Patricia L. Cooley

If you want to hire one of the best divorce lawyers in Pennsylvania, hire Attorney Pat Cooley of Cooley & Handy PLLC. Pat was my lawyer during 2.5 years of a contentious divorce that ultimately settled, and I was happy with the settlement. Settlement is typically preferred because if the Court decide...s the final outcome then both parties lose control. That said, litigation may be necessary if the other party is unreasonable or unrealistic in his/her expectations. Pat won every major issue adjudicated by the Court in my divorce. She also negotiated final settlement language I likely could not have won in Court. It occurred because Pat employed a dual litigation/negotiating strategy and focused her attention only on the relevant legal issues not the noise created by the other side's lawyer. Pat also knows her way around the court system and she treats busy court officials and Judges with the respect they deserve. I believe the most important consideration when choosing a divorce lawyer is whether or not the lawyer can deliver the goods in litigation. If yes, then you will be in the driver's seat in negotiations. Most divorce lawyers in southeast Pennsylvania probably know of Pat Cooley's litigation skills. Lawyers do not like being defeated in Court because their clients risk being unhappy. Pat's well-earned reputation can therefore be used in settlement discussion. At the Master's hearing Pat was particularly impressive. She had a firm grasp of the asset valuation numbers at a time when stress could have impeded negotiations. She also masterfully recited the verbal agreement we reached for the attending stenographer to generate a transcript that was binding on both parties. Pat will respect the fact that any decision during the process is yours to make. In my situation I had initially hoped that mediation would work and in mediation the parties are pro se. Pat gladly took a back seat. She had no problem with my preferring a mediation approach knowing that if mediation were successful she would make less money. It was only when pro se mediation failed to produce a settlement that litigation became necessary. Pat and her brother Kevin at Cooley and Handy also run a divorce mediation company, separate to their advocacy work for clients. This means Cooley & Handy's lawyers have all-around skills. They know when to employ an effective litigation approach and when to use softer persuasive skills. If Pat cannot personally take your case I would have no hesitation working with one of Cooley & Handy's other attorneys because they have access to Pat and the values at a family business are typically firm-wide values. I suggest you ask any divorce attorney that you are thinking of hiring for the phone numbers of online reviewers/former clients to check the veracity and relevance of references. For example, a former client might say he/she is satisfied for no other reason than the client's lawyer said the final outcome was the best that could be obtained. That would not be objective. I was happy with Pat's services not because of what Pat told me but because I was satisfied with the recommendation of the Family Master in Court which, in turn, led to a good settlement. The support team at Cooley and Handy were excellent throughout the process. Shout out to Estelle who always got everything filed and organized on time and who responded promptly to every email. Do not leave anything to chance when choosing a divorce lawyer. It is your life. The best divorce lawyer is not the loudest or the most aggressive, and the best is not the cheapest. The best is the smartest, the most ethical, the most experienced, and the most professional. The best is someone who knows how to put the law to work for you. If you want to hire the best at a challenging time in your life, hire Cooley & Handy.