Shannon Leigh Kowitz

This review is for Shannon Kowitz of the Mulinazzi law firm, and to lesser extent, Thomas Mulinazzi, the firm’s namesake. My wife left me in April 2018, taking with her my only child. We had few assets and the vast majority of our disagreement was over our then seven year old son, who my wife wa...s limiting me to occasional day visits. I hired Shannon that June, seeking joint legal custody and 50% physical custody. After our initial meeting and hiring her, I had little communication with Shannon that summer. I think we talked twice by phone in which she counseled me to spend more time with my son to establish grounds for physical custody but gave few details on how to accomplish this. In September my wife got aggressive, saying she would deny my offer of joint legal custody and offering only one weekend every two weeks. Shannon’s strategy to counter this was that I should pick up my son from school and from cub scouts without telling my wife and have overnights to establish custody that way. My wife is highly strung and very combative and I did not like this advice at all, fearing angry confrontations and possible legal ramifications. Shannon, and later Thomas, would not deviate from this plan or offer me any alternatives despite my repeated requests for a different strategy. During one of these frustrating phone conversations, I cursed, not at Shannon but about the situation, caught myself, and apologized. Shannon laughed, said she dealt with much worse regularly, and that my bad language was the least of her concerns, or something similar. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I resisted Shannon’s advice throughout the fall, but she still insisted it was the only way to reach my goals. Finally, in January, after much prodding, I picked my son up from scouts on a weeknight and instead of taking him to my wife’s home as usual, I took him to my home where my wife soon appeared, frantic and angry, banging on the door incessantly. Eventually she left in tears, but my son and I were both shaken. Shortly thereafter my wife’s new law firm sent me a nasty threatening letter over the incident, that Shannon said was proof that her strategy was working. February brought my first time in court, a scheduling hearing. Shannon never showed up. I sat in shock as my wife grinned at me throughout, flanked by her two lawyers. Shannon later called to apologize, and promised she was putting something in the mail that would make it up to me. Two days later, a $5 Starbucks gift card arrived. Shortly after this, Shannon and Thomas summoned me to their office for an important meeting. It was only the second and last time I met her face to face. I was hoping for a new strategy, but they doubled down on the same ”just take him” strategy and spent much of the meeting bragging about their prior record against my wife’s new firm. A few weeks later, in mid-March, I was very frustrated with the lack of new ideas while in another phone call, and said something to the effect of “Shannon, right now I think you’re a shitty lawyer, and you probably think I am a shitty client, but I need a new strategy from you”. Although the conversation had been moderately heated, she didn’t seem bothered by it at the time, and we continued talking for several minutes and got off the phone cordially. The next day, Thomas called me to say that Shannon didn’t deserve to be called a shitty lawyer and that the firm would no longer represent me and that I had a week to find new counsel. The happy ending is that after a few rough weeks, I did find competent counsel, and did eventually get joint legal custody and improved physical custody with an understanding that 50% custody will occur in two years. Due to a lack of communication and strategy, as well as abandoning me at a crucial time in my case, I would not recommend Shannon Kowitz or her firm to anyone who wanted a positive experience in a divorce proceeding.

Shannon and her assistant, Michelle, worked with my family and I on a protective order and custody case soon after my mom passed. It'd been a really rough time for my family and myself and it didn't help that my father hadn't been the easiest person to deal with in court. But, Shannon and the rest at... Mulinazzi Law Office really pulled through and we strongly won the case. I would highly recommend this firm any day, they're all so sweet and they really, really put in their all. I promise you, they wouldn't let you down.

Michelle & Stephanie were incredible to work with! I had a negative experience with my previous lawyer for custody and they were so amazing. It was a night and day difference working with these ladies. They had nothing but kind words and encouragement throughout the entire process. The worst thing yo...ur lawyer could do is tear you down with their words as you are about to fight for your children (as my previous lawyer had done- she went as far as having me questioning if I even deserved my children. No mom should ever feel like that. I almost gave up because I thought, “Maybe there’s something I’m just not seeing.” But in my heart I know I am an amazing mother. So I continued my fight.) You already have your ex and their lawyer tearing you down, why would you want YOUR lawyer to destroy you with their word also?! Michelle and Stephanie built me up and gave me the confidence I NEEDED to go into my court case against my abuser. I would 100% recommend Michelle & Stephanie to anyone! I gush about them all the time. I felt heard, I felt seen, and most importantly, I felt empowered! Thank you for everything you ladies did for me. I will never forget it!

I was in an ugly custody dispute and an unusual one to say the least, I will spare you the details. I was always there for my child through thick and thin. The defendant (mother) was not. When the mother got her act together she decided that she wanted it ALL and came at me with false accusations, li...es, and made things a three ring circus. I was battling the opposition as long as I could by myself. I was going to free workshops at the library and attending the free lawyer guidance sessions at the court house. This is where I found Shannon. She first guided me and answered the tricky questions I could not tackle myself. I was very appreciative of her help and I liked the fact she took time to volunteer at the court house and workshops , helping others as well as myself. She gave me a sense that she genuinely cared and I felt very comfortable talking with her. When things got to be over my head , and I realized I needed to obtain counsel , it was Shannon that I sought after. Once Shannon was officially on my case I felt more at ease proceeding forward knowing I was in good hands . Shannon was very prompt in returning my calls and answering questions that I had addressed through email. She really went to bat for me , she believed in me, and THAT was something I will always be grateful for. Shannon was comforting to my nerves in stressful times and a bulldog in negotiation. Shannon was able to get me EVERY single thing that I sought for. I couldn't ask for more in a lawyer. Life has been tough these last few years and I stuck it out, I am a loving and caring father who wants what is best for his kids, even if it's not always what I want. My actions speak for themselves and IF life was fair I shouldn't have had any problems winning on my own. Life is NOT fair. People DON'T tell the truth. Accusations WILL be made. You will need someone to help you. You should have someone by your side that believes in YOU, cares about YOU, and that person is definitely Shannon.

Shannon and her entire team at the Mulinazzi law office are terrific. I started my journey with them almost two years ago looking for help in getting full custody of my two children. It was a long, painful process, but Shannon made it as easy as possible for me. She was kind, and genuinely cared abou...t my family and I, and did everything in her power to do what was the best for my boys. From being available to answer my questions at any time( even weekends and holidays) to being completely honest about things even if it was not what I wanted to hear, she guided me through it all. Shannon won my case for sole legal and primary physical custody of my children. am truly blessed to have found such a wonderful attorney, and I highly recommend her to anyone who is going through a custody battle. Thanks to Shannon and her amazing team my family is back on the right track.