Terrible service, terrible quality, terrible value…read more I paid a hefty retainer 9 months ago no action was taken on my case. Absolutely nothing done. I've called every month since and still had nothing done on my case just excuses of why nothing has been done. I was told I would not get the retainer back . It is so bizarre that they can take a retainer and never provide a service and still keep your money. Fraudulent attorney.

Poor Communication I retained Daphne Clements-Stevens to…read morerepresent me in my divorce case and paid a $4,600 retainer with the expectation of diligent representation and clear communication. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing. Throughout my representation, I repeatedly requested updates regarding my case but often received vague responses, delayed replies, or no response at all. Many of my emails went unanswered, leaving me frustrated and uncertain about the status of my case during an already difficult time. I was also concerned by the lack of billing transparency. Despite being told that my retainer had been depleted by accrued fees, I repeatedly requested itemized billing statements and an accounting of my funds. Although I was advised that billing was being prepared, I never received documentation explaining or supporting the charges. Due to the lack of communication, transparency, and progress in my case, I ultimately retained new counsel, resulting in additional legal expenses. To date, I have not received a complete accounting of my retainer funds. This review reflects my personal experience as a former client.

Go to Paul First!! I made the horrible mistake of going to a different lawyer first and ended up…read moreswitching to him mid divorce so so so grateful I found him !! Made an unpleasant situation the best it could be. I can't rave enough about Him and Louise . I tell everyone if you need a family lawyer go to Paul First! Professional , kind, prompt and explains things my other attorney never did. Truly a wonderful human being

Hi -meeting with Attorney McDermott was the very best 1st time appointment I've ever had !!! The…read moreanxiety I was feeling from when I made the appointment until I met with him . He is 1st and foremost a Godly man . He loves and serves Father, Son and Holy Spirit!!! As I do . I know I have the Best Attorney in this area to help me thru a very difficult situation. Cathyann Karrat

To start this review - to come and finish very soon. This woman Cheryl is a horrible person! I must…read moresay the reviews I looked at were at least 2 years old so I gotta bring you up to date on this wicked terrible human being. First, she's not even close to being upfront - pricing confirmed at $625.50 October 2024 pressured to pay upfront in order to have this "questionnaire" PDF form emailed, and because pricing was going to the first of the year 2025, okay. BTW, I was UPFRONT about waiting for OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION from an agency they needed proof of divorce - without that my very simple uncontested divorce was NOT NEEDED, Cheryl agreed and said Oh no problem. I felt reasonably safe since her only acceptable payment was PayPal, which was great for me should anything go sour PayPal would refund my money (more about this later). Only after the very first introduction phonecall every subsequent communications were through email, another great thing since everything had been documented in writing . Okay, so Cheryl sent out a general email around January 2025 about delays from the 2 massive hurricanes we had back to back, Christmas and New Year's, and other stuff going on with her in her personal life. I immediately replied that she need not worry about me I was still waiting on official notification on whether or not I even needed to go through with a divorce, and I was in no immediate hurry and she need not worry about me (I thought I was actually doing her a favor by letting her know there was no pressure on my end). January, February, March through May I've still not heard a word from the agency and I believed I never would, which actually proved correct since I was approved without getting a divorce. I began the process to reach Cheryl to let her know I was not going to need a divorce and ask her to refund my money - I left countless voicemail messages for her (no answer, no one covering for her in her office to take messages, sent emails no replies nothing. It was only after about 2 weeks of unanswered messages I left she FINALLY replied to my email, but it was NOT a kind email which floored me I was not ready for that one! She's screaming at me why would I not think she would be sick or something in Tampa? Then she proceeded to go through her whole life story about all her illnesses and stuff...I was completely taken aback! I told her I was not a mind-reader and that it was unacceptable to be hollering at me when all I did was leave nothing but kind and polite messages asking her to please contact me I needed to speak with her - that's it. It was not my fault she's running a lean business without any type of help to field her calls and daily activities! And not only did I not need her services, but that I no longer wanted anything to do with her! Well something went off with her when I simply said that because she became VERY nasty and horrible with me none of which I deserved! I couldn't believe it, especially when she was placing all the blame on me! What?! It was just nuts. She didn't stop there, oh no no no no she continued her nasty and vindictive wrath by refusing to refund my money - G-d only knows what kind of lies she told PayPal to justify why she's hijacking my money. I need to clarify something - IF Cheryl had done ANYTHING even slightly more than only emailing about 6-8 pages of a PDF form she calls a "questionnaire," as G-d my only witness I would never, ever renege on a deal! To ME a deal is a deal regardless of this non-existent contract which I signed nothing! She's wrong to not refund my money - and I certainly cannot afford this kind of a loss, nor should I have to! Not that this should matter but my only source of income is Social Security barely above the poverty line! It's disgusting what Cheryl has done as a result of her madness in anger completely and totally unjustified! It's sad actually. I REFUSE to let her get away with this despicable act and hijack my money so now I have to spend about half that expenditure to sue her, and that SUCKS!!! Well I went far far beyond what I wanted to tonight, though I'm glad I did because it's work I need to do anyway to prep an answer . It's not really done I think there's a few things missing, and I didn't go through it to read how it sounds and fix typos but I'm gonna post it for now. My review is my honest, HONEST story. I don't lie! The truth used to be the hardest thing in the world for me to do as a little kid, like most I was afraid of the consequences. I can't tell you when exactly but I eventually learned I was a terrible liar - I would get super & embarrassed with a red face a very uncomfortable feeling. That's when I decided to just tell the truth and deal with it - far, far easier to do, and still a fairly young guy. I'm 68 and have been truthful in everything and with everyone for a very long time - and I feel great inside because of it! My dad, who's still alive still doesn't believe me - it sucks. Best, Joel

Sheryl is amazing, she has made the process so much easier and cost affective. With lawyers pay…read morethousands, go to Sheryl and pay only a couple hundred and do the same process but less money and less hassle.

