Elizabeth Barrett

I hired Elizabeth Barrett expecting competent representation, but her 5 years of experience showed clearly in how unprepared she was. She gave me incorrect legal advice that another attorney later had to correct, which wasted time and money. Communication was terrible—she went days or weeks without r...esponding to emails or calls, leaving me in the dark during critical parts of my case. When we did speak, she was rude and condescending. She pushed a one-sided settlement that wasn’t in my best interest and ultimately lost key aspects of the case due to what felt like a lack of thorough preparation. On top of that, the billing included surprise charges that made the whole experience far more expensive than promised. With an overall client review score sitting at just 2.3 out of 5 on Avvo and multiple similar complaints from others, it’s clear these issues aren’t isolated. Save yourself the frustration and look for a more established attorney with better communication and results.

Do NOT hire Elizabeth Barrett. I was her client. I signed her retainer agreement, paid her fees (including upfront and multiple invoices), and she represented me in my contested custody/child support matter on the NH Seacoast. Contrary to the exact same copy-paste response she leaves on every single ...negative review here ("You are not a client of mine" + harassment/arrest order claims), I absolutely was her paying client. She handled my case, appeared in court for me, billed me, and communicated (when she bothered to) directly with me. My experience was an absolute nightmare and a complete waste of money. She was nearly impossible to reach. Emails and calls went unanswered for days or weeks during critical deadlines. When I finally got her on the phone, she was rude, condescending, and clearly unprepared. Her legal advice was wrong and had to be corrected by the new attorney I hired after firing her. She pushed me hard toward a one-sided settlement that left me and my family in a worse position instead of actually fighting for what was fair. We lost key parts of the case due to her lack of preparation and inexperience. On top of everything, the bills kept piling up with surprise charges and zero transparency, far more expensive than anything she discussed upfront. I’ve now read the other one-star reviews here, and they match my experience exactly. The single glowing 5-star review claiming all the negatives are "fake harassment" or "spam from opposing parties" is laughable, these are real clients sharing real stories. If she can take your case, steer clear and find someone more responsive, experienced, and professional. Save yourself the stress, the lost time, and the wasted money.

I have to respond directly to this overly glowing review because it feels like an attempt to whitewash real experiences and dismiss legitimate complaints as "harassment" or "fake." My own case with Attorney Barrett was an absolute nightmare. I hired her for a contested custody and child support matt...er on the Seacoast after seeing similar positive claims. She was nearly impossible to reach — emails and calls went unanswered for days or weeks at critical times, despite her supposed “responsive” reputation. When she finally did communicate, she was curt, dismissive, and clearly unprepared for hearings. She pushed me aggressively toward a one-sided settlement that left my children and me in a far worse position, rather than fighting for what was fair. The “never lost a case” claim is laughable and misleading, my outcome was a clear loss for my family, and it felt like she was more interested in closing the file quickly than actually advocating. The “flexible financial arrangements” and “modest means” talk turned into surprise bills that far exceeded any value received, with zero transparency. I’ve seen the other one-star reviews here, and they match my experience exactly: poor communication, overbilling, and weak results. This isn’t harassment; it’s the truth. Prospective clients should steer clear and find a truly tenacious, honest attorney elsewhere on the Seacoast. You’ve been warned.

If Attorney Barrett is able to take your case, you’d be lucky to have her. She is a fighter and has a wide range of valuable experience in family law, having worked with some of the best attorneys on the seacoast, in the courts, with the state, and with non-profit organizations. She has helped so man...y families throughout the Seacoast and NH by understanding their needs and helping when she can, through flexible financial arrangements, accepting modest means cases, and offering unbundled services. She has an extensive resume and is always willing to answer any questions from her clients. In holding people accountable, by taking significant domestic violence cases, in her child protection work, and in advocating for parent’s and children’s rights, Attorney Barrett has taken harassment from opposing parties with ease, making her clients feel comfortable. It is clear and unfortunate that someone would harass or demean Attorney Barrett by leaving fake one-star reviews on this site, misleading people away from such an awesome attorney. I’ve known Attorney Barrett for years and she has never lost a case or been rude to a client. She is honest and straight forward. I highly recommend Attorney Barrett, if she is able to take your case. You won’t find a more responsive, tenacious, and caring attorney for a family law matter on the NH Seacoast.