2A after being coached by her and the mediator that I could stand to lose $100-$200,000. The next day in the morning with no distractions, and a calm place I look at the spreadsheet used in mediation and I see over a six-figure errors in their calculations that the decisions were based on. It was her job to oversee the financials, and understand how to litigate finances. It was her job to know divorce law, but instead she was quiet and let the mediator dictate. I asked her why the next day I said why didn't you advocate for me why were you sitting there silent, she said "oh well Cheryl's been doing this for so many years so I let her do it" she should have prepared me for mediation, it was her job to be my advocate when I was in the most vulnerable place possible. I was nervous as we lead up to mediation, she sent me and asked me questions literally for financials again after I already sent them to her only three days before mediation. I was expected to come up and produce during mediation, and it was the one day I really needed an advocate, I needed somebody who knew divorce law. It was clear she didn't as she sat there saying nothing. In mediation I asked her and her assistant Melissa, "please help me." Here I am scrambling for numbers when it was their responsibility to have the numbers prepared and have grit behind their global offer. It was a complete nightmare and still is. At this point I need help and going to the state bar to report the negligence and gross mathematical errors in the spreadsheet. She actually asked my exes attorney during mediation to update the spreadsheet's. She didn't even cross check the numbers? The experience was surreal, and it was a nightmare. It is still an ongoing nightmare because now I have to overturn what's been done. I am now seeking an attorney to take my case and overturn what has been done, and make this right. When I wrote her The next morning and to understand how she came up with the number so I could have a peace of mind, she used victim blaming. I will update this review again as I have submitted the glaring errors on the spreadsheet to her and the mediator Cheryll and have asked them to make this right. At this point I'm going to have to report her, sue her for what I paid her, fire her and then seek another attorney. This is the last thing I need as I am a single working mother. I could've got spousal support and child support this whole time yet she didn't advise me, and led me to believe I could have got it when I went to mediation. She did not explain that was something that I could never get back. She knew my fears going up against my husband. She knew the financial abuse that had gone on for years. She knew my emotions around this and that I was scared even to be at the mediation. No woman should put their trust in her for legal advice. Somehow someway I hope that I can overturn this, and get what's fair. I never asked for more than what's fair, and unfortunately I'm walking out with nothing.

This woman is smart. And personable…read more I took a short class from her, possuibly the experiemental college and to thi sday still hav einfo she gave us and use her guidelines. Way to go!

I have sent couples who are amicably divorcing to Stefani to do the legal work of separating. She…read moredoes what is called "collaborative divorce" work - basically what would happen if the couple was not at war with each other, but wanted to try to mediate the ending of their partnership. She does other kinds of law too, (family stuff, wills, etc), but I don't know much about that stuff :-) I think she is a great resource!

If you're looking for an attorney that is a powerful advocate for you regarding any legal situation…read moreyou may find yourself in, Dianna is the attorney for you. She will ensure the best possible outcome on your behalf, in addition to her hard work, she is passionate, thoughtful and a brilliant attorney. The moment I spoke to her, I knew I had a realistic chance at winning my case. Dianna, I would like to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly express my gratitude to you for your decision to take ownership of my case. When I thought it was too much for me to mentally handle and felt like giving in and giving up, you were there for me to give me strength and hope. Thank you so much Dianna for your passionate, thoughtful, and brilliant work!

Horrible experience. She was nice and responsive when I first contacted her in January, 2018. She…read morehad a simple probate to handle with zero claims and only had to file some needed paperwork with the courts. She did several tasks over three weeks and then went silent. I had given her a $1,500 retainer. I called and texted her several times in May in hopes to close out the file so we could move forward. She responded once and said she would close it in a few days. Then never heard anything. I reached out again three weeks late, no response. I just reached out to her yesterday to again, close the file. She replied back via text that the file was still not closed and she wanted more money to do so. When I asked very simple questions, she became very rude and said she "quit" and I should hire another attorney. I finally had a call today with her after 18 months and she was condescending and very rude. She offers no customer service, a negative attitude and lack of response to people who are already going through a difficult time. She has a horrible work ethic and attitude. Her business practices are deplorable.