She spent time on our free consultation to go over all of my best options and was super nice,…read moresupportive and sweet!!

I am convinced that I could not have selected a better person (and attorney) to represent me during…read moremy divorce. Lisa Bell was a solid rock to help me through the entire process. She was always on point, crystal clear in her guidance when I'd lose focus or get overwhelmed. She was always patient and caring but firm and told me exactly what to do and more importantly, what NOT to do when I needed to hear it. Together Lisa and I made it to the finish line with exactly what I thought would be fair and equitable for both parties. I was never thinking that would happen, but Lisa made it happen. I could never have done it alone. Her professional demeanor is razor sharp, yet she still understands that we were dealing with humans, not just numbers. She is a wonderful person and an experienced highly intelligent attorney. If I ever have any need for a Family Lawyer again, Lisa Bell will be the only one I will call.

I had an appointment scheduled with Lee White today. I never received the phone call so I called…read morethe office. I spoke to Arlene, the office manager and I cannot believe what a horrible rude person she is. She yelled at me and my husband. Even though I have power of attorney for my husband because of medical reasons, I am not allowed to make an appointment. Further more, she screamed at my husband that he could not have me on speaker phone. My husband has brain cancer and Arlene and tried to insinuate she knows better than his doctors and said that I cannot be on the phone because he knows his own name and therefore must not have cancer. This was the most unprofessional firm I can imagine.

Lee White, Linda, and the whole team at Jodat Law Group did a phenomenal job helping me through my…read moredivorce. I always felt like they had my best interest in mind, and did everything they could to help me through this trying time.

Florand is very professional mediator makes you feel very relaxed no pressure on you.highly…read morerecommend her services

Chris is truly a master of her craft. Her professional, fair, and measured approach to our divorce…read moremediation turned what would have been a dreaded and lengthy process, into just a few efficient and civilized meetings. Chris's nature is genuine and compassionate yet very professional; she was consistently prepared to tackle and meet the goal(s) set for each meeting. Chris respectfully dealt with both of us, providing insight, empathy, and patience, while keeping the meetings focused on progress and amicable resolution. Chris was able to expertly navigate 'sticking points' that I thought we would never get past. She took the time to listen and understand what was important to each party and offered creative and alternate solutions. We never left a meeting feeling like we hit a dead end. There is no doubt that Chris saved us a tremendous amount of time, money, energy, and aggravation. I would not hesitate to recommend Chris to anyone needing any type of mediation. Chris was always quick to respond via phone or email and her ability to mediate virtually, as needed, with breakout rooms, was welcome to accommodate our busy work and family schedules.

I cannot recommend Johanne Valois Shoffstall, J.D., LL.M. highly enough! From start to finish, she…read moredemonstrated unparalleled professionalism, expertise, and compassion. She does not like to waste time or money. Johanne emailed me on a Monday and said she thought about the case over the weekend. She went above and beyond to ensure I understood every step of the process and always had my best interests at heart. Her attention to detail and commitment to achieving the best possible outcome truly set her apart. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, I felt confident and supported throughout the entire experience. Unlike other attorneys, Johanne has many years of experience working in other fields and is an expert in all aspects of divorce. If you're looking for an attorney who genuinely cares about her clients and delivers exceptional results Johanne Valois Shoffstall is the one to call. She is the best!" Thank you so much, Theresa

Bizarre attorney…read more 5/11/21 email message: "Payment is due before your consultation you may call in a credit card or pay by cash or check." 5/12/21 email message: "I just learned that you propose paying for the consultation by a check which is or will be mailed. I regret I cannot accommodate that,". Never mind the obvious contradiction, this individual sounds and acts bizarre. She then sent a formal "non-representation" document without simply asking for another of the "approved" forms of payment. I would warn you to avoid this seeming ailment or illness presented in just a 24 hour time period. Wow.

I had a legal issue with Direct TV. They sold me a subscription using a misrepresentation of the…read moreservices I could expect. Immediately after the installation, a few hours after the technician left I found that I was not able to get the programming that was agreed upon. Direct TV's customer service is terrible and all they tried to do was sell me a more expensive package. In addition, I just kept getting passed around from one dept. to another. Having become very frustrated with this, I sought help from Gulf Coast Legal, who serves low income families. An attorney named Nancy R., took charge and spent all of a couple of hours on the phone, as she got passed around in the same manner. But her persistence was incredible. In the end she got the contract cancelled for me and I was able to rid myself of this unfair obligation without having my credit rating damaged.

Excellent source for low income residents to get assistance in resolving a variety of legal issues.read more